26 11 13 UN – Security Council condemns ‘war crimes’ committed by Lord’s Resistance Army
Issuing
presidential statement the Council urged the United Nations Office for Central
Africa (UNOCA),
the UN political and peacekeeping missions in the region, and the Organization’s
other relevant presences, to enhance their support for the implementation of the
UN Regional Strategy to address the threat and impact of the activities of the
LRA. It called on the international community to support the implementation of
the Strategy where possible.
The
LRA, notorious for carrying out massacres in villages, mutilating its victims
and abducting boys for use as child soldiers and forcing girls into sexual
slavery, was formed in the 1980s in Uganda and for over 15 years its attacks
were mainly directed against Ugandan civilians and security forces, which in
2002 dislodged it. It then exported its activities to Uganda’s neighbours, such
as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Central African Republic (CAR)
and South Sudan.
The
15-member body reiterated its strong support for the African Union Regional
Cooperation Initiative against the LRA, commending the “significant” progress by
the African Union Regional Task Force. It urged all regional Governments to
fulfil their commitments under the Initiative and provide basic provisions for
their security forces.
Welcoming
steps taken to deliver an enhanced, comprehensive and “more regional” approach
to the humanitarian situation, the Council underlined the primary responsibility
of States in the LRA-affected region to protect civilians. In that context, it
welcomed efforts by the DRC, South Sudan, Uganda and the CAR, in coordination
with the African Union, to end the LRA threat, urging additional efforts from
those countries, as well as others in the region.
Further,
the Council expressed serious concern that the increased security vacuum in the
CAR continued to negatively affect counter-LRA operations. As LRA attacks have
reportedly taken place outside the Task Force’s principal area of operations, it
emphasized the need for strong coordination among the United Nations Integrated
Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA), the Task Force,
and the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African
Republic (MISCA) in the context of protecting civilian activities and
counter-LRA operations.
Regionally,
the Council encouraged the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the
Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO)
to reinforce efforts to address the LRA through improved responsiveness to
imminent civilian threats, training and capacity-building of the Forces Armées
de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC) and implementation of the
disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, reintegration, and resettlement
programme to encourage further LRA defections.
In
addition, the Council urged MONUSCO and the United Nations Mission in South
Sudan (UNMISS)
to enhance their cooperation with the Regional Task Force to coordinate
operations, patrols and protection of civilians strategies, and to provide
logistical support within their existing mandates and resources. It took note of
reports of an LRA base in the disputed enclave of Kafia Kinga, on the border of
the Central African Republic, and between South Sudan and
Sudan.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=46586&Cr=Central&Cr1=Africa#.UpRvdMSkq-