Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army Expands to Become a Multinational Threat

By Jared Kleinman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

YAMBIO, Sudan – The Ugandan organization, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) continues to ransack, pillage and destroy villages in the Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and southern Sudan.  The LRA’s latest attack occurred August 29th resulting in 42 deaths, more than 60 wounded and over 24,000 displaced civilians mainly in Panyangor and Kongor.  Last month the UN humanitarian coordinator in Southern Sudan reported that the LRA’s attacks have resulted in over 2,000 people dead and more than 250,000 displaced people since January.

The LRA has increasingly moved from its new base in the DRC into adjacent Southern Sudan and the CAR displacing more and more people from their homes in what is now a multinational conflict.  The Lord’s Resistance Army, led by international fugitive Joseph Kony is notorious for abducting girls and boys to use as sex slaves and soldiers respectively. The attacks also include ransacking homes, churches and health facilities; stealing food, and killing innocent civilians.  These successive and constant attacks have caused widespread panic and fear as thousands remain stranded and even more vulnerable to future attacks.

David Gressley, Regional Coordinator for Southern Sudan at the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) explained that these inter-tribal conflicts are mainly over land boundaries and control over resources within those boundaries.  Though the conflict is over resources, there has been a “major increase in the number of civilians killed, particularly women and children. And it seems that the women and children are not just killed in crossfire but have been targeted,” said Gressley.

The erratic movements by Kony’s men are somewhat inexplicable and leave many questioning what his latest moves could be designed to reach.  David Matsanga, Kony’s former chief negotiator cannot understand the motives behind these expanding attacks.  “That’s why I’ve quit,” said Matsanga.  “Where Kony is fighting from is different from where I went to negotiate this agreement. I negotiated this agreement for the people of Uganda. If he is fighting, he is fighting for something that I don’t understand.”

Kony reportedly wants the International Criminal Court to drop his outstanding arrest warrant before he signs any treaty.  It has been speculated that his new rampage has been forged to create international pressures for new negotiations.  According to that theory he is killing more people so he can get his name cleared off the international crime docket.  The exact motives behind the LRA’s recent rampage remain unknown. What is clear is that the LRA has increased its areas of attack continuing to cause thousands to be displaced, scared and vulnerable in the Southern Sudan, Eastern DRC and Eastern CAR.

For more information, please see:

United Nations News Service – Senior UN Official Warns Of Deadly Dangers Facing South – 11 September 2009

Newstime Africa – Ugandan Rebel Group, LRA, Expands Its Terror Campaign – 28 August 2009

United Nations News Service – Ugandan Rebels Drive Thousands From Their Homes In Southern Sudan – 21 August 2009

Author: Impunity Watch Archive