Recent reports have been circulating about the possibility of Joseph Kony being ‘in surrender talks’ with the Central African Republic (one such report is this BBC article).
Photo credit: Reuters
Our CEO Ben Keesey has some thoughts on the matter:
+ We are very encouraged by the consistent reports over the last few months about the progress that is being made to see an end to LRA violence. In the last 12 months, child abductions have decreased 57% and Kony has lost his ability to have a safe haven in Sudan. The international effort to stop the violence of the LRA is working. Recent reports alleging that various LRA members want to negotiate their surrender are welcomed indications that the group is becoming increasingly weakened and desperate due to the success of the counter-LRA strategy.
+ However, any report that Kony may want to negotiate a surrender should automatically be met with caution. None of our local sources have substantiated the claims that there is a direct communication with Kony. Additionally, Kony has used and abused the call for peace talks many times… usually at moments when his power is the weakest.
+ That said, we stand with the African Union, UN, ICC, U.S. Government and all regional governments who would welcome the full and complete surrender of Joseph Kony and the LRA. In the meantime, we will focus on funding and implementing our life-saving protection and defection projects in the LRA affected area that have significantly contributed to the dismantling of the LRA’s ability to commit mass violence and will be critical to have in place at the time of a Kony take-down or surrender.
+ 27 years of fighting is long enough, and now is the time for Africa’s longest running conflict to come to an end.
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