The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2004

the safety of innocent civilians, as well as the safe repatriation of abducted children. However, as the conflict continues, the government of Uganda has admitted that its forces are unable to protect civil- ians, and there are reports that child soldiers have been killed rather than rescued during UPDF-LRA fire- fights. While the majority of the atroci- ties have taken place in the Acholi region of the north, the barbarity is not confined to this area. The Lango subregion has also experi- enced a tremendous amount of destruction and loss of life. The two areas have a total population of 2.5 million people, about 10 percent of Uganda’s total population. The devastation in the Lango region includes killings, abductions, looting, internal displacement, and the loss and destruction of infrastruc- ture including schools, homes and health facilities. Over 19 schools have been destroyed by the LRA and nearly 20,000 pupils at the primary and secondary levels have had their studies disrupted. Between eight and 10 secondary and tertiary institu- tions have been temporarily relocat- ed to other areas due to LRA incur- sions. One of the worst cases of abduc- tion by the LRA took place in 1996 when 150 girls from St. Mary’s Aboke school were abducted. Some of the girls were tortured and killed, according to the testimony of those who were able to escape. The majority of the survivors are still severely traumatized. The Prospects for Peace After nearly two decades of fight- ing, a military victory is not in sight. Negotiating a peace agreement may be the only way of bringing the 18- year-old conflict in northern Uganda to an end, and there have been several opportunities to pro- ceed along these lines. Acholi elders and religious leaders have intermit- tently taken initiatives and held peace talks with the commanders of the LRA, and have tried to bring both parties together through their own initiative, known as the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative. To many Uganda-watchers, the single greatest impediment to achieving peace in northern Uganda is LRA leader Joseph Kony. The fact that he defines strategy by “spir- itual” or arcane methods and contin- ues to renege on negotiating promises makes him a difficult part- ner for achieving peace. In March 2003, according to the government, an attempt to hold peace talks failed because the LRA delegation called for a new date and fresh demands at the last minute. The LRA insisted that Ugandan General Salim Saleh attend talks without military escorts. But on a number of occasions progress was stopped at the behest of Pres. Museveni. In 1996, Parliament established a select com- mittee to investigate the war in the north and the possibility of reaching a peaceful settlement. A list of rec- ommendations were developed that J U LY- A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 69 The government of Uganda has admitted that its forces sometimes kill child soldiers rather than rescuing them from the rebels.