New Vision (Kampala)

Uganda: Obama Hailed Over Law On Kony

Photo: New Vision
Joseph Kony holds his daughters at a past peace negotiation meet (file photo).

The international non-governmental organization Invisible Children has hailed President Obama for assenting to a US law which will offer a cash bounty to whoever apprehends LRA leader Joseph Kony and his top commanders.

Obama on Tuesday assented to an amended law which places a cash reward for whoever arrests the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony and his top commanders.

Invisible Children has played a central role in lobbying the US congress to support the end to the LRA atrocities. The Invisible Children, CEO Ben Keesey was present at the Oval Office as President Obama signed the law.

The "Department of State Rewards Program Update and Technical Corrections Act of 2012," was introduced in February last year by the representative from California Ed Royce, who chairs the foreign affairs subcommittee on terrorism, nonproliferation, and trade.

"As an NGO committed to bringing a permanent end to LRA atrocities and improving the quality of life of LRA-affected communities by providing access to quality education and improved livelihoods, this legislation reinforces our firm efforts to see an enduring end to LRA conflict in and outside Uganda," said Jolly Grace Okot, Invisible Children's regional Ambassador in Central and East Africa.

The law updates the State Department's Rewards Program which was introduced in 1984 to offer rewards for information related to terrorists, narcotics traffickers and specific international war criminals.

The amendment updates the Rewards Program to target those indicted by international, hybrid or mixed tribunals for genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity.

Kony and his commanders are wanted by International Criminal Court (ICC) to answer charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

President Obama said that besides LRA leaders, this rewards program will also target perpetrators of human rights violations, citing indicted commanders of the Congolese M23 rebel group as well as the Hutu extremists FDLR operating in DR Congo.

Since the inception of the rewards program in 1984, the US government has paid rewards to over 70 people who provided intelligence that prevented terrorist attacks and court convictions of terrorist.

Okot said, "That previous and related Justice Reward programmes have succeeded in leading to arrests of war criminals fortifies our belief that this law will indeed move forward the hunt for Joseph Kony and his associates."

LRA was kicked out from Uganda by the UPDF five years ago. However, the LRA remains active in South Sudan, Central African Republic and DR Congo.

