Let me join the fray on the LRA rebel Leader Joseph Kony ‘2012.’ Why am I not getting as angry as most people around the world seem to be about the documentary on the atrocities Joseph Kony and his rebels have reportedly committed against humanities?
In the documentary Russell does mention that Joseph Kony has moved on from Northern Uganda. Russell simply mentions that LRA war is one of the neglected conflicts in Africa. This is true; LRA is one of the neglected insurgencies in Africa.
Russell mentions that the Ugandan army (UPDF) is still trying to rout Joseph Kony and needs US help. This is also very true even if we (Ugandans) may not like the USA support.
If the UPDF has indeed made Kony a money-making machine for themselves using Kony as a trap, is it not better that Kony is neutralized so that the UPDF loses that particular escape goat? So Russell is the ‘white man’ saving Africans again – well if Africans will not do it why can’t we let humanity prevail whatever its color?
I hear Russell spends most of the money he raises on salaries, travel and other fun projects and not on the children of Northern Uganda. That is abominable and unfair, but this movie has given us the chance to expose him and perhaps improve accountability. We hope that unlike the Ugandan government he has a conscience! But again, what is making everyone hoping mad about Russell’s documentary?
By Anne Mugisha
Senior Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) official
