Joseph Kony 2012: Video Campaign Underscores Lord's Resistance Army Abuses

Grisly killings, abductions, and rapes allegedly committed by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in central Africa have garnered international attention following the release of a video highlighting abuses committed by the group and its leader, Joseph Kony.

The half-hour film (above) produced by Invisible Children follows a former child soldier named Jacob. The film issues a call for action, reportedly aiming to raise awareness by making Joseph Kony a household name. While the organization describes itself as a movement seeking to end the conflict in Uganda, some have criticized the group's spending practices and the film's approach as overly simplistic.

However, the LRA is allegedly responsible for a host of abuses, including the murder, rape, and abduction of tens of thousands in the past two decades. The Associated Press reports:

Kony, whose army abducts children and takes women as sex slaves, has been indicted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity committed during a decades-long insurgency against Uganda's government. The group has been blamed for the murder of thousands of civilians in four countries, and the U.S. classifies it as a terrorist organization.

Myths surround the LRA's leader, Joseph Kony, who enjoys a cult-like respect. Kony calls himself a "freedom fighter," although it is unclear why he is fighting.

Last October, President Obama announced that 100 US troops would be dispatched to central Africa as advisers to those fighting against the LRA. The LRA is reportedly fractured and weakened, however its leader Joseph Kony remains at large.

A Twitter campaign targeting celebrities and influential figures took off last night using the hashtag #STOPKONY. Below, see a few of the reactions:

Comments

[Notmybrotherskeeper]

02:10 PM on 03/12/2012

Dear celebs......when will you guys start worrying about your own country for a nice change of pace?

[lmayj]

01:11 PM on 03/12/2012

one of his invisible children needs to take him out.

[Katherine Flinn]

12:57 PM on 03/09/2012

Maybe there could be a way to do something to help end this suffering without doing it through invisible children? I doubt the legitamacy of IC at this point, but there needs to be something else we can do to help! I mean, I've been a social activist for mental health awareness for years but this is so much farther from home, so it's difficult!

[Froken]

06:59 PM on 03/08/2012

I'm sorry but the more I read stupid self-indulging comments with no knowledge about Africa whasoever, the more I get angry. You want to know why you hadn't heard of Kony before? It's because you weren't listening, that's why. Because you only pay attention to news items when they're packaged into twitter/facebook-friendly format. Journalists have been covering the conflict for years. Human rights organisation have been working on this and calling for help for years too. Now the situation has been solved for the past 6 years and that's when you react? The only reason Kony wasn't "famous" before is because Westerners are too lazy to read the Africa section in newspapers unless a celebrity tells them to.

[Remig Raffanti]

05:42 PM on 03/08/2012

[IsaDesOsiers]

05:08 PM on 03/08/2012

Child armies have been written about in the mainstream press in Europe for at least 20 years. Kony is not the only African warlord to use this tactic of terror to reign. Charles Taylor, Idi Amin come to mind .Reports that Hitler had created death camps in Germany were met with skepticism. When the Allied soldiers entered the camps and found the people there, starved barely alive skeletons, the huge open graves, the ovens, and journalists published the pictures and reports worldwide reports were believed.
Yet, when Pol Pot slaughtered and oppressed the Cambodians, the "Killing Fields" were ignored, no one helped because Cambodia had no oil or militarily strategic importance. Later Hollywood made millions telling the story. The status quo does not care about this impoverished corner of Africa.
To rule by dividing, by confusing, is better for the corporations and for the "ruling classes" who have become so cynical that they might criticize even this campaign to protect children from a fate worse than death. Were we to stand back any longer once we all know of the atrocities of Kony what does it say about us? Noble is this organization who is raising consciousness of this long reported and despicable tactic to terrorize populations. For me this is a fantastic example of people power. I hope it is the beginning of a trend. The world and all of us who participate in this kind of change will be better for it.

[TankGirlz]

03:58 PM on 03/08/2012

http://www.invisiblechildren.com.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/critiques.html

Invisible Children responds to criticisms, take it or leave it.

[Dasbrt]

12:24 PM on 03/08/2012

This should be front page news everywhere. COUNT ME IN ON THIS FIGHT. April 20th, I will be part of this amazing movement. That's what LIMBAUGH should be using that gaping muscle in the middle of his face for. To advance the cause of humanity!!

