Background information on Uganda
The prevailing war in northern Uganda has terrorized thousands of Ugandans for over two decades. Among the worst atrocities of this war include the killings of thousands of civilians, the displacement of almost 1.7 million refugees, and the abduction of over 30,000 children.
Lord's Resistance Army
At the heart of this conflict is the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) led by Joseph Kony. The LRA seeks to challenge President Yoweri Museveni's government and rule Uganda according to the Bible's Ten Commandments. They operate in the North of Uganda and in Sudan.
Uganda is a country divided between North and South. While the South is home to the educated and political elites, the North has been dominated by the military. When Uganda gained independence in 1962, it endured two oppressive dictatorships and hostilities erupted between the North and South.
In 1986, Museveni came into power and formed a Movement in attempt to restore Uganda. In the North, the Movement was met by a rebellion that was backed by the Acholi tribe, who sought to regain their previous political power.
Despite peace agreements, fighting continued to flare and new insurgent groups surfaced. In 1987, the LRA was formed, claiming to protect the Acholi. When the Acholi however, turned against the insurgency, Kony started a brutal revenge towards its people.
In 1994, the LRA gained more power with support from Sudan. They began terrorizing and massacring communities and civilians. Many ethnic Acholi were forced to move into camps with squalor conditions. By 2005, at least 1,000 people were estimated to die in camps every week.
The LRA is considered Uganda's most feared rebel group and one of the most violent in the world. Of about 500,000 people killed, many were children. Over 30,000 children have been abducted; used as sex slaves and forced into killing as child soldiers. Some other 40,000 children are forced to 'night commute' on the streets to avoid raids by the LRA.
In 2005, the International Criminal Court indicted Kony and four LRA leaders for humanitarian crimes. In retaliation, the LRA launched attacks on international aid groups. In 2006, Kony denied his involvement in war crimes and agreed to engage in peace talks. A ceasefire was agreed on; however, certain differences have delayed a successful outcome, such as the LRA's refusal to extradite its leaders to the ICC.
As the peace talks resume in 2007, random violence continues throughout northern Uganda and its people and children still suffer from the brutalities they have experienced.