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Comments Post a comment

  • ras sideeq
    Jan 19 2013, 11:31

    THIS IS MY POINT CLEARLY:::' EVERYONE HAS A PRICE AND EVERYONE CAN BE BOUGHT AND SOLD!!!! THIS IS WHY I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH AMERICAN NGOS' THEY JUST DO NOT HAVE AFRICAN VALUES ;THE ONLY THING POSSIBLY THEY CAN TEACH TO OUR YOUTHS IS FOOLISHNESS , CORRUPTION INIQUITY ;' MONEY PLAYS MORE OF AN IMPORTANT ROLE THAN FAMILY,DIGNITY PRIDE,NATION,INTEGRITY NOBILITY ,RIGHTEOUSNESS, HONESTY , TRUE COMRADRE ,LOVE, TRADITIONAN PEACE"!!!!!!!!... NO MONEY IN THE WORLD CAN BUY ANY OF THESE THINGS." WHAT WE NEED TO TEACH AFRICAN YOUTHS IS THAT THEY ARE ALL BORN OF NOBLE ROYAL BLOOD ,THIS HOLY CONTINENT IS THE MOST GLORIOUS WEALTHIEST OF ALL CONTINENTS!!!! IT IS STEEPED IN CULTURE HONOUR TRADITION DIGNITY RIGHTEOUSNESS THERE NATURAL R4ESOURCES ARE SOME OF THE MOST ON THE PLANET THERE LANDS ARE MORE THAN FERTILE, IT IS IN THIER BEST INTEREST TO FOCUS MOTIVATE TO LEARN ALL THE VOCATIONAL SKILLS THEY CAN!!. THEY NEED TO ACCUMULATE AS MUCH KNOWLEDGE WHEN IT COMES TO NATION BUILDING, THEY ARE ALL EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION. NO MATTER THE AMMOUNT OF NGOs THEY ARE NOT EQUUIPED MANTALLY EMOTIONALLY TO SIGHT THE ROOTED ANCESTORAL BONDS THAT ARE DEEEP INISDE THE PSYCE OF ALL AFRICANS". THE SPIRITUAL BOND THAT ALLIES EACH AND EVEVRY AFRICAN TO AFRICA IS SOMETHING THAT YOU DONT STUDY OR ACQUIRE IT IS PART AN PARCEL OF THE DNA, IT IS AS NATURAL AS MELANIN !!! THESE CAN NOT BE PRESCRIBED ITS ALL BY NATURES DESIGN!!!!!!!!!. "ALL THESE DISTRACTIONS THESE FOOLISH PLOYS TO MISLEAD YOU FROM RECOGNISISNG THE FUNDAMENTAL FACTS THAT THERE IS ENOUGH WEALTH TO MAKE EVERY SINGLE UGANDAN LEAD A VERY COMFORTABLE LIFE'; WITH OUT ABUSING THE ECOLOGY AND ENOUGH TO SHARE WITH NEIGHBORS WHO MIGHT NOT BE SO WELL ENDOWED!!!!... "AFRICA MUST START TO INCENTIVISE THE YOUTHS TO ASSERT THEMSELVES IN VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS THESE ARE ALSO MEANS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIPS SELF EMPLOYMENT'. WE NEEDSKILLS FOR ALL EVERY SINGLE UGANDAN SHOULD SAY I AM A FARMER ,I AM A ELECTRICIAN , IA AM A CIVIL SERVANT, I AM A SAILOR I AM A ENGINEER , I AM A NUCLEAR SCIENTIST , I AM A ARCHITECT, I AM A WASTE MANAGEMENT ENGINEER, EVERY SINGLE UGANDA IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF TRADE OR DIPLOMA THAT WILL EMPOWER THEM AND WILL GIVE PRIDE DIGNITY TO COUNTER ALL THESE COWBOY ANTICS, THESE FREE MONEY, SELLING OUT IS NOT THE WAY FORWARD. WE WANT TO UPHOLD THE POWER OF EMPOWERMENT, EQUITY, NON PARTIALITY,CITIZENSHIP LOVE OF SELF ' LOVE OF NATION EMPOWERMENT FOR ALL!!!!!. THESE TRICKS ARE OLD AND DUSTY THEY JUST DO NOT FIT A MODERN AFRICA"". WE WANT MORE LOYALTY TO AFRICA WE ARE NOT TRYING TO SELL AFRICANS ON THE IDEA THAT SEKKING BOUNTIES IS THE WAY FORWARD ; THAT IS LOST TO BOUNTY HUNTERS WE WILL SOON FIND MERCENARIES FROM ABROAD LOOKING TO SEEK THIER FORTUNE IN AFRICA ?. THIS SHOWS THAT THE WEST STILL HAS NO CLUE WHERE AFRICA IS IN POST COLNIAL ,POST SLAVERY AFRICA THEY DO NOT HAVE A CLUE!!!.. AFRICAN LEADERS NEED TO KEEP AFRICA PRISTINE AT ALL TRIMES; NOT