Child Soldiers in Uganda
According to the non-profit organization, War Child, a group of outraged Ugandan citizens joined together to form the Lords Resistance Army. The LRA started in the early 1980’s in Uganda as the Holy Spirit Movement led by Alice Lakwena (War Child). She claimed the Holy Spirit ordered her to overthrow the Ugandan government because of the mistreatment of the Acholi people. As resistance towards the Ugandan government escalated, supporters flocked to Lakwena. Eventually battles outbroke in Jinja, which led to Alice Lakwena’s exile from Uganda. A man named Joseph Kony, who was born in 1961, claimed to be Alice Lakwena’s cousin and took over as a leader (War Child). He believes he is a prophet sent from God to purify the people of Uganda (War Child). In 1986, Joseph Kony re-named the Holy Spirit Movement as the Lord’s Resistance Army (War Child). Kony stated that his mission was to overthrow the Ugandan government because the mistreatment of the Acholi people and then rule Uganda based on the Ten Commandments. When he started to abduct children to build his ranks, Kony rapidly lost support. This resulted in the continued abduction of children to support his army (UNICEF) . For almost 26 years, Kony has led a vicious regime, targeting civilians, kidnapping children and forcing them to fight. Joseph Kony operates the Lord’s Resistance Army from bases in Southern Sudan with his top commanders Okot Odhiambo, Dominic Ongwen, and Raska Lukwiya (Global Security). Spreading fear and intimidation, the LRA targets remote villages, local government officials and employees as well as humanitarian convoys for attack (Global Security). Attacks happen in remote places and the lack of communication is a problem because news of attacks can take weeks or months to arrive in other villages. The LRA disguise themselves as military soldiers and attack the villages as they gather for village meetings or spiritual gatherings (Global Security). They loots villages for food and supplies. While looting, they abduct children, adults, and other people who can be useful, such as children who are strong enough to carry weapons (War Child). Those who refuse or try to escape are tortured and killed. The LRA kills the weak and old with machetes, swords, or stones, and cuts off peoples ears, lips, and noses as a warning for others (War Child). In addition captives are forced to rape and/or kill their family (War Child). These brutal tactics are used as a way to ensure total submission to LRA rule. Survivors are forced out of their homes and have to live in displacement camps which are dirty and have limited space...
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