US lawmakers pass legislation to end LRA rebels atrocities
By Richard Ruati
May 14, 2010 (JUBA) – Lawmakers in the United States Congress passed a bill calling on the White house to develop a vigorous policy to end atrocities committed by the Ugandan rebels in Congo Central Africa and Southern Sudan.
US Congress has passed the long awaited bill with broad bipartisan support calling upon the Obama administration to lead international efforts to end the threat to civilians posed by the brutal Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA.
The legislation demands the Obama administration to develop a comprehensive strategy to help regional governments disarm the LRA rebels and protect civilians. The bill also call to increase humanitarian aid to the affected populations.
“I urge President Obama to sign this bill into law and quickly develop a plan to stop Joseph Kony and the LRA from committing further atrocities by bringing a lasting resolution to this conflict,” said Senators Russ Feingold who is one of the Congressmen who introduced the bill.
“The removal of Kony and his top leadership would decapitate this group. This legislation ensures US leadership in making that happen. The day can’t come soon enough,” said Rep. Ed Royce, a former Africa subcommittee chairman.
Blamed for widespread human rights violations over the years, the rebel group has most recently been accused of killing hundreds of civilians in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central African Republic (CAR) and southern Sudan.
Pressure groups have hailed this historic legislation demonstrates Americans’ broad and deep determination to see new action from President Obama to help apprehend Joseph Kony and other top LRA commanders who are wanted by the International Criminal Court.
The bill provides support to disarm and disband Kony’s militia, and to restore stability to those areas of Africa that have been terrorized by their history of mass atrocities, child abductions, and other horrific acts.
During the last eighteen months, the LRA has been killing and abducting civilians in DRC, CAR and South Sudan, becoming a destabilizing force in an already volatile region. Despite an ongoing military offensive led by the Ugandan military with the support of regional armies, the rebels have continued to wreak havoc. In the last year and a half, the LRA has killed close to 2000 civilians and abducted over 2600 people. More than 700 abductees are children who were forced into fighting or sexual slavery.
The House of Representatives passed the Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009 (S.1067) by voice vote. This vote constitutes the most significant action Congress has taken to date to end the LRA’s long reign of terror and restore lasting peace for the central African communities devastated by war.
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