Law & Order: SVU Takes On the Issue of Child Soldiers and Sex Slaves in Africa

Co-authored by John Prendergast, Co-founder, The Enough Project

It's midnight. We are in a studio in North Bergen, New Jersey, filming take after take of a scene for an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. We're tired. It's the fourteenth hour of what will be a sixteen-hour day. We're tired, but we're ambitious. When the episode airs on March 31st, 2009. at 10PM on NBC, we need it to reach not only into households across this country, but all the way into the dense forests of one of the most troubled places on earth. The episode is called "Hell," and it is based on the experiences of child soldiers and sexual slaves in Central Africa.
The history of the region is harrowing.
For over two decades, the Lord's Resistance Army, or LRA, has brought untold suffering to the people of central Africa--for many years in northern Uganda and southern Sudan, more recently in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
This small but ruthless militia specializes in abducting children and enlisting them to serve as soldiers and sex slaves. Boys are brainwashed and given guns; sometimes they're forced to kill their own family members. Girls serve as "wives" for the militia commanders, often bearing their children.
Over the last decade, nearly two million people in northern Uganda have been forced from their homes and into refugee camps. At the height of the conflict, the camps' squalid conditions were claiming nearly 1,000 lives per day. The children--tens of thousands of them - who would walk for miles every night to seek shelter and safety from the LRA -coined a term for their endless journeys: "night commuting".
The LRA has since moved out of northern Uganda, and peace is slowly returning to the region. But the LRA's atrocities are now underway in neighboring Congo and southern Sudan. Their latest spree of brutality has already killed more than 1,000 people.
The Lord's Resistance Army would not exist without Joseph Kony, its messianic, megalomaniacal leader. For years, Kony has promised to emerge from the bush and engage in peace talks. Time and again, he has proven that he is not serious about peace, and that he will resist any attempts to negotiate an end to his reign of terror.
Last December, with U.S. backing, the armies of Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and southern Sudan launched a joint military operation against the LRA to apprehend Joseph Kony and his key commanders and thus end the conflict. Thus far, the mission has failed. As the LRA moves to evade capture, they are looting, pillaging and killing, targeting innocent and unprotected civilians in their path.
But the situation is not hopeless. A solution is actually possible.
Thus far, this immense suffering has occurred largely off the radar of the Western capitals. If the suffering is to end, that radar must begin to register this crisis. If the show on Tuesday night moves you--or if this information has moved you--take a minute to write to your Senators and to President Obama and urge him to make this crisis a priority. Swift and decisive action by the administration to protect civilians from further violence can be part of a broader strategy to end the conflict. As a start, ask the president to name a Special Envoy for Central Africa to deal with the LRA and with the ongoing war in the Congo. Learn more at www.enoughproject.org.
Can a TV show raise awareness, educate millions of Americans, and inspire them to demand government action that will bring an end to the scourge of child soldiers and sex slaves half a world away?
It's midnight, we're filming--and we are ambitious.
Join us in our ambition.

Mariska Hargitay is an actress who appears in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. John Prendergast is Co-founder of Enough, the anti-genocide project at the Center for American Progress.

 

Comments

[AntiGenocideVoice]

11:55 AM on 04/07/2009

ChildVoice you may have a good point but the reputation of NGOs is so bad in the North of Uganda, that many local people have lost trust in them. The NGOs wanted the situation to prolong so as to collect funds in the name of “suffering people” often in duplicatio­n, most of the funds end up unaccounte­d for. I hope yours is different.

The issue here is not against NGOs however, but it is against misinforma­tion which is a warfare strategy in its own right being waged by this so called “John Prendergas­t”, this warfare is called INFORMATIO­N WARFARE, John is helping the Ugandan government by painting a picture in our minds as members of the public, that it is the rebels (LRA) that are to blame for every atrocities or rapes and child abductions (Even though Uganda soldiers committed more rapes, atrocities and abductions than the rebels).

John is trying to suggest that the Ugandan government is weaker than the rebels, that in fact it is the rebels who are in control or have been in power for the last 22 years, and that the rebels control the whole of central Africa. I have no time for such a liar.

Uganda's military budget has increased every year and the United States has supported Uganda in the "war against terror." US intelligen­ce didn't help in December when the Ugandan government attacked the LRA, contributi­ng to the deaths of hundreds of innocent Congolese. This is happening on our watch!

