When we launched our latest advocacy campaign a few weeks ago, we had an ambitious goal of getting our representatives in Washington, DC to pay attention and recommit to ending the atrocities of Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). We asked them to do this by signing a letter that would be delivered to President Obama, urging him to ensure that U.S. efforts to address the LRA are sustained until the crisis is brought to an end and top LRA commanders are brought to justice.
In the House of Representatives, the letter was spear-headed by long-time champions on the LRA issue, Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) and Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA). Activist voices across the country, paired with leadership from these representatives in Congress, resulted in 75 congressional signatures on the letters in the House in less than two weeks. What’s more, the letter received clear bi-partisan support, reinstating the fact that ending LRA violence is something we can all agree on. Speaking on the issue, Rep. Royce said:
“Kony’s removal will help bring relief to a region where this terrorist and war criminal has long-operated without restraint. I applaud Rep. McGovern, my colleagues, and the young people who have mobilized across this country to continue to highlight this conflict. The passage of the Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act put in place an effective strategy to remove the LRA threat. Mr. President, the U.S. must continue pressing this effort until the LRA is defeated once and for all; there can be no let up.”
One week after the House letter, the U.S. Senate introduced a letter of its own. Co-sponsored by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), who have also been leading voices on the LRA issue in Congress, the letter garnered 21 signatures from both sides of the aisle in just three days.
Together, these letters echo the voices of hundreds of thousand around the world who believe that an end to the LRA crisis is imperative and that it’s closer than ever to becoming a reality if we stay the course. What was achieved in a matter of days was incredible – nearly 100 bipartisan policymakers standing together and calling on the President to stay committed to a #zeroLRA world. We are inspired by those who took action and made this happen.
We appreciated the words of Rep. Jim McGovern, one of our most committed champions on this issue in Congress and a cosponsor of the letter in the House, who said:
“Now is not the time to retreat from the effort to rid the world of the LRA. The Obama Administration is to be commended for their work in implementing the strategy outlined in the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act. That work must continue until the job is done and the innocent people of the region are free from LRA terror. I’m pleased to join with Chairman Royce and with dozens of our bipartisan colleagues on behalf of this important issue.”
We are beyond grateful for the 96 Members of Congress who signed on and took a stand for human rights. Please reach out to your members of Congress to thank them for their support, and don’t stop demanding a #zeroLRA world.
This fall we’re taking it to the next level and working to raise money to fund several life-saving initiatives in the LRA-affected regions. Learn more and get involved here.
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