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