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U.S. Senate now backs crucial bill to help stop LRA

January 21, 2010 (Washington) – The American upper house of Congress has taken bold steps towards the disarmament of the Notorious Lord’s Resistance Army.

Joseph Kony, leader of the rebel group the Lord's Resistance Army (AFP)
Joseph Kony, leader of the rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army (AFP)
The bill comes after year of the armies of Uganda, DRC and South Sudan launched destructive air and ground attacks against the Elusive LRA Leader Joseph and his fighters.

Media reports have revealed the American support to the operations aimed to flush Joseph Kony.

U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) announced yesterday that support for their legislation to confront Africa’s longest running rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has reached more than half of the U.S. Senate.

The LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, now with 51 cosponsors, requires the Obama administration to develop a new multifaceted strategy to help bring an end to the LRA’s continued terror across three countries in central Africa.

It also authorizes funding to help secure lasting peace in northern Uganda and to help communities outside Uganda that have been devastated by the LRA’s violence. According to the Congressional Research Service, no bill specifically on sub- Saharan Africa has had this many cosponsors since at least 1973.

“The level of support for this legislation demonstrates unprecedented bipartisan consensus that the United States should work to bring a lasting end to Africa’s longest running rebel war,” Feingold said.

Last year alone, the Lord’s Resistance Army killed thousands of innocent civilians and abducted thousands more. With their support for this bill, senators are sending a clear message that this is unacceptable and that the international community, with the leadership of the United States, must do more to protect civilians and prevent further atrocities by the LRA, he added.

“The Lord’s Resistance Army has continued its reign of terror in Africa for nearly twenty five years, abducting tens of thousands of children for child soldiers or sex slaves, killing hundreds of thousands, and displacing millions. The United States must work with the international community to bring Joseph Kony and his terrorist organization to justice and help provide protection and assistance to those who have suffered at the hands of the LRA,” Brownback said.

For more than two decades, under the leadership of Joseph Kony, the LRA has kidnapped more than 66,000 children and forced them to fight as child soldiers, wreaking havoc in northern Uganda and southern Sudan, and more recently, northeastern Congo and Central African Republic.

In addition to requiring a new strategy to confront the rebel group, the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act authorizes $10 million in additional funding for humanitarian assistance for those areas outside of Uganda now directly affected by the LRA’s brutality.

The legislation also authorizes $30 million over three years for transitional justice and reconciliation to encourage and help the Ugandan government to address the conditions in northern Uganda that enabled the LRA to emerge in the first place.

(ST)

2 Comments

  • Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
    Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy

    U.S. Senate now backs crucial bill to help stop LRA
    This norotorious gang movement of Mr konyi must be croak down by all meants, they used to slaughter Equatorians who just defend themselves with arrrows and bows. LRA are nowhere revolution at current stage, even their counterpart has convince GOSS during the CPA celebration in Yambio that he is willing to fight konyi. Which is very obvious that he is trying to blindfold the attention of Southerns on him. Now the time is up for USA, Uganda, GOSS, CAR and DRC to join together and disarm this criminal revolution of Mr konyi.

    New Year Message continuous to inspire

    Time for tribalism has gone, its new year 2010 which is not a time to generalise tribe or community instead of one person. It is time to focus on the real issue far from tribal criticism, political party criticism, leaders criticism, and very far from abuses or insults. We should also debate far from abuses of any single commenter on ST forum, to myself I want to be a man of tolerance, peace, responsbility, respect, forgiveness, love, unity and courage . It is time to get serious and work for the betterment of my nation South Sudan Democratic Republic of Victoria, South Sudan should be call Victoria, because the long struggle is victory, CPA is victory, South Sudan liberation is victory, our insecurity will be a victory, election and referrendom are potential victories. South Sudan future source of hydro electricity power is White nile which has its source at Lake Victoria, unqestionable the name fits.

    I didn’t change myself because of pressure or whatsoever, it could be my 2010 resolution. Brave man conquers the fear like I did previously. However I come to realised that, I am not truly free if I am taking away and abusing someone else’s freedom of expression and speech, just as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me and been abused. This is why I finally come to reason that, me and the rest of concern Southerns will transformed South Sudan into a country that is not comfortable place for those who opposed to democracy, parliamentary law, parliamentary debate, independent and fair courts. For now lets start new year with fresh mind and positive ideas that will improvement the managment of South Sudan, childish comments must be ignored. Some individual comment aggressively when they are defeated in debate, this spirit must be abandon. We are here to play a game ie you get defeated or you defeat others defends on the article and the extend of your debate, but don’t insult people. This is my new year inspiring message to ST viewers, contributors, pseuds, readers and editor. Finally if you come across a mistake or opposing view, please address it with dignity.

    Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy

    Reply
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