TOO MUCH OVER DEVELOPMENT TAKING NATURES EDGE AWAY FROM THE CPONTINENT". WE NEED SMART EMPOWERED YOUTHS WHOM ARE TOTALLY DEDICATED TO THE FUTURE OF AFRICA AND THE STATES THEY LIVE IN. THERE SHOULD BE A FREINDLY COMPETITITON TO SEE WHO CAN TRULY EDUCATE MOTST OF THIER POPULATIONS EMPOWERING THEM WITH SKILLS THAT IS EMPOWERING AND WILL KEEP AFRICAN RESOURCES IN AFRICAN HANDS!!!!!!!!!!!!." WE DO NOT NEED TO OUT SOURCE FOR EVERYTHING '; THEN THE OUTLOOK BECOMES BLEAK AS THERE THEN BECOMES THE STRONGEST OF THE STRONG SURVIVES' AND EVERYONE WANTS TO GO INTO POLITRIKS WHERE THEY CAN BRIBE AND BE BRIBED" AFRICA DESERVES BETTER THAN WHAT THE WEST HAS TO OFFER WHICH IS NOTHING' IF THEY ARE NOT SAYING;' WE ARE WILLING TO GIVE TO YOU TECHNOLOGIES WITH OUT STRINGS HERE IS MANUFACTURINGS MOST MODERRFN TECHNOLOGICAL DESIGNS, HERRE ARE TOOLS TO EMPOWER YOUR AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES; SHOULD THEY ONLY WANT TO EXPLOIT AN EXTORT THEN THEY ARE NOT GOOD FOR OUR FUTURE ON THIS PLANET!!!. AFRICA IS NO WAY WISHING TO LEARN TO BECOME MORE MILITARISED EFFICIENT MURDERERS NOR DO THEY SEEK TO HAVE ALL THESE MILITARISED MECHNISMS THAT WILL NOT DOUBT DEPEND ON AMERICAN SERVICING, SPARE PARTS; THESE ARE ALL OLD TRICKS WE SAW THOSE EARLIER AFTER INDEPENDENCE!!. AFRICA MUST SEE ITS SOVEREIGNTY AS THE MOST PROFOUND OF ALL FORMS OF INDEPENDENCE"!!!!!!!! "SOVEREIGNTY IS OWNERSHIP OF SELF AND STATE"; WHEN WE RESOLVE TO RELINQUISH EITHER OR BOTH , 'WE ARE THEN NOTHING OTHER THAN SERFS SLAVES ONETHING IS FOR SURE WE ARE NO LONGER FREE""". AS THE PRODUCT OF AN AFRICAN DIASPORA THAT WAS ENSLAVED BY THE MOST HEINOUS BRUTAL OPPRESSIVE MANMIPULATION OF HATE CRIMINALITY ON THE PLANET; WHERE KINGS QUEENS PRINCESSES WERE CAPTURED WHERE ACAFEMIST SCHOLLARS SCIENTIST WERE FORCED INTO THIS INHUMANE BONDAGE OF HATREDMANS ENVY OF MAN!!!. KNOWING THE BARBARITY AS THE SOULS OF MY ANCESTORS ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN MY PSCYE AS THEY SEEK FOREMPOWERMENT OF THIER NOW GENERATION OF AFRICANS TO UNITE SEE LIFE AND LISTEN TO THE FACTS KNOW YOUR ENEMIES. WAR WAS SOMETHING THAT ALWAYS NEVER LEADS TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN DFIALOGUE SOONER THAN LATER IS ALWAYS THE OBJECTIVE BUT IT WILL HAPPEN!!!! FOCUS ON STEERING DIRECTING DRIVING ONE DESTINY IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IF DO NOT POSSESS THE KNOWLEDGE TO GROW AND BUILD WE WILL NOT BE FREE!!!!!!!!!." EVERYCHILD MUST HAVE THAT POSITION OFG EMPOWERMENT THE FACVTS OF MATHMATICS NUMERACY FROM TIMES TABLE IN ADDITTION TO PHYSICS AND THE HIGHEST DGRESS OF SCIENTIFIC DATA MUST BE POSSESSED BY OUR CHJILDREN TO KEEP THEM EMPOWERED AND WE NEED FOR THE ONE BILLION OR SO CHILDREN AND YOUTH TO ACHIVE THIS EDUCATION AND VBOCATIONAL STANDARDS. THE RIGHT TO KNOW IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE THIS DRIVES THE RIGHTS THAT ARE OURS FROM NATURE NATURALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!. WE MUST BE THE SHEEPHERDERS OF THE NATION ITS OUR DUTY NOT TO ACCPET MONIES AS A FORM OF BRIBERY TO DOWNGRADE THE PEOPLE AND THE NATION THE DIEA IS TO STUDY LEARN TO PROTECTY THE RESOURCES THAT WE OWN SOVEREIGNTY IS THIS OWNERSHIP!!!!!!!!!

