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CONTENTS:

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:

1. World
2. Africa
3. Americas
4. Asia Pacific
5. Europe
6. Middle East
7. South Asia
8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare
9. Finance
10 Human Rights
11. Law and Legal Issues
12. Transportation
13. Weapons of Mass Destruction
14. Recently Published

FEATURE ARTICLE:
The Lord's Resistance Army

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

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1. World

Six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear program ended with no breakthrough but set up working parties to examine issues before additional talks later this year. Substantive differences and absence of trust between the US and North Korea continue to present major obstacles.

The International Labor Organization released the groundbreaking report "A Fair Globalization: Creating Opportunities for All" calling for urgent attention to global governance in a world where ""There are deep-seated and persistent imbalances in the current workings of the global economy, which are ethically unacceptable and politically unsustainable". And, "There is growing concern about the direction globalization is currently taking.... Its advantages are too distant for too many, while its risks are all too real. Corruption is widespread. Open societies are threatened by global terrorism, and the future of open markets is increasingly in question. Global governance is in crisis. We are at a critical juncture, and we need to urgently rethink our current policies and institutions." The report calls for fairer rules for international trade, investment, finance, migration, labor standards and social protection.
Press release http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/2004/7.htm
Full report http://www.ilo.org/public/english/wcsdg/index.htm

The New England Journal of Medicine has published two articles related to avian influenza that have important implications for public health:
T.T. Hien et al "Original Article: Avian Influenza A (H5N1) in 10 Patients in Vietnam"
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/NEJMoa040419 and
M.S. Klempner and D.S. Shapiro "Perspective: Crossing the Species Barrier -- One Small Step to Man, One Giant Leap to Mankind"
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/NEJMp048039
Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam have been affected by the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. About 100 million birds have died or been killed. There have been 32 confirmed human cases, 22 of them fatal.

The World Health Organization reports that five billion people worldwide suffer from tooth decay, a chronic health condition whose treatment is unaffordable for many developing countries. http://www.who.int/oral_health/publications/report03/en/

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2. Africa

The 53 nations of the African Union Heads unanimously approved the " Common Defense and Security Policy for Africa" that establishes a joint military force to address threats such as civil wars, genocide, and collective security threats.
http://www.africa-union.org/home/Welcome.htm

Angolans marked the second anniversary (February 22) of the death of Jonas Savimbi, founder of the former rebel movement, UNITA. IRIN News reports on his lasting legacy. http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=39629 Also note https://terrorismcentral.com/Library/Biographies/Bios/Savimbi/List.html

In the northern Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mayi-Mayi viciously massacred at least 30 civilians and there are reports of mutilation and cannibalism. At least 15,000 people have fled the area. A new documentary on the legacy of Belgian colonial rule, "Congo: White King, Red Rubber, Black Death" has been released. http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/storyville/congo.shtml, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3516965.stm

The UN Security Council unanimously authorized a full 7,000 strong peacekeeping force for Ivory Coast. However, former rebels of the New Forces plan to delay disarmament planned for March until after elections late next year.

Libya has begun to destroy its chemical weapons. (Details in WMD, below.) Libya has reconfirmed acceptance of responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing and combined with the disarmament initiatives this has led the US to begin easing sanctions. Although most trade restrictions are still in place, they have lifted a travel ban. Among the first visitors will be US oil executives holding talks with Libyan authorities about future business opportunities.

Nigeria's central Plateau state saw an outbreak of religious violence when Muslim guerillas attacked a mainly Christian town with automatic rifles, bows and arrows, killing nearly 50. In the Muslim north, four states refused to participate in a polio immunization program because of unfounded rumors that the vaccine stops fertility. After intensive campaigning by the government and World Health Organization, 35 of the 37 states now are participating, an increase from 18 last year.

Somalia's national reconciliation process has entered the third and final phase in which they will begin to select and form an interim government. Factional disputes continue to plague the discussions.

Rebels of the Sudan Liberation Army in Darfur have reportedly ambushed and killed 150 government soldiers. Darfur is still largely inaccessible and refugees continue to cross into Chad. Paramilitary forces have attacked aid workers and stolen supplies.

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa commuted the death sentences of 14 coup plotters and will instead serve 10 to 20 years hard labor. Zambia's last execution was in 1997 and President Mwanawasa says he will have no executions while he is in office.

