The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed 39 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). An arrest warrant for Kony was initially issued in 2005, and he is believed to be in the Central African Republic (CAR).
ICC Charges and Reactions
The confirmed charges against Kony include murder, rape, forced pregnancy, sexual slavery, and the recruitment of child soldiers, all attributed to the LRA. Individuals in Uganda who state they were affected by the LRA's activities have provided statements regarding this development.
Evelyn Amon, 42, who states she was abducted by the LRA at age 11 and remained with the group for 11 years, expressed a desire for justice for women affected by abduction. She indicated that compensation for victims is contingent on Kony's trial.
Patrick Ochieng, 28, who was born in LRA captivity after his mother's abduction, expressed a desire for Kony's arrest, noting that some affected individuals are aging or have died. He described growing up in rebel camps and being among those forced into child soldier roles. His mother was killed during an escape attempt when he was five years old.
Background of LRA Activities
The LRA, founded by Kony in northern Uganda in the late 1980s, stated its objective was to establish a government based on the biblical Ten Commandments. The group was known for acts including dismemberment, facial mutilation, and sexual enslavement. The LRA was forced out of Uganda in 2005 and subsequently operated in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and the CAR, where remnants are reported to be involved in poaching and illegal mining.
In 2012, a social media campaign drew international attention to the LRA's reported actions. The United States offered a $5 million reward for information leading to Kony's arrest in 2013. Despite tracking efforts by US and Ugandan forces, which concluded in 2017, Kony remains unapprehended.
Impact of the Insurgency
During the LRA insurgency in northern Uganda, which spanned nearly two decades, over 100,000 people were killed, an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 children were abducted, and 2.5 million people were displaced into protection camps.
One such attack occurred in 2004 at a camp in Lukodi village, near Gulu, resulting in the deaths of over 70 individuals, including women and children. Muhammad Olanya, 17 at the time, described escaping the attack but reported losing relatives and not receiving a formal education as a consequence of the conflict.
Legal and Diplomatic Context
Previous attempts by the Ugandan government to secure a peace deal with Kony failed in 2008 due to Kony's demand for immunity from prosecution. Individuals affected by the LRA's actions expressed an expectation that the ICC's decision to proceed with charges in Kony's absence indicates future accountability.