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Uganda: LRA Abducts More, Says Rights Watch
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The Monitor (Kampala)
20 May 2008
Posted to the web 20 May 2008
Rodney Muhumuza
Kampala
International action is needed to end the Lord's Resistance Army's new spree of abductions and sexual violence and to execute arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for the group's leaders, Human Rights Watch said yesterday.
The rights watchdog said in its latest statement that the rebel outfit has since February carried out at least 100 abductions, and perhaps many more, in the Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and South Sudan.
Boys are made to act as porters or subjected to military training and girls are being used as sex slaves, according to credible information, including written documentation, from foreign observers and domestic authorities in the region obtained by Human Rights Watch, the statement said. The recent abuses have occurred amid a faltering peace process between the Uganda government and the LRA to end the two decades-long conflict.
LRA leader Joseph Kony failed to appear at an April 10 meeting to sign a final peace agreement. Kony and other LRA leaders are charged by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
"Kony and the LRA took advantage of the breathing room given to them and appear to be terrorising civilians yet again," said Richard Dicker, international justice director at Human Rights Watch.
"Concerned governments and UN officials cannot sit by while the LRA goes on a criminal rampage, committing heinous abuses against children and other people."
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Efforts, unsuccessful so far, have been underway by those close to the peace talks to communicate directly with Kony to revive the talks.
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