Invisible Children Aims to Make Child Soldiers of Uganda Visible Through Documentaries, Rallies

Over the past 25 years there has been a war raging in Northern Uganda. More than two million Ugandans have been affected by the brutal attacks, which include mutilation, abduction, and the forcing of individuals into sexual servitude by the rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). Every day, young children are being abducted from their homes and forced to join the terrorist organization as child soldiers; those who refuse their capture are instantly killed.

Representatives of the Government of Uganda and the LRA began peace negotiations in 2006, and after nearly two years, representatives from the parties reached the Final Peace Agreement in April 2008. However, Joseph Kony, the leader of the LRA, refused to sign and instead, launched new attacks in northeastern Congo. According to the United Nations Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Relief, the new activity of the LRA in northeastern Congo and southern Sudan since September 2008 has led to the abduction of at least 711 civilians, including 540 children, and the displacement of more than 160,000 people.
Invisible Children Inc. has been working to gain awareness about the situation at hand since 2003. They have held three international events that have brought out thousands of people in support. On April 25, 2009, they held their third international event called "THE RESCUE." Its purpose was to pressure the United States government to take direct action. There were 100 different cities where people "abducted" themselves from their own homes, traveled one to three miles on foot, and even camped out overnight in the location their city had chosen.

I stood alongside nearly 1,500 other people who chose to attend this event in the Boston Commons. The event was a success; each city was "rescued" with the support of their senators.  In Boston, U.S. Senator Kerry, U.S. Senator Kennedy, and Representative Jim McGovern sent representatives to show their support of the Invisible Children organization. Red Sox player Justin Masterson made an appearance after beating the Yankees 16-11. Boston was also graced with the presence of a former LRA child soldier, Charles Opira, who spoke to the masses about his powerful story and escape. Opira was 10 years old when the LRA abducted him as he walked to school in Gulu, Northern Uganda back in 2000. He escaped in June 2007 by hiding in the forest with several other boys.

On November 17, 2009, the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act passed its first big test. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee affirmed the bill unanimously, moving the bill one step closer to President Barack Obama's desk. Many of the Senators who showed their support during "THE RESCUE" have yet to approve this Bill. The question supporters are asking is: Why? The situation in Uganda has not gotten any better since the event in April, so why have our Senators not supported the thousands of Americans who are trying to make a difference for these poor defenseless children?

The very next day, groups of supporters swarmed into more than 30 congressional Representative and Senator offices, which are key authorities, to get their support and co-sponsorship. Senator John Kerry was among those who had not jumped on board. As of November 19, 2009, Massachusetts now has Kerry and McGovern as co-sponsors of LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act.

According to the website www.resolveuganda.org, the purpose of this act is to eliminate the threat posed by the LRA to civilians and to apprehend or otherwise remove Joseph Kony and his top commanders from the battlefield, and to disarm and demobilize LRA fighters; and further support reconstruction of the transitional justice and reconciliation efforts as affirmed in the Northern Uganda Crisis Response Act of 2004.

This act will support stabilization and lasting peace in northern Uganda and areas affected by the LRA through development of a regional strategy to support multilateral efforts to successfully protect civilians and eliminate the threat posed by the LRA and to authorize funds for humanitarian relief and reconstruction, reconciliation, and transitional justice, and for other purposes.

Our government needs to push the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act. If we do not help the poor children in Uganda, they will continue to suffer the brutality of the LRA as they have been for the past few decades. The viciousness these children have to face is unbelievable and uncalled for. The Invisible Children Organization has a website in which they collect donations to help support this cause. They also have internships offered for people who are interested in being more involved. Information on these internships can be found on www.invisiblechildren.com/job.

We need to assist Uganda's internally displaced people in transition and returnees to secure durable solutions. We need to enhance the accountability and administrative competency of local governance institutions. We need to strengthen the operational capacity of the civilian police. We need to help them rebuild and improve the capacity of their justice system. Something needs to be done for these children and fast.