Finishing the Fight Against the LRA
Operation Lightning Thunder did not end the threat of the Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA, and sparked harsh reprisals by the LRA against civilians in Congo. Given the U.S. role in this operation and its appalling consequences for civilians, the Obama administration now has a responsibility to help finish the job and finally bring an end to the LRA’s devastating reign of death and destruction in central Africa ...
Press Release: Finishing the Fight Against the ‘Lords Resistance Army’ in Congo
“Operation Lightning Thunder” did not end the threat of the Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA, and sparked harsh reprisals by the LRA against civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Yet, it would be an even greater tragedy for civilians if key states in this region of Africa and the international community lost their collective will to end the threat of the LRA for once and all ...
A Big Fish Defection from the LRA?
If second-in-command Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA, rebel leader Okot Odhiambo – otherwise known as “the Executioner” – has come in from the bush and surrendered as some reports suggest, does this mean the LRA is nearing the end of the road? Not necessarily. Odhiambo’s current status remains unclear. He may already be in custody, but given his public calls for amnesty despite the International Criminal Court, or ICC, indictment hanging over his head, authorities may have decided it best to keep the situation quiet. This low-profile strategy makes some sense since a swift departure to The Hague or a ...
A New Peace Strategy for Northern Uganda and the LRA (Strategy Paper)
This paper presents a new strategy to bring an end to the LRA threat in northern Uganda and the surrounding region: the peace strategy must shift from one that relies solely on negotiations to one that develops leverage through military planning, tries to press Kony to make a choice about his future, and pushes forward a development and security strategy that enables northern Ugandans to return voluntarily ...
Press Release: Is There Peace in Northern Uganda?
The signing of the peace deal on April 11 between the Ugandan government and Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony highlights a huge opportunity to accelerate the return of roughly 1.5 million northern Ugandans to their homes. In an ENOUGH strategy report released today, authors Julia Spiegel and John Prendergast address the question: will this peace deal actually bring peace? ...