Zimbabwe's youth militia training camps are exposed in the "Secrets of the Camps" investigation by BBC's Panorama. http:// www.bbc.co.uk/panorama

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3. Americas

Bolivian customs agency prosecutor Monica Von Borries was killed by a car bomb. She had been active in coca eradication. "Terrorists" have been blamed and an investigation is under way.

Colombia's armed forces fought right-wing paramilitaries near Villanueva, killing 48, including 10 soldiers and 21 paramilitaries. In the south, Colombian guerillas with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) attacked government forces, killing 12 soldiers and wounding 15.

It is ten years since US President Clinton sent troops to Haiti to restore President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's elected government to power. Now US troops have been deployed to stabilize the country following Aristide's flight into exile in the neighboring Dominican Republic where he will seek asylum following a rebellion over the last three weeks in which rebels have taken control of most of the country and security has completely broken down. Increasing numbers of civilians have attempted to flee, with US forces intercepting boats and sending them back. Cuba, Jamaica and Canada, in contrast, say they will abide by international norms of supporting refugees until order is restored.

US Director of Central Intelligence, George Tenet, testified before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on "The Worldwide Threat 2004: Challenges in a Changing Global Context". http://www.cia.gov/cia/public_affairs/speeches/2004/dci_speech_02142004.html

The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) held a workshop on "Modeling & Simulation for Emergency Response" last year. They have now made available a comprehensive of the workshop with a report that "summarizes presentations and breakout working sessions and lists standards and tools relevant to modeling and simulation for emergency response". http://www.mel.nist.gov/msidlibrary/doc/nistir7071.pdf

In Venezuela supporters and opponents of President Hugo Chavez clashed again, killing two and injuring at least 20.

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4. Asia Pacific

In Taiwan, more than a million people linked their hands in a 500-km chain the length of Taiwan in protest against China's missile deployment, in advance of the referendum on this issue and the presidential election.

Indonesian intelligence has warned that the conflict in the Middle East is fueling support for Jemaah Islamiah and similar terrorist groups around the world.

A ferry in the Philippines caught fire, leaving 180 people missing and few expected to survive the inferno. A man claiming to be Abu Sulaiman claimed that the militant Muslim Abu Sayyaf group planted a bomb on the ferry that caused the fire. The investigation is underway. Separately, US and Japanese troops took part in joint exercises helping to train Philippine forces to counter terrorism.

Thai police arrested five suspects, including one suspected of membership in the Barisan Revolusi Nasional militant separatist group, in connection with the series of violent attacks in the south of the country since the beginning of the year.

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5. Europe

Italian police have arrested three North Africans and issued warrants for five thought to be part of a militant Islamist cell planning bombings in Milan.

In apparent retaliation for the arrest of two Russian intelligence agents in Qatar last week, in connection with the assassination of former Chechen leader Zelimkhan Yanderbieyev, Russian authorities have detained two Qatari wrestlers. Russia has denied any involvement in the death of Yanderbeiyev, whom they had repeatedly attempted to extradite on terrorism charges.

Spanish police have arrested two suspected members of Basque separatist group ETA as they drove towards Madrid in a truck filled with more than 500 kg of explosives, thus averting a massive disaster.

Turkish authorities have charged 69 people with involvement in the November 2003 Istanbul bombings.

The British Home Office has published a discussion paper on proposed new counter-terrorism powers. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs3/CT_discussion_paper.pdf
One of their proposals is to allow communication intercepts. This is an issue that has caused upheaval following the revelation that British and US agents bugged UN offices, including Secretary General Kofi Annan and weapons inspector chief Hans Blix, and shared the intelligence. The British government has refused to comment on intelligence activities but revelations keep emerging and cast fresh doubt on reasons for going to war in Iraq. The finding that the Attorney General had been pressured to change his opinion on the legality of the war is also generating controversy.

The inquest into Jean McConville's death at the hands of the IRA in 1974 has been adjourned for six weeks at the request of her family. She is one of the nine "Disappeared" secretly buried by the IRA.

The review of the Good Friday Agreement made little progress as unionists focused on recent IRA violence and Sinn Fein retaliated with complaints of government collusion with loyalist groups and loyalist violence.

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6. Middle East

In the occupied Gaza Strip, an Israeli helicopter missile attack targeting Mahmoud Jouda, a senior Islamic Jihad commander, killed him and two other militants and wounded 15 bystanders. Islamic Jihad promised revenge. Later in the week, a suicide bomber riding a bike blew himself up near a military outpost, killing only himself and causing no other casualties. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. And in another incident, two Palestinian gunmen killed one Israeli before they were shot dead in turn. Al Aqsa Martyr's Brigades claimed responsibility.

