The kings of comedy are at it again, but this time they are using humor to shine a light on human rights atrocities in central Africa. Comedy video website Funny or Die partnered with the Enough Project to co-produce a three-minute video starring Christopher Meloni, who co-starred on NBC’s Law & Order: SVU and recently joined the HBO series True Blood.
Watch “Kony Hunter with Christopher Meloni”:
Kony, who is quickly becoming the world’s most well-known international criminal, has led the LRA from Uganda to northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and eastern Central African Republic. The LRA has no clear political agenda but continues to target civilians in the region. The group has become notorious for its brutal tactics that include massacring and mutilating innocent people, and forcing children to serve as soldiers and sex slaves.
Meloni first became involved in efforts to end the LRA after a 2009 Law & Order: SVU episode that featured a child soldier fleeing the LRA conflict. The show’s producers and writers consulted Enough Project Co-founder John Prendergast for background on the LRA crisis, and many cast members, including Meloni and actress Mariska Hargitay, were deeply affected and wanted to get involved.
“We’re really excited to partner with Funny or Die on this fresh approach to advocacy,” said Robert Padavick, Director of Content for the Enough Project. “By combining masters of comedy and satire with an evidence-based, results-oriented policy organization, we’re creating new ways to introduce people to this critical issue and educate them about solutions.”
The Funny or Die video uses off-the-wall humor to grab the attention of viewers and direct them to take action. Viewers can send a letter to President Obama thanking him for the deployment of roughly 100 U.S. military advisors and support personnel last fall to central Africa, and urging him to lead the international community, including countries in the region, in providing further support in the form of troops, transport, intelligence, and a defections strategy to end the operations of the LRA and bring a lasting peace to the region.
Take action or learn more about what the U.S. and the international community should do to help end the LRA. And please share the video on Twitter using the hashtag #KonyMeloni.