Movie Short on Escaping Kony:They Came At Night - YouTube

LINK: They Came At Night - YouTube

Charles: A return home for one of Joseph Kony's LRA rebels - YouTube

LINK: Charles: A return home for one of Joseph Kony's LRA rebels - YouTube

GROTESQUE: Kony and LRA poaching elephants to fund operations - YouTube

FROM INVISIBLE CHILDREN:

Published on Jun 7, 2013:
 

Since 2005, the LRA has been poaching elephants in Garamba National Park and using the elephants' ivory to fund their operations and continue killing innocent civilians in central Africa. Through defection flier messaging, we are directly targeting groups in the park, asking them to lay down their arms and peacefully surrender. 79% of defectors in the past year have cited these fliers as influential in their escape.

To learn more about our Protection Programs: http://spr.ly/pp_5
To fund these initiatives, become a member of Fourth Estate: http://spr.ly/pp_4E5

Access the recent report from Enough Project, The Resolve LRA Crisis Initiative, and Invisible Children about the LRA's tactics in poaching elephants: http://spr.ly/ElephantPoachinginCongo

LINK: LRA poaching elephants to fund operations - YouTube

US offers reward for Uganda warlord Kony - Africa - Al Jazeera English

War crimes suspect Joseph Kony, ejected from Uganda in 2005, is wanted by International Criminal Court [Getty]

The United States has offered bounties of up to $5m each for fugitive Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony and some of his top aides in the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebel group.

The announcement on Wednesday came just as Uganda and Washington said they had been forced to suspend their two-year hunt for Kony in the jungles of the Central African Republic, after rebels seized power in Bangui.

The US State Department said Kony, along with aides Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen, had been cited under the department's newly expanded War Crimes Rewards Programme.

FULL ARTICLE: US offers reward for Uganda warlord Kony - Africa - Al Jazeera English

Congress passes bill with $45 million to help arrest Joseph Kony // IC CITIZEN | Invisible Children Blog

Our IC|Citizen team is excited to report that earlier this week, Congress passed, and President Obama signed into law, budget legislation (known as a “continuing resolution”) that includes a special allocation of $45 million to support efforts to locate and arrest top LRA leaders. More specifically, these funds would likely go towards new intelligence and surveillance equipment that the U.S. advisors in central Africa need to better identify the movements and locations of LRA groups and top commanders.

This week’s news is a huge encouragement to our Citizen team, which has been working with activists across the country for months, lobbying members of the House and Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittees (who had the most influence over this decision), and specifically asking them for this kind of funding....

Congress passes bill with $45 million to help arrest Joseph Kony // IC CITIZEN | Invisible Children Blog

Could upheaval in CAR spell the end for operations against the LRA?

A violent change of government that took place in the Central African Republic over the weekend could lead to the withdrawal of Ugandan and US forces working to track down LRA groups in the eastern part of the country. The departure of Ugandan and US forces from CAR, which are operating there under an authorization from the African Union and with permission from the previous CAR government, would create a security vacuum in LRA-affected areas and allow the reversal of significant gains made against the LRA in recent years.................

FULL ARTICLE HERE: Could upheaval in CAR spell the end for operations against the LRA?

The Hill Op-ed: Staying the Course to End the LRA | Enough

Posted by Ashley Benner on Mar 12, 2013

Editor's Note: This op-ed originally appeared on The Hill's Congress blog.

Analysts conjectured years ago that a commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army named Caesar Acellam wanted to defect – and that he might be key to dismantling the group.

Last May, he came out of the bush. Within a few months, the U.S. military advisors who were deployed in late 2011 to help end the LRA conflict in Central and East Africa innovated a new technique for securing defections: using speakers mounted on helicopters to broadcast ‘come home’ messages. Acellam was one of the first people to fly over the Central African Republic to do a ‘live’ broadcast.

This innovation has proven to be highly effective. Many LRA who have since escaped mentioned hearing these messages..........

FULL ARTICLE: The Hill Op-ed: Staying the Course to End the LRA | Enough

What happened to KONY 2012? | Invisible Children

What Happened to KONY 2012?

It changed everything.

In the last 365 days, two of the top five commanders in the LRA have been taken off the battlefield, LRA killings have dropped 67%, the Invisible Children youth rehabilitation center is open at full capacity, and Joseph Kony became the most wanted criminal in the world. But a viral video is not going to end this war. To bring peace, it will take commitment from all of us.

