Central African Republic: LRA Attack Near Hunting Reserve
The Ugandan rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), carried out attacks from June 21 to 25, 2012, near a remote hunting concession outside Bakouma, in the Central African Republic (CAR). The attackers killed at least two civilians and abducted at least 14 others. The attacks followed killings of 13 civilians in the same area in March.
To be clear, this is the same Lord’s Resistance Army as associated with Kony 2012.
The Office of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict answers questions about UN work to address LRA operations.
How does the LRA recruit children and what is their role?
What are the aspirations of the LRA?
What are other violations are committed against children by the LRA?
What has the United Nations done to address the violations committed against children by the LRA?
UNICEF has been working for decades to protect children from violence/abuse. But there’s still much to be done.
UNICEF: Video on The Paris Principles: agreement to end the use of children in war
UNICEF: More on child soliders
International Criminal Court on the Situation in Uganda
Find out if your country has signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in armed conflict.
What the United Nations has to say about the Lord’s Resistance Army. Key line: “However, attacking the LRA is a very tricky proposition because there are many children in the ranks of the LRA and repercussions on the civilian populations have to be carefully calibrated.”
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