Understanding The Lord's Resistance Army Insurgency

by Adam Dolnik, Herman Butime

Overview

Understanding the Lord's Resistance Army Insurgency provides a concise overview of the LRA, which has, for almost 30 years, conducted untold atrocities across the central African nations of Uganda, Southern Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic. This book examines the LRA's emergence and evolution, the ideology, strategy and tactics behind it, motivational aspects of its recruitment, its engagement in peace processes, and a detailed description of leadership and group dynamics. This work is based on a wide range of written sources and extensive interviews with individuals intimately related to the group including top LRA commanders, government sources, victims, child soldiers, abductees and wives of Joseph Kony. Moving past stories of unimaginable brutality, forced recruitment, and the group's mystical belief system, the book provides a well-grounded analysis of the different stages of the LRA's development. It demonstrates how the group represents an obscure case study that challenges many of the common assumptions about the operational dynamics of terrorist organizations.Written to fill a gap in academia in relation to African- and Christianity-based terrorism, this book is suitable for students, researchers and practitioners in political sciences, war, conflict and terrorism studies, African politics and international relations and development.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781786341433
Publisher:	World Scientific Publishing Europe Ltd
Publication date:	02/03/2017
Series:	Insurgency And Terrorism Series , #11
Pages:	300
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

Table of Contents

Preface vii

About the Authors ix

Acknowledgements xi

Tables and Figures xvii

Acronyms xix

Chapter 1 Emergence of the Conflict in Northern Uganda 1

Introduction 1

Roots of Conflict in Northern Uganda 4

Evolution of Insurgency in Northern Uganda 11

The Uganda People's Democratic Army Rebellion (1986-1988) 11

Chapter 2 Mystification of the Conflict in Northern Uganda 37

The Holy Spirit Movement Rebellions 37

The Emergence of the Lord's Resistance Army Insurgency 49

Chapter 3 Regionalization of the LRA Insurgency 63

Securing External Support 63

Loss of External Support 77

Chapter 4 Internationalization of the Conflict in Northern Uganda 93

The ICC and LRA 94

The Juba Peace Process 108

Chapter 5 De-Escalation of the LRA Insurgency 139

Operation Lightning Thunder 140

LRA in the Tri-border Region of Central Africa 151

Recent Developments 157

Chapter 6 Modus Operandi of LRA I 165

Ideology 165

Popular Support 176

Propaganda 179

Motivation and Esprit de Corps 183

Recruitment 189

Chapter 7 Modus Operandi of LRA II 199

Training 199

Organizational Structure 207

Guerrilla Bases 230

Funding and External Support 235

Strategy and Tactics 240

Weapons and Weapons Acquisition 251

Chapter 8 Longevity and Termination of the LRA Insurgency 257

Longevity of the LRA Rebellion 257

Termination of the LRA Rebellion 262

Chapter 9 Conclusion 267

Index 271