  • ras sideeq
    Jan 19 2013, 11:14

    THIS IS MY POINT CLEARLY:::' EVERYONE HAS A PRICE AND EVERYONE CAN BE BOUGHT AND SOLD!!!! THIS IS WHY I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH AMERICAN NGOS' THEY JUST DO NOT HAVE AFRICAN VALUES ;THE ONLY THING POSSIBLY THEY CAN TEACH TO OUR YOUTHS IS FOOLISHNESS , CORRUPTION INIQUITY ;' MONEY PLAYS MORE OF AN IMPORTANT ROLE THAN FAMILY,DIGNITY PRIDE,NATION,INTEGRITY NOBILITY ,RIGHTEOUSNESS, HONESTY , TRUE COMRADRE ,LOVE, TRADITIONAN PEACE"!!!!!!!!... NO MONEY IN THE WORLD CAN BUY ANY OF THESE THINGS." WHAT WE NEED TO TEACH AFRICAN YOUTHS IS THAT THEY ARE ALL BORN OF NOBLE ROYAL BLOOD ,THIS HOLY CONTINENT IS THE MOST GLORIOUS WEALTHIEST OF ALL CONTINENTS!!!! IT IS STEEPED IN CULTURE HONOUR TRADITION DIGNITY RIGHTEOUSNESS THERE NATURAL R4ESOURCES ARE SOME OF THE MOST ON THE PLANETTHERE LANDS ARE MORE THAN FERTILE IT IS IN THIER BEST INTEREST TO FOCUS MOTIVATE TO LEARN ALL THE VOCATIONAL SKILLS THEY CAN THEY NEED TO ACCUMULATE AS MUCH KNOWLEDGE WHEN IT COMES TO NATION BUILDING THEY ARE ALL EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION. NO MATTER THE AMMOUNT OF NGOs THEY ARE NOT EQUUIPED MANTALLY EMOTIONALLY TO SIGHT THE ROOTED ANCESTORAL BONDS THAT ARE DEEEP INISDE THE PSCE OF ALL AFRICANS. THE SPIRITUAL BOND THAT ALLIES EACH AND EVEVRY AFRICAN TO AFRICA IS SOMETHING THAT YOU DONT STUDY OR ACQUIRE IT IS PART AN PARCEL OF THE DNA, IT IS AS NATURAL AS MELANIN THESE CAN NOT BE PRESCRIBED ITS BY NATURES DESIGN!!!!!!!!!. "ALL THESE DISTRACTIONS THESE FOOLISH PLOYS TO MISLEAD YOU FROM RECOGNISISNG THE FUNDAMENTAL FACTS THAT THERE IS ENOUGH WEALTH TO MAKE EVERY SINGLE UGANDAN LEAD A VERY COMFORTABLE LIFE'; WITH OUT ABUSING THE ECOLOGY AND ENOUGH TO SHARE WITH NEIGHBORS WHO MIGHT NOT BE SO WELL ENDOWED!!!!... AFRICA MUST START TO INCENTIVISE THE YOUTHS TO ASSET THEMSELVES IN VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS THESE ARE ALSO MEANS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIPS SELF EMPLOYMENT. WE NEEDSKILLS FOR ALL EVERY SINGLE UGANDAN SHOULS SAY I AM A FARMER I AM A ELECTRICIAN IA AM A CIVIL SERVANT I AM A SAILOR I AM A ENGINEER , I AM A NUCLEAR SCIENTIST , I AM S ARCHITECT, I AM A WASTE MANAGEMENT ENGINEER, EVERY SINGLE UGANDA IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF TRADEOR DIPLOMA THAT WILL EMPOWER THEM AND WILL GFIVE PRIDE DIGNITY TO ALL THESE COWBOY ANTICS THESE FREE MONEY SELLING OUT IS NOT THE WEWAY FORWARD. WE WANT TO UPHOLD THE POWER OF EMPOWERMENT, EQUITY, NON PARTIALITY,CITIZENSHIP LOVE OF SLEF LOVE OF NATION EMPOWERMENT FOR ALL!!!!!. THESE TRICKS ARE OLD AND DUSTY THEY JUST DO NOT FIT A MODERN AFRICA"". WE WANT MORE LOYALTY TO AFRICA WE ARE NOT TRYING TO SELL AFRICANS ON THE IDEA THAT SEKKING BOUNTIES IS THE WAY FORWARD ; THAT IS LOST TO BOUNTY HUNTERS WE WILL SOON FIND MERCENARIES FROM ABORAD LOOKING TO SEEK THIER FORTUNE IN AFRICA. THIS SHOWS THAT THE WQEST STILL HAS NO CLUE WHERE AFRICA IS POST COLNIAL POST SLAVERY AFRICA THEY DO NOT HAVE A CLUE!!!.. AFRICAN LEADERS NEED TO KEEP AFRICA PRISTINE AT ALL TRIMES NOT TOO MUCH OVER DEVELOPMENT TAKING NATURES EDGE AWAY FROM THE CPONTINENT. WE NEED SMART EMPOWERED YOUTHS WHOM ARE TOTALLY DEDICATED TO THE FUTURE OF AFRICAAND THE STATES THEY LIVE