FULL ARTICLE W/VIDEO:
What happened to KONY 2012? | Invisible Children

United Nations Webcast on Ending the LRA Reign of Violence- Rio+20, (13-22 June 2012, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) - Press conference on the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)

 


UN Live United Nations Webcast - Rio+20, (13-22 June 2012, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) - Press conference on the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)

From DR Congo to Washington, DC, to the United Nations « Invisible Children Blog

The press conference at the United Nations Security Council is fast approaching, and we are so happy to say that two local leaders from northeastern DR Congo will be there. They arrived in DC yesterday, and over the next couple of weeks they will be speaking in front of some of the most influential  governing bodies in the world on behalf of the remote communities in Central Africa that continue to be targeted by the  Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

Father Benoit (whom you might recognize from KONY 2012: Part II – Beyond Famous or one of our videos about his Early Warning Radio Network) and Sister Angelique  both do remarkable work in their communities, protecting civilians and helping rehabilitate those who have escaped from the LRA.  I copied their bios below so that you could get a glimpse of the experience and knowledge they bring with them. Our advocacy partner, Resolve, and Crisis Action are hosting the two delegates on their three-week advocacy tour.

FOR THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE: From DR Congo to Washington, DC, to the United Nations « Invisible Children Blog

THE WORLD RESPONDS: Global Action to stop the LRA: March to May - YouTube

Global Action to stop the LRA: March to May - YouTube

LRA Top Commander Captured Alive - YouTube

On Saturday, May 12th, Ugandan military forces captured Caesar Achellam, one of the top four commanders in the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Achellam was captured in southeastern Central African Republic (CAR) after being in the LRA for over two decades. He was captured with a wife, a child, and a 12-year-old female from CAR.

Achellam holds one of the highest ranks within the LRA and is a leading influence in the group’s operations. Maj. General Achellam is an arabic speaker who managed the highly strategic relationship between the LRA and the Sudanese government in Khartoum. He also was one of two LRA commanders who had formal military training, and at one point he was the lead instructor for LRA troops.

Prior to Achellam’s capture, his relationship to Kony was uncertain. For years, Achellam’s group operated always in close proximity to Kony’s group, but in 2007 Kony disciplined Achellam for indicating a desire to negotiate a settlement during the Juba Peace Talks. His personal security escort was removed and younger, more violent LRA officers were promoted. In 2010, LRA expert Ledio Cakaj reported that while Okot Odhiambo (an ICC indictee) was technically second in command, Achellam was growing more influential with Kony because of his established links with Sudan–a government known to provide the LRA with food, ammunition, and safe haven.

As Ledio Cakaj notes, “Given that his knowledge of the LRA is on par with that of Kony, the apprehension or defection of Achellam could significantly destabilize the LRA.” Not only is Achellam, as some have noted, an “intelligence gold mine,” he is highly respected by Ugandan LRA because of his deep ties to the LRA movement and his formal military training. Because of the respect he garners, some speculate that he is one of the few officers who could have assumed control of the LRA if Kony were to be apprehended. For the same reasons, his capture could trigger a new wave of LRA surrenders. Since his capture, Achellam has said that he finally feels free now that he is out of the LRA. “My coming out will have a big impact for the people still in the bush to come out and end this war soon.”

FOR THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE: LRA Top Commander Captured Alive - YouTube

BBC News - Uganda captures LRA senior commander

A senior commander in the rebel Lord's Resistance Army has been captured by the Ugandan army, a spokesman has said.

Caesar Achellam was seized on Saturday following a struggle between Ugandan soldiers and a group of 30 rebels.

The commander, whom Ugandan officials say is a top rebel military strategist, was captured in the Central African Republic, one of several nations where the Ugandan-led LRA operates.

The most notorious wanted LRA leader is war crimes suspect Joseph Kony.

Following his arrest, Achellam told reporters: "The general of the division, Caesar Achellam, who has fought in the jungle since 1984, is from now on in the hands of the Ugandan Army."

Ugandan army spokesman Felix Kulaigye, meanwhile, said: "The arrest of Major General Caesar Achellam is big progress because he is a big fish.

"His capture is definitely going to cause an opinion shift within LRA."

FOR THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE: BBC News - Uganda captures LRA senior commander

The story of a 19-year-old girl who escaped the LRA « Invisible Children Blog

The story of a 19-year-old girl who escaped the LRA 

In February of 2012, Invisible Children spoke with a 19-year old former LRA abductee* in the Central African Republic (CAR) who was forced to become one of Joseph Kony’s 40+ wives at the age of 16. She explained how the combination of FM radio broadcasts and defection leaflets gave her the courage to finally escape, more than three years after she was abducted by the LRA. This story highlights the importance of the Demobilization, Disarmament, and Reintegration (DDR) process and the need to expand efforts that promote peaceful surrender of LRA members.

