Who is Joseph Kony?
Kat
Posts: 4,871
Kat
Posts: 4,871
Kat
Posts: 4,871
Comments
He must have 'help' from higher places to have been able to evade capture for such a long time. They 'know' where he is, then he's not there anymore.... He is now, it would seem in Congo - in a state of conflict as well. So many places to hide and still command and continue this ruthless ways.
A lot of people don't know the name, but haven't we all heard of the child soldiers and their lives?
But then all these things happen in countries in which 'we' have no 'interest'. It's been going on for decades, we see bits in the new sometimes, every once in a while a documentary and maybe a decree or two by politicians but nothing concrete.
A few years back, in my daughter's class there were a couple of young refugee girls - one from Uganda and one from Congo. As they were French speaking (and didn't know English) so the school asked if I could help them out a bit (the girls in the classroom and help the mums settle in). The harrowing stories they had to tell. Husbands hacked to death in front of the families, mothers raped and cut, daughters raped and/or kidnapped, same with the sons. One of the ladies managed to escape with one daughter, the other with a daughter and a son. Both had more children - they didn't know where they were and what had become of them.
And yet we still stand back and watch.
yes ... definitely have heard all these stories ... but didn't know this guy was #1 on the list of most wanted criminals ... i suspect tho that upon his capture, he will simply be replaced and that ultimately we are ignoring the primary problem in all of this ... which is the poverty that exists in these countries, the corruption, the exploitation and the affect of foreign policy decisions being made ...
The problems appear to be cyclical, therefore requiring a policy reset. If the UN takes over, will we see similar public dissent in forcing a change of culture that has been seen in the last two major theaters of war?
my solution:
* absolve all foreign debt to african nations
* full and open democratic elections (monitored by int'l bodies)
* nationalization of major resources in order to fund the building of schools and local infrastructure
* stop selling guns to groups like the LRA
Exactly - poverty, corruption and exploitation. By the West, by the 'ruling' party/individuals in those country. Also religion. This guy was a god fearing, good christian (an ex alter boy), speaking to the angels. His 'army' is called the Lord's Resistance Army. He wanted Uganda to become a christian nation. So... when you add this on top of everything else.... (NOTE: This is not said to turn this thread to a religion-god/anti-religion god thread - it is just to note how this started; just another conflict aggravated by religion, power and delusions).
As you say, upon this capture (if ever), there will be others. There are those that are so 'involved' that they can no longer distance themselves from this type of war. The conflict is so deep rooted with so many ramifications that the removal of one person is not going to change things (though it is one evil person less). At least, if he is caught, with his crimes being so horrendous, one would maybe gain a little solace thinking he may be tried and judged accordingly. Or he may just an end like Hussein or Gadaffi or maybe end his days in somewhat luxury in exile like Amin Dada.
However his 'reign' ends, the conflict is still there.
That would be fantastic, wouldn't it? But one would need to end conflicts before having elections.
When you look at Uganda and DR Congo, both in dreadful conflicts, both rich countries, both completely corrupt. The wealth is not for the benefit of the people but exploited by the rulers and big corporations - yes Western ones too. Things are way too violent and volatile, but if and when things settle - 'we' are straight back in and so is exploitation and corruption.
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
Thanks for posting this Kat. Need to open our eyes to the whole world.
part of me believes some of these conflicts are driven by the west to ensure political instability in the region ... also, it creates a market for arms sales which is big motivation of foreign policy ...
cos big countries dont have any interest of Africa cos no oil,or water...
dont u see that all big sickness comes from Africa?
they want them sick,poor ,dead..Africa is a big power and need to be down ...
its so sad..
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
Some of these african countries are very rich in natural resources - that's partly why some western countries (like Britain or Belgium) were so interested in colonizing them. But I guess eventually all the corruption makes them implode on themselves in a way.
But you are right, a lot are just poor - not enough to pique our interest....
Africa= no oil? Wow, news to me. Libya? Angola? Nigeria? Egypt?
"Thirty percent of the world's newly discovered oil reserves come from Africa's west coast (alone)." - Boston Globe
"The continent is believed to hold 90% of the world’s cobalt, 90% of its platinum, 50% of its gold, 98% of its chromium, 70% of its tantalite, 64% of its manganese and one-third of its uranium."- Wikipedia
Africans live on top of gold, diamonds, oil, and most of the worlds precious metals and minerals... Its a shame so many starve and live in poverty... Maybe getting rid of this guy will fix all of that. Lets HOPE.
it's western nations and corporations that keep africa in poverty ...
Other main oil producing countries: Angola, Nigeria, Sudan - major conflict there.
Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Ethiopia, Mali - gold/diamonds - conflict and unstable countries.
I could go on...
Add corruption and exploitation from large corporations and individuals and you have impoverished people and conflict takes hold.
