First, the very good news: a deal appears to be in sight to demobilize the murderous LRA of Uganda, which has abducted tens of thousands of children and been responsible for killings and mutilations. There are reports that
Although many internally displaced people are still sleeping in the camps they've called home for about a decade now, they're beginning to move furniture and farming tools back to their village homes.
Human rights activists warn that follow-through will make or break any agreement.
Now, the bad news: the regime in Khartoum, which is trying to weasel out of its 2005 peace agreement with southern Sudan, is likely trying to keep the LRA around to attack southern Sudan:
The [Khartoum] regime has provided military backing to the Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army, infamous for brainwashing kidnapped children to become cold killers. Now Sudan prepares once again to rescue the LRA from near-oblivion, as Khartoum will use the LRA's child soldiers in its efforts to disrupt Uganda's own peace process. Recently, reports emerged of a vicious LRA attack on civilians in southern Sudan. Yet again, no consequences.
After that was written, the LRA attacked civilians again.
(There are also rumors that Khartoum may offer LRA leader Joseph Kony, one of the world's most openly evil people, refuge among the Janjaweed in Darfur).
Elizabeth Palmberg is an assistant editor for Sojourners.
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