As Death Toll in Central Africa Reaches 1,000, Resolve Uganda Calls for Immediate Action to Protect Civilians
(Washington, D.C. - 13 January 2009) ---
As the reported civilian death toll from recent attacks by the Lord's
Resistance Army (LRA) reaches 1,000, the US-based advocacy organization
Resolve Uganda is today calling for immediate action from US
policymakers to bring an end to the violence.
"This is not something that can wait," said Resolve Uganda Executive Director Michael Poffenberger. "What we're seeing is the nightmare scenario. Attacks are now being committed against unprotected populations on an almost daily basis. It's a situation that's spiraling out of control."
Reports by Radio Okapi, the UN-run radio station in the region, put the number of civilians killed by the LRA since Christmas at around 1,000. The UN is also estimating that more than two hundred children have been abducted and over 70,000 people forced to flee their homes due to the violence.
A military operation aimed at defeating the rebel group, launched in December by the Ugandan government with assistance from regional governments as well as the United States, has prompted retaliatory attacks by the LRA against civilian populations in both eastern DR Congo and southern Sudan.
Since Christmas Eve, the rebel group has committed scores of attacks through-out the region, murdering civilians with machetes and burning entire towns.
"Given the United States' role in helping to spark this catastrophe, we now have a pressing obligation to see that ongoing operations are aimed only at arresting top LRA commanders, not endangering abductees, and that the international community is doing all that it can to protect innocent civilians from these brutal attacks," said Poffenberger.
The rebel group is comprised mostly of abducted children, whose lives have been endangered as a result of the ongoing military offensive.
"The US is uniquely positioned to help bring an end to this horrific violence. We can and must act," added Poffenberger.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR U.S. POLICYMAKERS:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The war between the rebel LRA and Ugandan government began in 1986, and has been characterized by widespread abuse of human rights by both sides. Thousands of people have been killed during the war, and tens of thousands abducted by the LRA and exploited as child soldiers and sex slaves.
LRA forces moved their base of operations to the eastern DR Congo in 2005, from where they have pillaged communities and abducted children in DR Congo, South Sudan, and Central African Republic.
Recent peace talks between the LRA and Ugandan government began in August 2006 and broke down in mid-2008 with rebel leader Joseph Kony refusing to sign the final agreement negotiated on his behalf, opting instead to resume attacks on civilians in the region. The governments of Uganda, DR Congo, and South Sudan launched a surprise military operation against LRA on December 14th, aiming to capture LRA leader Joseph Kony or pressure him to sign the peace agreement.
There are outstanding warrants for the arrest of Kony and two of his top commanders, issued by the International Criminal Court in 2005.
"This is not something that can wait," said Resolve Uganda Executive Director Michael Poffenberger. "What we're seeing is the nightmare scenario. Attacks are now being committed against unprotected populations on an almost daily basis. It's a situation that's spiraling out of control."
Reports by Radio Okapi, the UN-run radio station in the region, put the number of civilians killed by the LRA since Christmas at around 1,000. The UN is also estimating that more than two hundred children have been abducted and over 70,000 people forced to flee their homes due to the violence.
A military operation aimed at defeating the rebel group, launched in December by the Ugandan government with assistance from regional governments as well as the United States, has prompted retaliatory attacks by the LRA against civilian populations in both eastern DR Congo and southern Sudan.
Since Christmas Eve, the rebel group has committed scores of attacks through-out the region, murdering civilians with machetes and burning entire towns.
"Given the United States' role in helping to spark this catastrophe, we now have a pressing obligation to see that ongoing operations are aimed only at arresting top LRA commanders, not endangering abductees, and that the international community is doing all that it can to protect innocent civilians from these brutal attacks," said Poffenberger.
The rebel group is comprised mostly of abducted children, whose lives have been endangered as a result of the ongoing military offensive.
"The US is uniquely positioned to help bring an end to this horrific violence. We can and must act," added Poffenberger.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR U.S. POLICYMAKERS:
- Support the active deployment of national militaries and UN peacekeepers in the region to protect civilians from further LRA reprisal attacks;
- Urge forces participating in the current offensive to show greater restraint during combat operations and better facilitate the escape and demobilization of LRA abductees;
- Support the development of a viable strategy to apprehend indicted LRA commanders, while also ensuring all military operations target indicted LRA commanders exclusively and minimize risk to abductees within rebel ranks;
- Continue encouraging LRA commanders to take concrete steps toward a negotiated solution to the conflict; and
- Increase humanitarian assistance to populations affected by the recent violence.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The war between the rebel LRA and Ugandan government began in 1986, and has been characterized by widespread abuse of human rights by both sides. Thousands of people have been killed during the war, and tens of thousands abducted by the LRA and exploited as child soldiers and sex slaves.
LRA forces moved their base of operations to the eastern DR Congo in 2005, from where they have pillaged communities and abducted children in DR Congo, South Sudan, and Central African Republic.
Recent peace talks between the LRA and Ugandan government began in August 2006 and broke down in mid-2008 with rebel leader Joseph Kony refusing to sign the final agreement negotiated on his behalf, opting instead to resume attacks on civilians in the region. The governments of Uganda, DR Congo, and South Sudan launched a surprise military operation against LRA on December 14th, aiming to capture LRA leader Joseph Kony or pressure him to sign the peace agreement.
There are outstanding warrants for the arrest of Kony and two of his top commanders, issued by the International Criminal Court in 2005.
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Resolve
Uganda is a U.S.-based coalition of humanitarian, faith-based and
advocacy organizations working to get U.S. political leaders to take
the steps that will permanently end the war in northern Uganda. For
more information, go to www.resolveuganda.org