Child Soldiers in Uganda: Kony and the LRA

What are child soldiers? Children under the age of 18 recruited (usually forced) to fight in wars and conflicts, also includes children who carry supplies, act as spies, and serve combatants. Children are forced to be soldiers around the world, although the majority of child soldiers are fighting in Africa.

Why use children as soldiers? Cheap Obedient Easily manipulated –Mold them into the “perfect” soldier Shortage of men Little is done to stop it

Making Children Kill Children are given drugs and alcohol to break down their psychological barriers to fighting or committing atrocities. “The first time I went into battle I was afraid. But after two or three days they forced us to start using cocaine, and then I lost my fear. When I was taking drugs, I never felt bad on the front. Human blood was the first thing I would have every morning. It was my coffee in the morning…every morning." - Ibrahim, 16 (Sierra Leone)

Using Girls in Wars Raped, sexually abused, and beaten. –Boys are also abused. “Wives” for combatants "When the mayi-mayi attacked my village, we all ran away...the soldiers captured all the girls, even the very young. Once with the soldiers, you were forced to "marry" one of the soldiers…If you refused, they would kill you...They would slaughter people like chickens…. Wherever we were fighting, along the way, they would take the women and girls working in the fields...They would take young girls, remove their clothes, and then would rape them...My "husband" did not beat me too often...” - Jasime, 2002 (DRC)

Origin of the Conflict In the 1970s and 1980s Uganda was notorious for its human rights abuses, first during the military dictatorship of Idi Amin from and then after the return to power of Milton Obote, who had been ousted by Amin. In 1986, Yoweri Museveni gained the presidency of Uganda. Alice Lakwena, a woman from the Acholi tribe in northern Uganda started the Holy Spirit Movement (HSM) in opposition.

The Holy Spirit Movement In the 1980s, in the Acholi Village of Gulu, Uganda, Alice Lakwena believed she was told by the Holy Spirit to overthrow the Ugandan government because “it was unjust towards the Acholi people.” Her movement, later nicknamed the Holy Spirit Movement, gained support thus causing the government to exile Lakwena for leading the revolution. She didn’t have any heirs, so a man named Joseph Kony, who claimed to be one of her cousins, took over and transformed the Holy Spirit Movement into the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Alice Lakwena

Gulu, Uganda

Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) Joseph Kony: rebel leader –Former witchdoctor –Spiritual element to his leadership Terrorizing northern Uganda, northeastern DRC, southern Sudan, and eastern Central African Republic. –Kidnapping children to use as soldiers. –Razing villages. –Killing innocent people. LRA in the Congo (Video)

The LRA The LRA soon became associated with terror and violence. This caused his support from the people of the Holy Spirit Movement to decrease, leaving Kony to find another way to fill his army. The LRA resorted to kidnapping, brainwashing, and training children to keep the LRA a large organization of killers. It is estimated that nearly 90% of the LRA is children, ages 8-15.

The LRA and Joseph Kony

Refugee Camps The internal turmoil that Uganda faces has forced thousands to forcefully leave their homes and live in refugee camps.

Night Commuters Because of the AIDS crisis and violent environment, many Acholi children are orphaned, only fueling the problem of child soldiers. Children are forced to walk miles each day from their villages to the nearest city to sleep safely, with less of a chance being taken in the middle of the night by the LRA rebels. These children have been nicknamed the “Night Commuters.”

The Bush Unfortunately, this is not a fool-proof plan and children continue to be kidnapped and forced to participate in the LRA. The boys are brainwashed and taught how to kill without regret, or even reaction. They are taken to “The Bush,” where all kidnapped children stay until they believe in the LRA and are sent to kidnap other children, and participate in armed conflict. The girls are often raped and tortured as a form of entertainment for older soldiers. Joseph Kony has had as many as 40 wives, all kidnapped children who have been forced into sexual partnerships.

Escaping The Bush Sometimes, children are able to escape from The Bush, but it is not without consequences. Often times, these children still maintain the mindset that killing is part of a daily routine. Aside from that issue, villagers have difficulty accepting them back into their society, as they were part of a torturous army that has terrorized and killed fellow villagers for nearly three decades. (LRA Rehabilitation video)

The LRA Today The LRA left Uganda for good once the Juba Peace Talks began in Since 2008, they have carried out their attacks in the border regions of northeastern Congo, South Sudan, and Central African Republic. On May 12, 2012, Caesar Achellam, the oldest member of the LRA and one of Kony’s top three commanders, was captured.

The Ugandan Government Leaders in the Ugandan government and people involved in Uganda peace keeping efforts express frustration over the lack of attention the United States and other powerful countries pay to this crisis. Since becoming president in 1986 Yoweri Museveni has introduced democratic reforms at a steady pace and been credited with substantially improving human rights, notably by reducing abuses by the army and the police.

Organizations Addressing Child Soldiers Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers Child Soldier Relief Human Rights Watch Amnesty International UNICEF The Invisible Children  This list is not comprehensive.

Invisible Children Focus on child soldiers in Uganda (those recruited by the LRA). “We use the power of media to inspire young people to help end the longest running war in Africa.”

Kony filmmaker arrested; to be released from hospital soon