IN. THERE SHOULD BE A FREIND;LY COMPETITITON TO SEE WHO CAN TRULY EDUCATE MOTS OF THIER POPULATIONS EMPOWERING THEM WITH SKILLS THAT IS EMPOWERING AND WILL KEEP AFRICAN RESOURCES IN AFRICAN HANDS!!!!!!!!!!!!." WE DO NOT NEED TO OUT SOURCE FOR EVERYTHING '; THEN THE OUTLOOK BECOMES BLEAK AS THERE THEN BECOMES THE STRONGEST OF THE STRONG SURVIVES' AND EVERYONE WANTS TO GO INTO POLITRIKS WHERE THEY CAN BRIBE AND BE BRIBED" AFRICA DESERVES BETTER THAN WHAT THE WEST HAS TO OFFER WHICH IS NOTHING' IF THEY ARE NTO SAYING WE ARE WILLING TO GIVE TPO YOU TECHNOLOGIES WITH OUT STRINGS HERE IS MANUFACTURINGS MOST MODERRFN TECHNOLOGICAL DESIGNS, HERRE ARE TOOLS TO EMPOWERE YORU AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES; SHOULD THEY ONLY WANT TO EXPLOIT EXTORT THEN THEY ARE NOT GOOD FOR OUR FUTURE ON THIS PALNET. AFRICA IS NO WAY WISHING TO LEARN TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT MURDERERS NOR DO THEY SEEK TO HAVE ALL THESE MILITARISED MECHNISMS THAT WILL NOT DOUBT DEPEND ON AMERICAN SERVICING, SPARE PARTS; THESE ARE ALL OLD TRICKS WE SAW THOSE EARLIER AFTER INDEPENDENCE!!. AFRICA MUST SEE ITS SOVEREIGNTY AS THE MOST PROFOUND OF ALL FORMS OF INDEPENDENCE"!!!!!!!! "SOVEREIGNTY IS OWNERSHIP OF SELF AND STATE"; WHEN WE RESOLVE TO RELINQUISH EITHER OR BOTH , 'WE ARE THEN NOTHING OTHER THAN SERFS SLAVES ONETHING IS FOR SURE WE ARE NO LONGER FREE""". AS THE PRODUCT OF AN AFRICAN DIASPORA THAT WAS ENSLAVED BY THE MOST HEINOUS BRUTAL OPPRESSIVE MANMIPULATION OF HATE CRIMINALITY ON THE PLANET; WHERE KINGS QUEENS PRINCESSES WERE CAPTURED WHERE ACAFEMIST SCHOLLARS SCIENTIST WERE FORCED INTO THIS INHUMANE BONDAGE OF HATREDMANS ENVY OF MAN!!!. KNOWING THE BARBARITY AS THE SOULS OF MY ANCESTORS ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN MY PSCYE AS THEY SEEK FOREMPOWERMENT OF THIER NOW GENERATION OF AFRICANS TO UNITE SEE LIFE AND LISTEN TO THE FACTS KNOW YOUR ENEMIES. WAR WAS SOMETHING THAT ALWAYS NEVER LEADS TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN DFIALOGUE SOONER THAN LATER IS ALWAYS THE OBJECTIVE BUT IT WILL HAPPEN!!!! FOCUS ON STEERING DIRECTING DRIVING ONE DESTINY IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IF DO NOT POSSESS THE KNOWLEDGE TO GROW AND BUILD WE WILL NOT BE FREE!!!!!!!!!." EVERYCHILD MUST HAVE THAT POSITION OFG EMPOWERMENT THE FACVTS OF MATHMATICS NUMERACY FROM TIMES TABLE IN ADDITTION TO PHYSICS AND THE HIGHEST DGRESS OF SCIENTIFIC DATA MUST BE POSSESSED BY OUR CHJILDREN TO KEEP THEM EMPOWERED AND WE NEED FOR THE ONE BILLION OR SO CHILDREN AND YOUTH TO ACHIVE THIS EDUCATION AND VBOCATIONAL STANDARDS. THE RIGHT TO KNOW IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE THIS DRIVES THE RIGHTS THAT ARE OURS FROM NATURE NATURALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!. WE MUST BE THE SHEEPHERDERS OF THE NATION ITS OUR DUTY NOT TO ACCPET MONIES AS A FORM OF BRIBERY TO DOWNGRADE THE PEOPLE AND THE NATION THE DIEA IS TO STUDY LEARN TO PROTECTY THE RESOURCES THAT WE OWN SOVEREIGNTY IS THIS OWNERSHIP!!!!!!!!!

InFocus

Cash Reward for Uganda's Joseph Kony

picture

The United States has been lauded for approving a law which will offer a cash reward to whoever arrests the Lord's Resistance Army leader and his top commanders. Read more »