[Patricia Russell]

07:31 PM on 03/08/2012

Limbaugh doesn't care about the cause of humanity

[NoSeriously]

08:32 PM on 03/08/2012

Limbaugh already expressed his SUPPORT for Kony and the LRA and condemned Obama for "attacking Christians."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/08/limbaugh-defended-joseph-kony_n_1332477.html

[MisterLogical]

11:56 AM on 03/08/2012

The sad part is that this only became popular now due to social networking and because celebrities have been tweeting, face booking, etc about this recently which is why it went viral. While I'm hopeful that people are actually effected by these things when they are exposed to it, I question whether or not this is simply a fad. Kim kardashian tweeted about it so now everyone is a humanitarian

[TankGirlz]

04:02 PM on 03/08/2012

I think the impact has more to do with everyday folk twittering..

[MisterLogical]

04:31 PM on 03/08/2012

I agree, but I'm referring to how it all got started. This movie has been out for a while and this story is not a new one.

[BadKitty]

12:18 PM on 03/09/2012

You're right... it IS sad this wasn't popular news years ago. But it really, really, IS terrific that the power of social media, including celebrity involvement, is proving fruitful to the effort to stop Kony.

The 'fad' you speak of is a movement of collective people power in a new arena. I believe that the power of the people is just beginning to blossom and it will be through social media where the greatest impact is felt. Why be sour about it?

[Fictional reality]

11:10 AM on 03/08/2012

We need to stop gang related murders in our own country. I read somewhere it is estimated around 15000 a year. Not sure if it is correct, but it is a lot. If we can't fix our problems how can we help others?

[TankGirlz]

04:03 PM on 03/08/2012

Why can't this experiment act as a model to bring awareness to all kinds of problems? Don't hate that someone who has an issue close to their hearts thought of it first.

[Froken]

07:05 PM on 03/08/2012

Because this "experiment" is advocating for military intervention in a foreign country. This is serious matter. People will die. It's not something to play around with for the sake of experimenting with how to bring "awareness" through social media. The fact that this organisation has so many mindless uncritical followers is becoming dangerous to say the least.

[TankGirlz]

04:04 PM on 03/08/2012

wtf?

[spiffy187]

10:08 PM on 03/09/2012

God bless you.

[outasite]

10:30 AM on 03/08/2012

Now this is a morally worthy fight. Sorry to say, it won't happen because private industry won't profit.

[TankGirlz]

04:04 PM on 03/08/2012

So you don't think social pressure influences?

[BadKitty]

12:21 PM on 03/09/2012

It IS happening. Watch, in the very near future, for big corp lobbying of gov. for stifling measures applied to the internet. The power of the people lay here, in the ether of the internet and social media, to effect REAL change. We're only beginning to see it.

[olitenup]

09:56 AM on 03/08/2012

Send the DEA after these real thugs. Make them actually do something worthwhile for a change, instead of arresting Americans.

[fractal2]

10:42 AM on 03/08/2012

Do you hear yourself?

[nowpolitics]

09:54 AM on 03/08/2012

I couldn't watch this!!!! This is heart wrenching.

[fractal2]

10:42 AM on 03/08/2012

and outdated

[TankGirlz]

04:04 PM on 03/08/2012

it's been UPDATED

[BadKitty]

12:22 PM on 03/09/2012

*sniff*

I smell sour grapes.

[Scent]

09:53 AM on 03/08/2012

The more important question is which corporations pay CIA agents to fund and arm the LRA so they can make more profit from cheap natural resources.

But of course we will not look for the RESON these crimes happen. We will mourn the dead and raped and be happy about the low prices for a toaster.

[Summer of 69]

10:51 AM on 03/08/2012

As if human nature isn't reason enough for people to commit atrocities.

[Scent]

11:22 AM on 03/08/2012

What a pathetic excuse for supporting them.

Human nature is not enough BY FAR. If it were the 99% who do not kill for profit would be murderers too - and ultimately dead. Onl where american and other corporations PAY the massmurderers they actually thrive. Where ever there is justice - well, as the 50000 elected officials we massacred in Guatemala for the profit of the AFC what happens when Yu introduce a system of justice wher a single corporation wants the opposite.