Offensive expected to continue against LRA in Congo
December 15, 2008 (KAMPALA) – The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is under attack in the northeastern corner of Congo, said the Ugandan army on Monday. Ugandan officials indicated Tuesday that the offensive will last for several weeks.
Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Southern Sudan attacked with planes on Sunday after LRA leader Joseph Kony repeatedly failed to show up to sign a peace agreement, which was finalised in April, brokered by former Sudanese guerrilla Riak Machar.
“Our principle objective is to flush LRA out of its hideout so they can return to the negotiating table,” said Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa. “Our operation is intended to be short-lived. We do not intend to occupy DRC forever.”
The three countries’ intelligence agencies issued a joint statement claiming that troops have destroyed the rebel stronghold in Garamba area.
Intelligence estimates have put the LRA strength at no more than 700 armed people, though their total ranks including unarmed members could be 2,000.
“We can confirm that most of (Kony’s) camps have been set on fire,” Ugandan army spokesman Major Paddy Ankunda told Reuters. “It was an air-led operation, then the ground forces were inserted.”
Security Minister Amama Mbabazi argued in parliament that Kony has been using the peace talks to buy time to rebuild his force. On the other hand, MPs from northern Uganda, the original base of the rebel group and also the region most victimized by Kony’s brutalities, condemned the raid.
“We had reliable intelligence that they were preparing to attack Uganda … and also we had the ICC warrants,” said Ankunda, referring to war crimes charges pinned on Kony and two deputies by the International Criminal Court.
The U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood acknowleged Monday, “we have these longstanding military-to-military relationships with the three countries,” but also said, “we haven’t been involved in any combat operations.” But another U.S. official who declined to be identified told Reuters that Washington had provided equipment and helped plan the offensive.
“We welcome the activities that these countries have taken against the Lord’s Resistance Army. All the Lord’s Resistance Army has done over the last 20 years has caused havoc in those countries,” said Wood.
A US activist figure also welcomed the offensive. Enough Project Co-Chair John Prendergast said, “The extensive efforts to encourage Joseph Kony to sign a peace deal were unsuccessful. A military strike was actually long overdue, to build leverage for peace or even to apprehend Kony and execute the arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court. This operation is the first step in a more realistic strategy to end the LRA threat.”
LRA leader Kony is rose to prominence in a rebellion against the Ugandan government in 1988. His force is particularly well known for abducting and indoctrinating children by forcing them to commit atrocities.
(ST)
julius mowanga
Offensive expected to continue against LRA in Congo
I would like to draw the attention of those ,who hurt our dignity and devaluated our integrity that,Cdr; Joseph Kony is a liberator and a freedom fighter,has the utmost right to be causiously reluctant to sign any deal,that may cause negative impacts on his people’s future or dishonours LRA/M sacrifices and later alienate him and marganalizes his cadres,similliar to SPLM ’s scenario.The wstern media defamed and portrated LRA/M as savage army of bandits,despite the Northern-Uganda ’s people support and vows to carry the liberation struggle till last new-born soldier. Although, USA suppllied and equipped their puppies in GOSS,UGANDA,and DRC to launge this cowardic-attrocital aggression,to secure the OIL Fields in Northern Uganda and South Sudan. USA can’t eliminate LRA/M neither arrest Cdr;Joseph Kony’s Vission;Africa’s Wealth is for Africans Only,it’s deepened in every citizen,s life,just like us in SOUTH-SUDAN .
USA and its’ allies,claims every drop of AFRICA’s Miniral Resources & OiL,so they used to assasinate any African Patriotic Leader,bravely uttering; The Mighty Word “NO”… NO to the exploitation of the Africans’…etc…
The neo-Colonization dirty tactics and plots,emposing a decisive Peace Agreements,such as CPA and Juba Peace Agreement,with vaguely promises;development aids, reconstruction of what the war destroyed,and then eliminate those patriotic leaders,as “in Cdr; Kony ‘s Case,they planning to decieve him to sign the Juba Agreement without revoking the ICC warrant of arrest,so then easily apprehend him to the ICC to get rid of him forever”,and instal the self-focused,corrupt politicians to carry on the Globalization agendas of the Neo-Colonization.
UN Security Council’s prominent members,Abusing the International laws,misusing ICC,while USA doesn’t recognize its authority. Indicting and Prosecuting only the Revolutionary African leaders,who strongly refusing to compromise African People Wealth .
So,widen your minds,open your eyes and look within,the American wolves are among us…so whatch out not to be the next victims of the so called peacemakers!!!!Who ever lives in a crystal house,never throw stones on his untouchable opponents.
Stop echoing the western-media allegations that; LRA “Capturing villages”,so Whats wrong with that??,even SPLM raided our villages abducting our kids,depriving them from their childhood and education,turning them into “Children Soldiers”,inorder to secure our liberation and enhance the SPLA ’s Infantries’ capability.Those abductee children now called;”The Lost Boys of Sudan“,are heros of the Liberation of SouthSudan ,which achieved due-to similiar circumstances and consequential sacrifices by LRA .
So the “Killing the adults”!!!are they innocents when collaborated with the enemy,hindering the liberation struggle of North Uganda or South Sudan ???
The “raping and killing of the girls, and drafting the boys, “..???Is war crimes,i condemn it,whether occured imputationally by SPLA OR LRA soldiers,or even systematically by NCP’s Public Defence Forces .It’s contradicting the Geneva Cnvention as well as the Manifestos of LRA/M-SPLM/A ,and totally impious acts against the principles and values of the core disciplinary method,that trusted by the local citizens of Northern Uganda ,who offered their kids supporting LRM/A ,which is “The Wholly Bible ,and the implementation of the Ten commandments Conduct of behaviour by LRM/A..sighting Jesus Christ’s teachings in our life,and to save the lives of the next generation adherently,so that they wil be able to invest and secure their miniral resources.
They are not and never been “to serve a man who says he is God”… Cdr;Joseph Kony ,is a zealous Christian,the wholly spririt with him,guiding..directing..leading..and protecting him ever and forever,till the enemy exausted every kind of assasination attempts…just ask those of GOSS,who wittnessed his healing miracles sessions ???So,please,do yourself a favour,check your version of the Bible,or consult your spiritual leaders,if they do believe in the Wholly Spirit calling upon St;Paul to stop mistreating the Christians…
The history has taught us by “the Freedom Fighters ” as Iddi Amin Dadda and Cdr;Joseph Kony ,that the liberation struggle’s priority is tackling domestic issues,never surrender to the foregin meddlers’ pressure,strengthening our people’s unity and pursue the development tasks to prosperity,not caring about the interest of the Neo-Colonial Powers intersts like Britain;in Zimbabwe,USA strategies in South-Sudan and North-Uganda ,as well as The British Empire’s Indian-Slaves,or their alikes,???
Why the Northern Sudan’s Jallaba-Traders who lived among us for decades,or The Islamic Banks been kicked by GOSS,out of SouthSudan ???!!!isn’t to appease the Neo-Colonial power;USA and its Alliens
Hor;Iddi Amin Dadda , The last King of Scottland,is the second African Liberator,revoking the colonial powers’ demands,after the Sudanese Mahadist War Lord” ???? ??? ?????? “…lets celebrate Big Daddy ’s mystical,enslaving of the Slaves’Masters…same way as we do on the memoire of Dr;John Garang who blocked the USA exploitational demands during the dead-born CPA negotiations,reguarding Chevron Petroleum Inc ,as a sole proprietor of all Sudan OIL Fields .
SPLA Oyeeee…NEW-SUDAN Oyeeee..