?I have just viewed the Kony 2012 film put out by the US group Invisible Children.?
There is no doubt that Joseph Kony, head of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) is one of the worst war criminals. He has been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on war crimes charges. Kony's capture and enslavement of 80,000 children who either become child soldiers or in the case of young girls sexual slaves are truly repulsive acts. Furthermore, his historic alleged massacres of unarmed civilians have been horrendous in their scope.
But I agree with the small but growing number of critics as well who question Kony 2012's lack of analysis and insight. One of the things that struck me about the film was the lack of detail about Uganda's recent history. Kony's actions should be viewed within the context of that history. The younger generation the film is aimed at mobilising probably know very little about the bloodthirsty dictatorship of Idi Amin back in the 1970s. The late dictator, who was known to personally preside over the executions of his opponents and even for cannabilising them, brutalised and destabilised the country.
Following Amin's overthrow in a Tanzanian-led invasion in 1979, the country descended into political chaos and civil war. Kony's LRA played a significant role in this new civil war which was known as the Ugandan Bush War (1981-86). Initially, the rebel commander enjoyed great popularity amongst his own Acholi people following the overthrow of his fellow tribesman Tito Okello from the presidency by Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Army (NRA) in 1986. Over the last twenty years, Kony's militia has been variously known as the United Holy Salvation Army and the United Democratic Christian Army before adopting its current name in recent years. Besides Uganda, the LRA has also taken an active role in other regional conflicts such as those in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The ICC has issued indictments against the LRA for its activities in all three countries.
Admittedly, this is a succinct summary of the facts but we should remember that there is a wider context to this story. Also, besides Kony, we have other war criminals, both indicted and unindicted, who need to be brought to account.
What about George W. Bush and Tony Blair? Did not their illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq (not to mention the decade long sanctions against the country) lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi men, women and children? I see that the Kony 2012 camp are counting good old Dubya as a hopeful ally in their fight as one of the influential decisionmakers they want to target to speak out against Kony. What about the Indonesian generals who murdered 200,000 East Timorese during the 1975-2001 period? What about the Palestinians who have endured an illegal occupation that has seen the deaths of thousands of unarmed men, women and children at the hands of Israeli forces? What about the Communist Chinese leadership who ordered the murder of thousands of demonstrators (mainly teenagers and young adults) in Tianamen Square in 1989? I could go on.
Are the Invisible Children documentary makers going to make films about the plight and fight for justice of the children of the wars and massacres that all the abovementioned have perpetrated? Are they going to call for the indictments of the likes of Bush, Blair, Netanyahu (and successive living Israeli leaders), some of the living Chinese Communist leaders who ordered Tianamen, and the Indonesian generals, for example?
I don't think so. ?
And the hypocrisy doesn't stop there as the culturemakers that Invisible Children want to target in their Kony 2012 campaign include Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie. I was reading just this past week about Jolie and her partner Brad Pitt's Damascus dinner date with another blood thirsty military/political leader, namely President Bashir Al-Assad of Syria. I have a lot of time for Stephen Colbert but not for Rush Limbaugh. Aside from Limbaugh's obvious talents as a tireless campaigner for women's rights (yeah, right), this paragon of virtue has actually defended the LRA in the past. Limbaugh backed the LRA publicly due to their opposition to the Muslim-dominated (North) Sudanese Government. And as for trying to get Justin Bieber on board? How politically interested is he? Ditto the others (aside from Lady Gaga and Bono who do have political consciences).
Nevertheless, I support other criticisms of the Kony 2012 filmmakers that have been made in the past week. Numerous respected publications such as the Washington Post and other bloggers have carried commentary questioning the motives of the movement. For example, why have they backed the US's low key military intervention in this conflict that has failed (so far) to capture Kony and has in fact only increased his brutality? They have also brushed aside the fact that the Ugandan Army (no great respecters of human rights themselves) have largely defeated the LRA whom are now reportedly down to 300 hard core followers. The fact that they are selling (that's right selling) Kony related merchandise is causing concern given that the organisation spends very little on on-the-ground operations. Besides, the US intervention in Uganda has come at a time when China is seeking to exert its influence in what is still a very resource rich continent. After all, the LRA has fought (as referred to earlier) in the Democratic Republic of Congo whose own civil war has been spurred on, in large part, by the chase for diamonds and other precious resources.
Yes, Kony and all other war criminals currently on the ICC's most wanted list should all be brought to justice. But we should also remember that the West has its own war criminals whom are sheltered from prosecution too. When all war criminals, whether they be from richer or poorer, democratic or non-democratic nations, are equally held to account and when film makers give equal time to the traumatised civilians of ALL conflicts, then the Joseph Kony's of this world will truly get the message. Until then, rank hypocrisy from organisations like Invisible Children just won't do!
(NB: If you want to capture Kony and others of his ilk, I believe that a UN mandated and controlled multinational security force should be set up. It should have the power to not only engage in peacekeeping and conflict prevention duties but also work with civilian authorities in trying to capture indicted war criminals. Nations, such as the US, Russia, China and others, should not protect client rulers or military lords for that matter accused of human rights violations or war crimes. That's why any such force should be comprised of non-superpower nations whom have been found to have very good human rights records and are prepared to show no fear or favour towards their targets. Kony is thumbing his nose at the US but would he thumb his nose so much if it were Swedish or South African forces which were involved? Something to ponder on in this debate.)
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