Since Christmas eve over 620 civilians have been murdered. More than 120 children have been abducted. All at the hands of an Ugandan rebel group known as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). These are the conclusions of a report made by the Human Rights Watch about the recent surge in violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The LRA is currently the subject of a multinational military offensive aimed at driving the rebels out of the Congo. The offensive, known as Operation Lightning Thunder, is led by the Ugandan army with support from the Congolese, Southern Sudanese, and Central African Republic Armies.
On Dec. 14 the Ugandan army attacked an LRA stronghold in the Congo’s Garamba National Park. This offensive set off a new string of violence in the region as the LRA retaliated by escalating their attacks on the local population. On Dec. 25, in the village of Bantande, rebels raped and killed over 80 civilians; other examples of violence include attacks in the towns of Sambia, Akua and Tomate where rebels killed 86 people in a three day spree.
More recent activity was seen this weekend as new reports indicate that LRA rebels burned down a church along with its worshippers in a community 80 miles from Dungu, the primary base of Operation Lightning Thunder.
LRA leaders are currently wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity in northern Uganda. As a result LRA leader Joseph Kony has refused to sign a peace deal until the ICC arrest warrants are withdrawn. "Hundreds of people have been slaughtered and this just goes on," said Joel Bisubu, of Justice Plus; a Congolese human rights organization. "We need food and medical supplies for the injured, but even more we need protection."
By: Alberto Ramos Cordero
Sources:
New York Times, BBC, Human Rights Watch
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