The UN's fact-finding mission to Iraq reports: "Credible elections are not possible in Iraq before the 30 June planned handover of sovereignty but they can be organized by the end of this year or in early 2005 given the establishment of certain conditions, including a legal framework for the process.... ".
http://www.un.org/News/dh/iraq/rpt-fact-finding-mission.pdf
Meanwhile, work continues on the draft constitution, which was due to be completed today.

The US-based Council on Foreign Relations released a new report finding that "Wider integration of nonlethal weapons (NLW) into the U.S. Army and Marine Corps could have reduced damage, saved lives, and helped to limit the widespread looting and sabotage that occurred after the cessation of major conflict in Iraq. Incorporating NLW capabilities into the equipment, training, and doctrine of the armed services could substantially improve U.S. effectiveness in conflict, post-conflict, and homeland defense." http://www.cfr.org/publication.php?id=6794

Only $500 million of the $33 billion pledged by donors will reach Iraq before the handover of power from the US occupation. This is due to the lack of security and fear of misuse. The World Bank is setting up procedures to avoid corruption and provide other assistance.
http://lnweb18.worldbank.org/mna/mena.nsf/Countries/Iraq/B159E92EFE1EBBC485256CF500753888?OpenDocument

Israel's Supreme Court has ordered construction on the West Bank barrier to stop for a week while it examines the routing around eight Palestinian villages. Hearings on this matter are also underway at the International Court of Justice.

Qatari authorities report that two of their wrestlers were detained in Russia, in apparent retaliation for the arrest of two Russian intelligence agents in Qatar last week, in connection with the assassination of former Chechen leader Zelimkhan Yanderbieyev.

In the West Bank near the Green Line in Hebron, an Israeli couple was shot dead by suspected militants. Both the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command claimed responsibility. Earlier in the week there were a number of protests against the barrier under construction. In one incident, Israeli forces killed two of the demonstrators.

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7. South Asia

In coordinated operations at the Afghan/Pakistan border, US, British and Pakistani forces have launched a series of operations attempting to capture Osama bin Laden. They have arrested and are questioning a number of people. In one gunfight, Pakistani soldiers killed 11 people, both civilians and suspected militants.

Meanwhile, low voter registration and lack of security may force the delay of scheduled elections in Afghanistan. A civilian helicopter pilot was killed and three others injured, including an armed security guard, in an attack claimed by the Taliban and there continue to be incidents of fatal ambushes including one killing five Afghan aid workers. A recording released by Dr Ayman al Zawahiri, bin Laden's second in command, threatens more attacks and emphasizes the west's war against Islam, including the French ban against headscarves.

In the Indian state Bihar suspected communist rebels of the People's War Group and the Maoist Communist Center blew up a railway track and damaged railway stations, but there were no casualties. In Rajasthan state 15 men were sentenced, by a special anti-terrorism court, to life in prison for planting bombs in five trains in 1993.

Indian-administered Kashmir experienced the first violence since election campaigning began, when Al Mansurin militants shot dead Noor Mohammad Bodha, apparently for participating in the elections. A grenade attack killed a girl and injured four, but Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed escaped without injury. Moderates of the All Party Hurriyat Conference have warned that human rights violations, including the death of a 13-year-old-boy, could lead them to pull out of peace talks.

Nepal's Maoist rebels called another 5-day strike, the fourth in less than a month, but it had lower participation than previous national strikes, leading to it being called off after only two days.

A Shia mosque in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, was the scene of a suicide bombing that killed the bomber and slightly injured three children.

Sri Lanka's election has seen dozens of violent incidents, ranging from intimidation to injury and involving both major parties. Tamils have warned against obstruction of their supporters.

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8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

More viruses are spreading this month, all wreaking havoc on Microsoft Windows users. These include the fast-moving Netsky.C and MyDoom.F that carries a destructive payload that deletes files, sends a DDoS attack. In addition, the Bizex work is carried through ICQ instant messenger.

The Cyber Security Industry Alliance (CSIA) has been launched to "enhance cyber security through public policy initiatives, public sector partnerships, corporate outreach, academic programs, alignment behind emerging industry technology standards and public education. As the only public policy and advocacy group comprised exclusively of security software, hardware and service vendors that is addressing key cyber security issues, the CSIA will become an important influence in both the public and private sectors." http://csialliance.org/

MBNA Europe is the latest bank used in a phisher fraud. https://wwwn.applyonlinenow.com/emuk/internetsecurity/index.html

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9. Finance

Japan's Financial Services Agency has banned the Tokyo branch of UK-based Standard Chartered Bank from offering services to new customers for a year. The bank had not checked on overseas remittances and thereby helped launder $56m for the Japanese Mafia.

