By Online Team

12^th Nov 2012:

The military option adopted by the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) to either capture or kill the elusive Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel leader Joseph Kony is doomed, human rights advocacy NGO Enough Project has said.

In a report released on Friday last week, the US-based advocacy group says the UPDF’s quest to apprehend Joseph Kony and his top commanders is destined to fail unless the number of troops deployed increases and they are provided with better logistical and intelligence information.

Enough Project said it found that the UPDF’s search teams often “roam around” in the jungle for weeks “without any clear trace of the LRA” – because, it adds, direct contact with the LRA are very “rare”.

The report, which is based on information gathered by the Enough Project Researcher who is embedded with the UPDF in Central African Republic (CAR) also said the LRA continues to be a “very real threat” to civilians across the region.
The Enough Project says it works to address human rights crimes in Sudan, South Sudan, Congo, Somalia, and areas of Africa affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army.

In October 2011, US President Barack Obama sent 100 troops to help the UPDF and its partners in the fight against the LRA.  However, the Enough Project says US aerial reconnaissance has not yielded the anticipated “intelligence breakthrough” because it can’t see through the triple canopy forest where the LRA rebels hide.  

The LRA is notorious for kidnappings, killings, and forcing children to join its ranks and fight against the government.  Joseph Kony and his top commanders were indicted by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity.  END:  Login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories mid-week for our updates

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