Den brutale og ekcentriske oprørsgruppe “Herrens Modstandshær” synes uudryddelig
JOHANNESBURG, 3 February 2012 (IRIN): Is the end near for Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The answer is a resounding NO.
Why? Because so many people underestimate its resilience (modstands-kraft) and overestimate the unity and capability of the forces ranged against it.
The LRA – a small but ruthless transnational armed group operating in four African states – on the contrary is seen as being in “survival mode”, according to analysts.
It has a lightly armed 250-strong militia dispersed across a territory half the size of France, and uses “terror” tactics to subdue local populations and is facing a coordinated response from the armies of the DR Congo, Central African Republic (CAR), South Sudan, Uganda and the USA.
In recent weeks African Union (AU) special envoy for affairs relating to the LRA Francisco Madeira, and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General Abou Moussa have toured Kinshasa, Bangui, Juba and Kampala to discuss regional military cooperation, following authorization from the AU Peace and Security Council in November 2011, with the support of the UN, for them to deal decisively with the LRA.
Ashley Benner, a policy analyst at the Enough Project – a US NGO lobbying for an end to mass atrocity crimes – told IRIN:
– The proposed AU intervention force will consist of approximately 3.500-5.000 troops from the four affected countries. The mandate and goals of the mission are to end the LRA, protect civilians, and lead to security and stability in the affected countries.
The USA has deployed about 100 military advisers – they carry weapons for self-defence only – to assist the region’s military forces, but Benner said this would not be sufficient.
– The advisers need to be bolstered by more capable troops, greater intelligence and logistical capabilities, including helicopters, improved collaboration between regional forces, and increased efforts to encourage LRA members to leave the group, she added.
Sandra Adong Oder, a senior researcher at the conflict management and peacebuilding unit at Pretoria-based think-tank the Institute for Security Studies, told IRIN the same military actors involved in previous and failed attempts to eradicate the LRA were involved in the AU initiative, and asked:
– The initiative may be doing more, but is it any different?”
Top priority?
Læs videre på http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=94794
