Since the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, Joseph Kony, refused to sign the Final Peace Agreement last fall, the international community has been debating the best way to bring an end to the decades-long violence by the LRA. However, while the focus has been on whether or not to pursue a military strategy, the crucial need for redevelopment in northern Uganda has slipped to the wayside. The Lord's Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009 , which was introduced in Congress this past May, lays a good foundation for how the United States and the international community should approach this situation.
There is no doubt that the world would like to put a stop to the LRA. They have been operating for over 20 years with no political agenda. However, for the past few years, there has been relative peace in northern Uganda and people are willing and ready to return home. This has been made quite difficult because the Peace Recovery and Development Plan, established in 2007, has yet to be implemented. It is critical that the Government of Uganda and donors take advantage of this moment of peace and focus on implementing this plan. It is only through the sustainability and support of the people, that the Government of Uganda will be able to find a peaceful resolution to this conflict.
Unfortunately, this conflict is no longer isolated in northern Uganda. Communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, southern Sudan, and the Central African Republic are being attacked for no logical reason. Current lawlessness in CAR has left no one for the civilians to turn to after attacks except for the Ugandan army currently occupying that region of the country. In DRC, civilians are being faced with yet another rebel faction to dodge. This is completely unacceptable. The LRA can not be allowed to turn their unjustifiable war into a regional one and risk further instability throughout the region. Governments must live up to their responsibilities of ensuring that civilians are not left vulnerable to repeated attacks, abductions and displacement.
It is also about time that civilians -- the most affected actors in this war -- have a voice on how conflicts are resolved. Recently several cultural and religious leaders in northern Uganda voiced concerns about prioritizing military operations over peaceful reconciliation. Those that have been traumatized for decades now have the opportunity to rebuild their lives and move on. In the quest to work towards lasting solutions for peace in Northern Uganda, and the Great Lakes region as a whole, civilian protection, reconstruction and diplomatic engagement should be the center of all discourse. The international community must encourage the Government of Uganda to not let this moment slip away.