The Beacon Hill Service Corporation in Manhattan was convicted in state supreme court of operating as an unlicensed money transfer agent that had transferred billions of dollars from shell companies to offshore accounts. Sentencing is scheduled for March.

Israeli security forces raided three Arab banks in the West Bank. They confiscated some $30 million in cash they claimed was sent by foreign governments that were funneling funds to Palestinian militants.

The International Monetary Fund has published "Czech Republic: Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes--FATF Recommendations for Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism". They found significant progress but noted shortcomings in the supervision of AML/CFT compliance in the insurance sector, although this is being addressed with amended legislation, and an absence of law enforcement results. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=17210.0

The Financial Action Task Force has removed Ukraine and Egypt from their list of Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories. Only Burma (Myanmar), Cook Islands, Guatemala, Indonesia, Nauru, Nigeria and the Philippines remain on the list.
FATF strengthens global anti-money laundering The "Report on Money Laundering Typologies 2003-2004" will be discussed in next week's Feature Article.

The US Treasury has designated Shaykh Abd-al-Majid Al-Zindani, a bin Laden and al-Qaeda supporter, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, an action that blocks his assets. http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js1190.htm

The US General Accounting Office reported on progress in "Investigations of Terrorist Financing, Money Laundering, and Other Financial Crimes" relating to the coordination of activities between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-04-464R

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10. Human Rights

The International Court of Justice began hearings on the Israeli wall case.

The US Department of State issued the annual "Country Reports on Human Rights" http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/

The number of asylum-seekers arriving in industrialized countries last year fell by 20 per cent to its lowest level in the last six years, reflecting changes in Afghanistan, the Balkans and Iraq. http://www.unhcr.ch

The US Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the prosecution's misconduct in the capital case of Delma Banks Jr was a wrongful sentence, removing the defendant from death row and requiring a new trial. http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/03pdf/02-8286.pdf

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11. Law and Legal Issues

Esam Mohammed Khidr Ali, Abdul Azi Haji Chiming, Muhammad Yalaludin Mading, Sman Ismael and (in absentia) Rousha Yasser were on trial in Cambodia on charges related to membership of Jemaah Islamiah and channeling money to al Qaeda. The case has been thrown out because Cambodia has no anti-terrorism laws but the men in custody will be detained further to allow the prosecution to bring new charges.

Shoko Asahara (real name Chizuo Matsumoto), leader of the Japanese doomsday cult Aum Shrinrikyo that was responsible for the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, has been sentenced to death for his role in ordering the attack.

"Hussein" was arrested by Palestinian Authority police in the Gaza Strip for his suspected involvement in last week's suicide bus bombing.

Samuel Imanishimwe, former Rwandan military commander was sentenced by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to 27 years in prison for genocide and crimes against humanity. Andre Ntagerura, former transport and communications minister, and Emmanuel Bagambiki, former prefect of Cyangugu, were acquitted of similar charges. http://www.ictr.org/wwwroot/default.htm

Hector Janjalani and Muhammad Ajijon, senior members of Abu Sayyaf, have been sentenced to life in prison by a Philippines court for kidnapping US citizen Jeffrey Schilling in 2000.

Gerard McCrory, Liam Rainey, Harry Fitzsimmons and Thomas Tolan have been remanded in custody in Belfast for the beating and imprisonment of Bobby Tohill in connection with his attempted kidnapping last week. They were also charged with weapons and equipment that could be of use to terrorists but will not be charged with membership of a proscribed organization. The four men are allegedly connected with the IRA, attempting to punish a member of a dissident republican group. The alleged IRA abduction will be raised during the review of the Good Friday Agreement.

Slobodan Milosevic's war crimes trial has been adjourned for three months. He has been ill for two weeks and judge Richard May will resign in three months due to poor health. Because of these illnesses, the prosecutors rested their case early and Milosevic will have the remaining time to prepare his defense, before a new judge. http://www.un.org/icty/latest/index.htm

Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al Qosi and Ali Hamza Ahmed Sulayman al Bahlul will be the first detainees tried before President Bush's special military tribunals. The two alleged bodyguards for Osama bin Laden, detained at Guantanamo Bay, have been charged with conspiracy to commit war crimes but prosecutors have said they will not seek the death penalty.

