Action Needed to Leverage Surrender of LRA Commander Into Chance for Peace
(Washington, D.C. – 28 January 2009) There is early indication today that LRA commander Okot Odhiambo has surrendered to international authorities in northeastern DR Congo, along with 45 rebel fighters and 10 abductees. His surrender is a positive development in the ongoing conflict, as it deprives the LRA of its second-ranking officer.
Odhiambo is one of three remaining LRA commanders indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, along with the rebel group's leader Joseph Kony and his deputy Dominic Ongwen, both of whom remain at large.
"This man is responsible for some of the worst atrocities committed during the two decades of this war. Losing him is a serious blow to the LRA's capability to wage war, meaning kids in the region can sleep a little bit safer tonight," said Paul Ronan, Senior Policy Analyst for Resolve Uganda.
Though the terms under which Odhiambo negotiated his surrender are not yet known, he reportedly refused to come out unless guaranteed he would not be turned over to the ICC. His fate could have significant implications on whether Kony and other LRA commanders choose to continue fighting.
"What comes next is what really matters," said Ronan. "The international community has to find a way to leverage this into getting Kony to come out and ending the immediate violence."
As the result of a military offensive launched by the Ugandan government on December 14th aimed at ending the LRA insurgency, the rebel group has since committed scores of attacks throughout eastern Congo and southern Sudan, abducting hundreds of kids and killing upwards of one thousand civilians. Just yesterday, UN peacekeepers confirmed that at least 100 bodies had been discovered in a Congolese village attacked by the LRA earlier this month.
While the ongoing offensive, code-named Operation Lightning Thunder, is presumably responsible for Odhiambo's surrender, it has also indiscriminately endangered women and children forced into the LRA's ranks, as well as civilian populations in the region who were left unprotected.
"His surrender has come at a high price – too high of a price," said Ronan. "The international community has a very short window of opportunity to pressure regional forces to prevent further rebel reprisal attacks and assist them in targeting remaining top LRA leaders. If this doesn't happen, the situation will just get worse."
Odhiambo is one of three remaining LRA commanders indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, along with the rebel group's leader Joseph Kony and his deputy Dominic Ongwen, both of whom remain at large.
"This man is responsible for some of the worst atrocities committed during the two decades of this war. Losing him is a serious blow to the LRA's capability to wage war, meaning kids in the region can sleep a little bit safer tonight," said Paul Ronan, Senior Policy Analyst for Resolve Uganda.
Though the terms under which Odhiambo negotiated his surrender are not yet known, he reportedly refused to come out unless guaranteed he would not be turned over to the ICC. His fate could have significant implications on whether Kony and other LRA commanders choose to continue fighting.
"What comes next is what really matters," said Ronan. "The international community has to find a way to leverage this into getting Kony to come out and ending the immediate violence."
As the result of a military offensive launched by the Ugandan government on December 14th aimed at ending the LRA insurgency, the rebel group has since committed scores of attacks throughout eastern Congo and southern Sudan, abducting hundreds of kids and killing upwards of one thousand civilians. Just yesterday, UN peacekeepers confirmed that at least 100 bodies had been discovered in a Congolese village attacked by the LRA earlier this month.
While the ongoing offensive, code-named Operation Lightning Thunder, is presumably responsible for Odhiambo's surrender, it has also indiscriminately endangered women and children forced into the LRA's ranks, as well as civilian populations in the region who were left unprotected.
"His surrender has come at a high price – too high of a price," said Ronan. "The international community has a very short window of opportunity to pressure regional forces to prevent further rebel reprisal attacks and assist them in targeting remaining top LRA leaders. If this doesn't happen, the situation will just get worse."