Lord's Resistance Army In Northern Uganda

In 1987 a small group called the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) emerged in Northern Uganda. The corrupt leader of the group is named Joseph Kony, who declares himself a prophet and messenger of the spirits. The goal of Kony and the LRA is unclear as they claim they are looking for “peace” yet their actions would prove otherwise. Over the course of around 20 years, groups unders Konys command have killed thousands and displaced up to 40,000 people (Scott Johnson). When the LRA was at its prime, it had thousands of active troops throughout Northern Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, as well as asas South Sudan, where they trained most of their army. Kony had many troops that followed him, however a vast majority

These casualties include innocent civilians, as well as children, and disobedient child soldiers. The army has made it clear that despite their small numbers, they are not willing to give up until they are completely wiped out. Their victims are proof of this. “They returned to me at some point and re-tied me before chopping off my lips. They then cut off my right ear and my nose” (Ochala). The victims who survived the torture of the LRA describe the horror they lived through. Many victims even wish they had been killed while in the bush rather than carrying the excruciating memories, and the constant stench that followed them. Some victims were so deformed from their wounds that they were unable to perform basic everyday actions. Others were left mentally unstable, incapable of living on their own. The scars that these children left on their victims were not just seen on the skin, but on their mind as

This is both unfair and unjust because these children never had the opportunity to obtain an education due to their forced commitment with the LRA. Africa's economy is already arguably the worst in the world, and is extremely job deprived. Although Africa's labor productivity rises about 2.7% annually, there is a constant struggle to provide its people with jobs (By the Numbers: Growth Spurt). Uganda, being a part of this distressed continent, lacks sufficient job opportunities throughout the country. The only possible way to receive a moderate paying job is to have an education. For these child soldiers, this is nearly impossible. Former child soldiers are left with jobs that do not pay enough for them to making a living. Girls who were forced to carry children in the bush struggle to provide for their family. This is not affected few hundreds of former soldiers by the LRA, but thousands. Some former soldiers even resort going back to the bush rather than living in constant poverty (Now people call me a