Terry Nichols, convicted and sentenced to life without parole for his role in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, will be tried again beginning Monday in an effort for the prosecutor to obtain a death sentence.

Abu Rusdan was sentenced to 3.5 years by Indonesian court for hiding Mukhlas, one of the men who carried out the 2002 Bali bombings. He is also thought to be leading Jemaah Islamiah (JI) in care for Abu Bakar Ba'asyir.

Hassan Salih and Marwan Uthman of the unlicensed Kurdish Yakiti Party have been released after serving 14 months in prison when the Syrian court reduced the previous sentence of three years. They had taken part in a civil rights demonstration and were charged with trying to annex Syrian territory to a foreign country.

Sardona Siliwangi was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Indonesian court for storing the explosives later used in August 2003 Marriott bombing.

Maurizio and Fabio Viscido, two brothers working in the Pisa post office, have been arrested in Italy on suspicion of belonging to the Red Brigades.

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12. Transportation

The US Transportation Security Administration announced new enforcement guidelines including significant increases in fines for carrying prohibited items and not cooperating with security staff. The increased fines are to encourage compliance and make people take security more seriously. http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=5&content=0900051980087f3b

The US National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probably cause of the US Airways Flight 5481 crash in January 2003 was loss of pitch control due to incorrect rigging of the elevator control system and inaccurate estimates of the weight of the passengers and baggage. They recommend "that periodic sampling of passenger and baggage weights would determine whether air carrier average weight programs were accurately representing passenger and baggage loads". http://www.ntsb.gov/Pressrel/2004/040226.htm

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13. Weapons of Mass Destruction

The Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force for Libya on February 5 and two weeks later Libyan authorities submitted a partial initial declaration of chemical weapons stockpiles to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to be followed by a complete declaration by March 5. Under OPCW supervision, Libya has begun to destroy more than 3300 unfilled bombs intended chemical weapons delivery. Following the full declaration they will develop a plan for the destruction of remaining chemical weapons and facilities and for ongoing international verification. The International Atomic Energy Agency has already been working to eliminate Libya's nuclear programs. http://www.opcw.org/html/global/ra_frameset.html

The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade has come into force. It initially lists 27 pesticides and industrial chemicals that are labeled in a way that enables countries to decide what they can safely import or export, allowing developing countries to identify products that have been banned or restricted in industrialized countries.
http://www.unep.org/, http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2004/37667/index.html

The US General Accounting Office (GAO) reported on "Nonproliferation: Improvements Needed to Better Control Technology Exports for Cruise Missiles and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles". They found that "Cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) pose a growing threat to U.S. national security interests as accurate, inexpensive, delivery systems for conventional, chemical, and biological weapons". And recommended that the Secretary of Commerce should assess adequacy of export regulations and that State and Defense should evaluate technology transfers and compliance.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-04-175

The GAO also finds that "Chemical facilities may be attractive targets for terrorists intent on causing economic harm and loss of life. Many facilities exist in populated areas where a chemical release could threaten thousands". In the absence of explicit federal law, GAO recommends a national chemical security strategy and points to legislation now before Congress that would help support this. See "Homeland Security: Federal Action Needed to Address Security Challenges at Chemical Facilities:
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-04-482T

The March issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases is now available online, including articles on SARS, monkeypox, quarantine failure rates and others.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/index.htm

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14. Recently Published

David C Engerman "Modernization from the Other Shore" Harvard University Press

Richard Holmes, "Acts of War: The Behavior of Men in battle" Weidenfeld and Nicolson

John Keegan, "Intelligence in War: Knowledge of the Enemy From Napoleon to al Qaeda" Knopf

Andrew Meier, "Black Earth: Russia After the Fall", WW Norton, HarperCollins

Antony Polonsky and Joanna B Michlic, editors, "The Neighbors Respond: The Controversy over the Jedwabne Massacre in Poland" Princeton University Press

Monica Whitlock, "Land Beyond the River: The Untold Story of Central Asia" St Martin's/Dunne

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FEATURE ARTICLE: The Lord's Resistance Army

From ancient times through the colonial era Uganda was known for its fertile soil and successful agrarian economy. Today, it is known as one of the poorest countries and most violent in the world. In a population of some 25 million, scarcely anyone has been untouched by the upheaval that has consumed an entire generation.