FOR THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE: The story of a 19-year-old girl who escaped the LRA « Invisible Children Blog

Human Rights Watch: LRA attacks in Central African Republic escalate

Two sisters in Agoumar who were abducted on their farm by the LRA on February 27, 2012. They were released, but their brother and nephew are still missing. Photo credit: Ida Sawyer. 

On Friday, Human Rights Watch wrote about the recent surge in LRA activity–53 attacks between January and March. The article recounts interviews with recent LRA abductees and calls for immediate action to protect civilians and disarm the Lord’s Resistance Army. The article includes specific recommendations for the 100 U.S. advisory troops currently stationed in the region.

“The increase in LRA attacks shows that the rebel group is not a spent force and remains a serious threat to civilians,” said Anneke Van Woudenberg, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The African Union, United Nations, and governments in the region should take urgent steps to implement comprehensive civilian protection measures and put real muscle into making them work.”

Read the entire article from Human Rights Watch.

A day before this article was published, civil society, human rights and religious groups from the currently-affected regions of CAR and DR Congo released a letter that very clearly calls for international support and solidarity with the communities in Central Africa that are threatened by the LRA. 

FOR THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE: Human Rights Watch: LRA attacks in Central African Republic escalate

Meet Mborigie: The Hunt for Joseph Kony Photo Essay - Trevor Snapp

ORIGINAL SITE HERE

The Hunt for Joseph Kony

Previous 14 / 15 Next

Trevor Snapp / Pulitzer Center for Newsweek 

Foster Mborigie Mizeredi, 8, was abducted by the LRA when he was 7 and forced to beat a man to death with a club. The man was murdered because he spoke Azande instead of Kony’s native language of Acholi. “All of us participated,” said Mizeredi. “I also had to beat him.” He eventually escaped but had to leave his sister behind, who was a sex slave for an LRA commander. Miseredi now lives with a host family as he doesn’t know where his parents are.  Here, he sits outside a small house he built for himself.

The Hunt for Joseph Kony

NEWSWEEK: The Hunt for Kony

Maj. Richard Kidega threaded his way through a thicket of sweet black trees and thorny underbrush when suddenly he drew to a halt. A young Ugandan soldier in front had raised a clenched fist: the sign to stop. With their AK-47s raised, Kidega and his men silently scanned the jungle for any signs of the enemy, such as fresh tracks or trampled brush. Hanging vines clogged the path. Dry leaves masked deep holes. The gully was an attractive place for an ambush. “It’s places just like this where the LRA likes to hide,” Kidega whispered, as the hunt for Joseph Kony, rebel leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, slowly moved ahead.

This inhospitable swath of jungle in the Central African Republic is ground zero in the search for Kony’s LRA. On any given day, Ugandan soldiers, aided by U.S. special forces, comb through the forests, looking for one of the most elusive war criminals in history, a man who has kidnapped thousands of children, turning boys into hardened killers and girls into sex slaves. It is estimated that the LRA has killed upwards of 70,000 civilians, kidnapped some 40,000 children, and displaced hundreds of thousands of people in four countries.

FOR THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE: The Hunt for Kony

Cover The Night Mission #1: Share The Pledge

There are over three and a half million pledges so far to work to stop Kony and the LRA. These will be presented to the UN this week to show officials how strong this drive is. Consider adding your name to the pledge list.

Cover The Night Mission #1: Share The Pledge

Invisible Children welcomes members of Congress to Gulu

L-R: Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Jolly Okot, Jimmy J. Kolke (Principal Deputy Director, Global Affairs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

Last week, Invisible Children’s Country Director, Jolly Okot, had the pleasure of meeting several policymakers from the U.S., such as Senator Johnny Isakson from Georgia, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee from California, who were traveling to northern Uganda as part of a “learning trip” alongside CARE International.

Meeting with the delegates during their time in Gulu last Thursday, Jolly was able to speak with representatives of Congress, including several who supported the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act which was passed in 2010, as well as several who have joined together with other policymakers to sponsor recent resolutions in support of apprehending Joseph Kony in order to bring an end to his atrocities. Kony, who left Uganda in 2006, still continues to operate in areas of Central Africa, particularly Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, and the western equatorial of South Sudan.

FOR THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE: Invisible Children welcomes members of Congress to Gulu

HERE IT IS! KONY 2012 Part II - Beyond Famous

KONY 2012: Part II - Beyond Famous

 KONY 2012: Part II -- Beyond Famous offers a closer look at the LRA and explores the solutions put forward by leaders of the currently-affected areas of CAR, DRC, and South Sudan, where local communities continue to live under the constant threat of LRA violence. This generation has responded to the call to make Joseph Kony famous. Now we need to dig deeper and turn awareness into informed action. That starts with sharing this film and continues with participating in Cover the Night, the advocacy and awareness event taking place worldwide on April 20th.