26 10 11 Oxfam: To fully observe law, Obama's fight against LRA must focus on civilian protection

Gottschalk said Oxfam welcomed US attention to the
issue but said it is crucial that lessons are learned from past mistakes such as
the disastrous December 2008 Operation Lightening Thunder, a joint military
campaign by the Congolese, Ugandan, and South Sudanese armies, supported by the
US.

“Not only did Operation Lightning Thunder fail to capture or kill
LRA leaders, but it led to devastating reprisal attacks by the LRA.
 Approximately 865 women, men and children were killed and thousands were
displaced from their homes.  Earlier military attempts before US engagement also
caused widespread human suffering but barely dented the LRA itself.”

Today, isolated and vulnerable communities lack proper protection
through Congolese police, military or international peacekeepers in the area and
are attractive targets for the LRA because of this.   In keeping with the spirit
of “The Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of
2009” the US should be reducing these vulnerabilities by improving roads and
communication networks, and helping to make Congolese security forces more
accountable to the people they serve.

The US should prioritize security
sector reforms like supporting the Congolese government to ensure soldiers’ pay
and welfare, assisting in the establishment of army garrisons and helping to
train soldiers in human rights.

Oxfam is one of only a handful of groups
providing humanitarian aid in LRA-affected areas of DRC where 335,000 people
remain displaced because of the armed group.   Even more are caught in a cycle
of fleeing and returning, an instable situation that contributes to the area’s
poverty.  The situation continues to worsen: a 2011 survey by Oxfam in
LRA-affected communities found that 62 percent of 322 interviewees said they
felt less safe this year than last.

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