Getting rid of this guy will not fix things. Unfortunately.
no ... but it's the primary reason .. most everything stems from that ...
Oh, really? How is that?
he's a young guy really and an veil bastard at that.
Godfather.
Joseph Kony was born in 1961 in Odek, a village east of Gulu in northern Uganda.[1][2] Kony was the son of farmers. He had a good relationship with his siblings, but if they crossed him he came down hard on them.[6] When confronted, he often resorted to his fists rather than parrying verbally. He was teased in school about his size and the teachers gave him a hard time for his low grades. His father was a lay catechist of the Catholic Church and his mother was an Anglican. Kony was an altar boy for several years, but he stopped attending church at about the age of 15.[6] As a teenager, Kony apprenticed as the village witch doctor under his older brother, Jamie Brow, and when his older brother died, he took over full responsibility.[7] A high-school dropout, Kony first came to prominence in January 1986. His group was one of many premillennialist groups that sprang up in Acholiland in the wake of the wildly popular Holy Spirit Movement of Alice Auma (aka Lakwena). However, the conflict in the north began with the resentment among the Acholi at their relative loss of influence after the overthrow of Acholi President Tito Okello by Yoweri Museveni and his National Resistance Army (NRA) during the Ugandan Bush War, ending in 1986.
Originally Kony's group was named the United Holy Salvation Army (UHSA) and was not perceived as a threat by the NRA. By 1988, with the accord between NRA and the Uganda People's Democratic Army and addition of its remnant troops as well as forced recruitment of children the United Holy Salvation Army was becoming a formidable resistance army. The bulk of his foot soldiers were children. He is estimated to have taken 104,000 or more boys and girls since the LRA started fighting in 1986. He often killed their family and neighbors when abducting these children, forcing them to fight for him.[6] With these remnants of UPDA was commander Odong Latek, who convinced Kony to use standard military tactics as opposed to its previous attempts which involved attacking in cross-shaped formations and the use of holy water. The new tactics proved successful and the UHSA delivered several small but stinging defeats against the NRA. After these victories the NRA responded by significantly weakening the Kony's group with political actions and a military campaign named Operation North.
By 1992, Kony had renamed the group United Democratic Christian Army and it was at this time that they kidnapped 44 girls from the Sacred Heart Secondary and St. Mary's girls schools.[8] Operation North was devastating to what would become the Lord's Resistance Army and with their number reduced from thousands to hundreds still engaged in retaliatory attacks on civilians and NRA collaborators.
Betty Bigombe remembered that the first time she met Kony, his followers used oil to ward-off bullets and evil spirits.[9] In a letter regarding future talks, Kony stated that he must consult the Holy Spirit. When the talks did occur they insisted on participation of religious leaders and opened the proceedings with prayers led by LRA's Director of Religious Affairs Jenaro Bongomi. Finally, during the 1994 peace talks Kony appeared preceded by men in robes sprinkling holy water.[10]
Many international attempts at peace[citation needed] and an end to the abduction of children by Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army occurred between 1996 and 2001.[citation needed] All of them failed to end the abductions, rape, child soldiers, and civilian casualties including attacks on refugee camps. After the September 11th attacks, the United States declared the Lord's Resistance Army a terrorist group.[11]
Joseph Kony was thought among followers and detractors alike to have been possessed by spirits; he has been portrayed as either the Messiah or the Devil. He reportedly made annual trips to the Ato Hills in Uganda. He would allegedly ascend to the highest of the hills and lie down in the hot sun for days. He would be covered by a blanket of red termites that slashed deeply into his skin. Oil from the Yao plant was spread over his body. Then he would enter a cave and stay in seclusion for weeks. Kony believes in the literal protection provided by a cross symbol and tells his child soldiers a cross on their chest drawn in oil would protect them from bullets.[6] Kony insists that he and the Lord's Resistance Army are fighting for the Ten Commandments. "Yes, we are fighting for Ten Commandments," "Is it bad? It is not against human rights. And that commandment was not given by Joseph. It was not given by LRA. No, those commandments were given by God."[12]
The Ugandan military has attempted to kill Kony for most of the insurgency. Uganda's latest attempt towards tracking down Kony has been to enlist the help of former LRA combatants to search remote areas of the Central African Republic, the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo where he was last seen.[13
he may have been kidding...everybody else on here blames the US for all the bad in the world so why not this too..right ? I think it was in jest.
Godfather.
Interesting.
Which corporations, specifically, are exploiting the Africans?
I'd like to boycott them if you can tell me who.
Ohhhh. Man, I'm slow.
http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish ... 5661.shtml
Thanks, I'll check it out.
Has anyone even mentioned the US in this thread? I think you may be the first one. Don't bring this thread down to a 'you're just bashing the US again' thread. It's too important of a subject.
Bear in mind that exploitation is just part of it. Corruption is rife in those countries we are talking about here.