PRESS RELEASE: LRA/Northern Uganda Bill Passes, NGOs Raise Concern

Posted May, 13, 2010

Yesterday, The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act (S.1067, HR 2478), a bill that AFJN and its members have been watching closely, passed the House of Representatives and is on its way to President Obama's desk. Within 180 days of that time, President Obama will be required to report to Congress on a strategy for tackling the problem of the LRA and its leader, Joseph Kony, who is now operating in CAR, Sudan, and the DRC.

AFJN and a number of Africa advocacy organizations in Washington have numerous concerns, particularly about the likelyhood of a renewed military operation in the region, which has historically come at the expense of civilians.

Read the reaction of the progressive African advocacy community below:

Read more: PRESS RELEASE: LRA/Northern Uganda Bill Passes, NGOs Raise Concern

LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act nears passage

Posted May 6, 2010

The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act (S.1067, HR 2478), a bill that AFJN and its members have been watching closely, is on the move. After it passed the Senate early March, the bill currently has a record number of co-sponsors in the House and recently received a unanimous vote of support from the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The timeline for a the next step (a full vote on the House floor) is not set, but AFJN expects that it will pass within the next couple of weeks. Within 180 days of that time, President Obama will be required to report to Congress on a strategy for tackling the problem of the LRA and its leader, Joseph Kony, who is now operating in CAR, Sudan, and the DRC.

Read more: LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act nears passage

New Statement from Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiatve

Posted April 22, 2010

This month, the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative released another report, urging all parties involved in the LRA conflict to prioritize pursuing peaceful means in order to genuinely resolve the LRA issue.

The introduction

"Since 1997, the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI) has been urging the conflicting parties to engage in dialogue in order to resolve the conflict between the Government of Uganda (GoU) and the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) that has grossly affected the civilian population of Uganda and it's neighbours. Despite the achievements made during the 2006 Juba Peace Talks, regional forces once again resumed military action against the LRA which once again failed to meet it's core objective causing the LRA to flee to other regions where to this day, attacks against the civilian population continue unabated.

In response to the further devastation to the civilian population as a result of military action, ARLPI is calling on all stakeholders to re-commit themselves to the non-violent pursuit of sustainable peace.

The report therefore seeks to put forward the challenges which arise from military action as well as recommendations for the various stakeholders involved in the conflict."

The report also includes recommendations for the international community:

• Continue to aid in the provision of resources and services to affected individuals/communities.
• Help to ensure the protection of civilians through non-violent means.
• Help to facilitate the return of LRA combatants.
• Increase support for the implementation of the items agreed upon in the Juba peace talks, especially transitional justice mechanisms which foster community reconciliation in accordance to what was agreed under Agenda Item #3 on Accountability & Reconciliation.
• Advocate for the reinstatement of the UN Special Envoy for LRA Affected Areas.
• Investigate, expose and hold accountable those who work to ‘spoil’ peace talks both locally and internationally.
• Investigate allegations, expose, and hold accountable those who provide assistance to the LRA.
• Renew their commitment, advocate for, and provide assistance to explore and utilize non-violent methods to resolve the conflict.
• Engage with stakeholders at the grassroot level of all LRA affected areas in the region in order to determine a consensus on how to move forward.

Read the full report here. Read about AFJN's advocacy in favor of a nonviolent approach

 

Peace and Obama: Reflections of a Concerned Activist

Posted February 1, 2010

By Allison Burket

This first decade of the century was one largely defined by America’s response to 9/11 terrorist attacks. By declaring war on an evasive and loosely bound transnational network of extremists, the Bush administration promised increased security for the American people. Yet, this “we’re at war” way of viewing the rest of the world has proved less than constructive for our relationships with friends and allies, fueled the anger of potential opponents and the next generation of extremists, and opened the door for U.S. Africa military command (AFRICOM), and thus the continuation of the all-too-familiar ways militaries in Africa serve to undermine peace and security.

Read more: Peace and Obama: Reflections of a Concerned Activist