The Lord's Resistance Army

Lawrence E. Cline

Oct 2013 · ABC-CLIO

About this ebook

A noted expert provides a detailed, if chilling, examination of one of the most brutal and long-lived insurgent groups in Africa: Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army.

Operating in four African nations, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) routinely engages in human rights violations that include mutilation, murder, mass-scale abductions, and sex trafficking—and it has done so with seeming impunity for more than 20 years. This timely book offers a concise, expert analysis of Joseph Kony's terrorist organization, covering its historical antecedents, membership, operations, and ideology, as well as the ways in which it fits into a broader pattern of insurgencies. To facilitate a full understanding of the threat posed by the LRA, the author exposes the army's many atrocities, among them forced recruitment of child soldiers. Central Africa's ethnic, religious, and political tensions are examined, as is the corruption that feeds LRA operations. Finally, regional security measures, international responses, and issues related to the LRA and the International Criminal Court are examined in full.

Analyzes the Lord's Resistance Army's background, ideology, and operations

Assesses how the LRA's ideology and operations compare with other armed movements

Describes various efforts to contain or end the group

Describes the larger societal and political factors that can give rise to such groups, providing context for those interested in the overall security situation in East Africa

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About the author

Lawrence E. Cline, PhD, is adjunct instructor for the Counterterrorism Fellowship Program, Center for Civil Military Relations, Monterey, CA.