Uganda gained independence from British colonial rule in 1962. Less than ten years later, Idi Amin led a coup to topple the president and launch one of the bloodiest dictatorships in history. Under his regime some 400,000 people were killed and the country became notorious for gross human rights abuses. Amin's ambitions did not end with his own people. He forcibly expatriated around 60,000 Asians, fought at the Tanzanian border and attempted to annex the Kagera region, claimed part of Kenya, and used conflict to gain control of people and resources in neighboring countries. His government encouraged divisive conflicts along regional, ethnic and religious lines.

Tanzania invaded Uganda in 1979 and unified the anti-Amin forces under the Uganda National Liberation Movement/Army (NRM/A). Amin fled the country and was replaced by Yusufu Lule, who was replaced by Godfrey Binaisa, who was replaced by elected president Milton Obote. Obote lasted until 1985 when a military coup inserted Tito Okello but National Resistance Army rebels toppled them in turn, installing Yoweri Museveni as president, a position he continues to serve.

Museveni began to introduce democratic reforms and has helped reduce the level of political violence conducted by security services. Economic reforms helped improve conditions in many parts of the country. On the other hand, his military intervention in Democratic Republic of Congo was a disaster that has only recently been resolved, and he has been unable to end insurgencies in the north and west. In these areas, fighting among Tutsi, Hutu and other ethnic groups, political rebels, armed gangs and militias battle across the borders with Burundi, DRC, Rwanda, Uganda and Sudan. These continuing transnational conflicts help promulgate regional instability.

The worst of these ongoing conflicts now is in the north, in the Acholi sub-region, where the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) inflicts terror over the populations inside Uganda and the neighboring border regions. LRA's campaign of terror is directly connected with the political history of Uganda.

When NRM took power in 1986 it tried to consolidate power in the north with extreme force, extra-judicial killings and other human rights abuses directed against civilians. Resistance to this took two forms. The Uganda People's Democratic Army wanted multiparty democracy. The Holy Spirit Mobile Force (HSMF) was a mystical movement proclaiming spiritual, supernatural powers led by Alice Auma.

Auma was a young Acholi woman who claimed to be controlled by a Christian spirit named Lakwena. She raised an army to cleanse her people of both the external enemy and of internal evils, including witches and sorcerers. This combination of Christianity and animism attracted tens of thousands of followers and won a number of major victories until a major defeat in 1987. Auma and her close followers, including Joseph Kony, fled to Kenya.

Kony, perhaps having learned that magic potions did not stop bullets, kept elements of the HSMF together, but without Auma's mysticism. He and his followers became the LRA, proclaiming that the Ten Commandments should rule Uganda. As the other rebels fled, Kony's LRA filled the vacuum. And if the local people didn't support LRA then, as he learned from Alice Auma, they too would have to be cleansed, usually through mutilation and murder.

For almost 18 years Kony has fought against Museveni's government. His core group of about 200 is well armed but the key to his success is the children; over 20,000 abducted and forced to fight, or comply with the demands of forced labor, including sexual slavery. His recruits were forced to kill their own families to cut off the possibility of returning home. To further engender fear or inflict punishment, LRA is known for cutting off the hands, ears, and lips.

The US State Department listed LRA as a terrorist organization in 2001, primarily because of its connections with rebels in southern Sudan. The government of Sudan, Uganda and other allies approved a military campaign against LRA in 2002. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were evacuated, causing a massive refugee problem. The number of internally displaced persons now exceeds 1.4 million.

But attacks continued (as well as abuses by government security services) and the refugees provided yet more targets. Earlier this month, there were two gruesome massacres in which some 250 people were shot, clubbed, or attacked by machetes and burned to death in their homes. In the aftermath of the vicious attacks, anti-government demonstrations led to at least nine deaths and the violence spread, leading to a number of ethnic attacks against Acholis, including one stoned to death by a mob. The affected regions in the north and east have been declared humanitarian disaster areas.

Over the years many peace efforts have been attempted, including internal offers of ceasefires and amnesties, mediation by religious leaders, regional aid, and international negotiations. Neither these nor military efforts have succeeded.

Last month a new initiative was launched, opening another route for international support. This time, President Museveni referred the situation with the LRA to the International Criminal Court (ICC). If ICC determines there is a basis for the claim, part of the formal investigation would include attempting to locate and arrest the elusive LRA leadership. Many organizations, particularly the Acholi Religious Leaders' Peace Initiative, have expressed fears that such an investigation would make a peaceful settlement impossible and have also pointed to the need to investigate actions of the government as well.

Perhaps this time the combination of the spread and extreme degree of the violence with civilian protests and international support will provide the final impetus towards a solution to this seemingly intractable problem.

Further Reading:

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