Blog Updates and inspiration

The International Criminal Court (ICC) trial of former LRA commander, Dominic Ongwen, is set to begin tomorrow. So, in preparation, we thought we would take a moment and recap where the proceedings are and talk about what we can expect to see happen moving forward. So, what’s happened so far? In early January 2015, former […]

In August, researchers released the Great Elephant Census, a report that reveals the extremely alarming impact poaching has on Africa’s savanna elephant population. The results of this census are a clear call to action to the entire international community. We must take significant steps through international policies and on-the-ground work to end the poaching and […]

In early 2015, former LRA commander and International Criminal Court (ICC)-indictee Dominic Ongwen surrendered to security forces in the Central African Republic (CAR) and was later transferred to the custody of the ICC to await trial in The Hague, where he remains now that trial proceedings have begun. After being abducted by the LRA as […]

Since 2013, the young nation of South Sudan has been in the midst of a violent civil war. The violence, which is both politically and ethnically driven, is primarily between forces loyal to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, and those loyal to the Vice President, Riek Machar. However tens of thousands of civilians have been […]

In June, the government of the Central African Republic (CAR) announced that it would resume diamond exports after a three-year ban implemented in 2013 as a result of the adoption of the Kimberley Process. The ban was put in place to prevent the sale of diamonds financing armed group violence, which broke out in CAR […]

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is scheduled to hold elections at the end of the year to elect a new president. However, over the past several months, the Congolese government has pointed toward many challenges to holding timely elections. While the international community has emphasized the importance of a fair and democratic election process in […]

Just days ago, on June 21, the International Criminal Court (ICC) sentenced Jean-Pierre Bemba, former vice president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to 18 years in jail for war crimes committed in the Central African Republic (CAR). The crimes for which Bemba has been sentenced, were committed by soldiers under his command in […]

Our Invisible Children team grieves the loss of three park rangers in Garamba National Park who were killed this weekend in clash with armed poachers. Our hearts go out to the families of these fallen rangers, and to our colleagues at African Parks who continue to courageously protect some of our world’s most endangered and […]

For the past week, the world has watched as the trial of former LRA Commander, Dominic Ongwen moved forward with a confirmation of charges hearing. Below, our colleagues at the Enough Project provide helpful information on how these proceedings have developed and their significance both for LRA-affected communities and for the world of international criminal justice. In addition […]

In 2015, Joseph Kony’s fighters abducted 103 people in Central African Republic (CAR). In just the first three weeks of 2016, they’ve already abducted 94 individuals. Below, our colleague Paul Ronan of the LRA Crisis Initiative provides his analysis for the sudden and extremely concerning surge in LRA activities. As the World Watches Ongwen, LRA […]