[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 52 (Thursday, March 29, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2257-S2258]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 412--COMMENDING THE AFRICAN UNION FOR COMMITTING TO A 
 COORDINATED MILITARY RESPONSE, COMPRISED OF 5,000 TROOPS FROM UGANDA, 
  THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, AND 
SOUTH SUDAN, IN ORDER TO FORTIFY ONGOING EFFORTS TO ARREST JOSEPH KONY 
  AND SENIOR COMMANDERS OF THE LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY AND TO STOP THE 
     CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND MASS ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY THEM

  Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself and Mr. Brown of Ohio) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations:

                              S. Res. 412

       Whereas the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is one of Africa's 
     oldest and most violent armed groups, responsible for 
     committing crimes against humanity against civilian 
     populations, including women and children, and believed to be 
     operating since 2006 in the Central African Republic, the 
     Democratic Republic of Congo, and what would become South 
     Sudan;
       Whereas the ongoing atrocities committed by LRA members 
     target innocent civilians, including women and children, and 
     include abduction, murder, mutilation, burning and looting of 
     villages, and destruction of communities and livelihoods, 
     causing the massive displacement of human populations and 
     creating a humanitarian crisis;
       Whereas the abduction of children and their forced 
     conversion into LRA fighters is an LRA hallmark and involves 
     initiating children into combat through brutal methods and 
     brainwashing and subjects girls to forced sexual slavery and 
     servitude;
       Whereas the governments of those countries most affected by 
     the LRA's reign of terror for over twenty years, including 
     Uganda, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic 
     of Congo, and what would become Southern Sudan, are leading 
     efforts, with international support, to apprehend Kony and 
     neutralize the LRA;
       Whereas the African Union convened a regional ministerial 
     meeting in October 2010 to bring together countries affected 
     by the LRA, the United Nations, and international partners to 
     address the LRA threat and promote humanitarian assistance 
     and development aid to affected populations, and subsequently 
     authorized, in November 2011, the Regional Cooperation 
     Initiative for the Elimination of the Lord's Resistance Army 
     (RCI-LRA), with a mission to strengthen the operational 
     capabilities of the affected countries and create an 
     environment conducive to stabilizing those areas;
       Whereas, on March 5, 2012, the nonprofit organization 
     Invisible Children reinvigorated the national and global 
     dialogue on the LRA and Kony by engaging millions of young 
     citizens via creative social media and inspiring them to 
     demand action and accountability of global leaders, which in 
     turn has mobilized leaders within and outside of the United 
     States Government in support of these concerns;
       Whereas, on March 24, 2012, the African Union's Special 
     Envoy for the LRA, Francisco Madeira, and Head of the United 
     Nation's Regional Office for Central Africa, Abou Moussa, 
     launched the operational phase of RCI-LRA by formally 
     announcing the planned deployment of up to 5,000 soldiers to 
     advance anti-LRA and anti-Kony efforts, and the next day 
     formally inaugurated the Headquarters of the Regional Task 
     Force in South Sudan to coordinate efforts to eliminate Kony 
     and neutralize the LRA;
       Whereas, in December 2008, Operation Lightning Thunder, a 
     multinational effort, failed to capture and kill Kony in 
     northern Congo, and escaping LRA fighters killed more than 
     800 civilians, abducted at least 160 children, and pillaged 
     villages en route to the Central African Republic in an 
     incident known as the Christmas Massacres, according to Human 
     Rights Watch; and
       Whereas enhanced international and regional cooperation and 
     coordination are necessary to apprehend Kony and LRA leaders 
     while protecting civilian populations against devastating 
     retaliatory attacks: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends the African Union for committing to enhanced 
     troop deployments that will fortify the military response to 
     the Lord's Resistance Army, in coordination with the 
     Governments of Uganda, the Central African Republic, the 
     Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Republic of South 
     Sudan, in order to strengthen ongoing efforts

[[Page S2258]]

     to arrest Joseph Kony and senior commanders of the Lord's 
     Resistance Army;
       (2) supports increasing collaboration and coordination 
     between the African Union and the Governments of Uganda, the 
     Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, 
     and the Republic of South Sudan so that together they may 
     swiftly and effectively implement RCI-LRA and bring Kony's 
     criminal spree to an end;
       (3) supports ongoing efforts by members of the United 
     States Armed Forces currently deployed to serve as advisors 
     to and partners of these national militaries and African 
     Union forces; and
       (4) supports continued efforts by the Secretary of State, 
     the Secretary of Defense, and other representatives of the 
     United States Government to work with partner nations and the 
     international community to strengthen the operational 
     capabilities of African Union and other regional military 
     forces deployed as part of RCI-LRA to protect civilians and 
     neutralize the leadership of the Lord's Resistance Army.

                          ____________________