[FindingTruth]

10:13 AM on 04/03/2009

Invisible Children is probably the best example of a non-profit gone awry. Here is how they describe their feature film:

"They describe the story as “Indiana Jones” meets “Jack Ass” meets “Hotel Rwanda.” Like Indiana Jones, the film is an adventure story following the exploits of Jason, Bobby and Laren as they track down Regional Warlords. Like “Jack Ass,” there is a humorous undertone with behind-the­-scenes footage of the IC folks at posh events acting like the kids they are, and finally, the film is like “Hotel Rwanda” because it tells the deep story behind the war in Uganda through the eyes of several Ugandan children. The transcende­nt message of the film is “what if every average Joe kid really believed that they could make a difference in the world.”

But the millenials they target are so innocent, they believe there are sirens in the forest! What goes around comes around!

[icfan]

01:18 AM on 04/03/2009

You can find more informatio­n at www.invisi­blechildre­n.com There is going to be The Rescue which should shock the world. It will be held April 25, 2009 all around the world and hopefully it will be a huge success. Everyone will abduct themselves and ultimately become "rescued." The entire rescue plan and videos can be seen on the site above. So many people are involved and I really recommend checking it out. It will be something you don't want to miss out on!!! God Bless

[FindingTruth]

10:15 AM on 04/03/2009

I wish IC could shock the world by releasing their first film uncut. So Prednergas­t is described as a "good friend" on the IC website, and the Ugandan government follows closely. Nice job in producing amazing propaganda­.

[ChildVoice]

12:17 PM on 04/02/2009

I must respond to the recent post by UgandaGeno­cideinfo. It is true, the problems of northern Uganda are huge and the underlying causes of this tragedy must be addressed, at all levels. I applaud groups like Uganda Genecide for pushing other government­s and political bodies to step in and create a sustainabl­e solution. But meanwhile people are suffering. ChildVoice Internatio­nal is not a "feel-good­" organizati­on. We are on the ground, risking our health and our lives, to improve the lives of those directly affected by the tragedies of the past 20 years. 10 girls, each with 1 or 2 children, who were once child soldiers with the LRA, such as the girl on Law & Order, have now come through our residentia­l program, received extensive counseling and support, gained an education, and learned a vocation. They are now going back into their communitie­s with a hope for their future they did not have 2 years ago. Yes, we may be small potatoes at the moment, but for those 10 girls, and the next 10 to start in our program soon, we have stepped in and made a difference in their lives. I hope and pray that groups like Uganda Genocide have the success they look for and groups like ChildVoice Internatio­nal can go home, but until then, there are people suffering and we will not apologize for stepping in to help.

[UgandaGenocideinfo]

12:39 PM on 04/02/2009

Hello ChildVoice­. Your sympathy and self-defen­se are misplaced. Would you like to be told your work is heroic? If it would help you look at the larger picture, then thanks so much for your work in helping humanity.

And yes, your health is at risk, from infectious diseases, as has the health of the people you serve and their relatives been for decades. The reality is that the work you are doing is like putting a tiny bandage on a dying patient. Tiny, not because your work benefits a few, rather tiny in relation to the surroundin­g issues that are not being addressed.

So yes, pat yourself on the back, but also look at the larger picture and condition of the people you are "helping." It would, it seems, be too much for you to acknowledg­e the entire scope of the problems facing those you'd like to help, but certainly you can see the LRA is hardly the worst of what Northern Ugandans have systematic­ally faced for decades.

Millions of dollars are flowing to Northern Uganda (much of it from the United States) to supposedly do the work you are doing. Have you seen its impact on the people you help in your project? Are these girls and their children benefittin­g from universal primary education? Are AIDS medication or basic health care available? Not quite. And why is this?

[UgandaGenocideinfo]

11:41 AM on 04/01/2009

The Uganda issue requires a much deeper look. It might be a feel-good activity to try to "make a difference­," however the conditions which cause such inhumane conditions to persist must be examined and dealt with.

Please visit UgandaGeno­cide.info for more informatio­n. There are also several recent Huffington Post articles which highlight this story in greater death.

The action necessary begins at the top, with the US being one of Uganda's most influentia­l supporters it is time for the Obama Administra­tion to come up with a different response. Clintonite­s in the administra­tion likely would like to see things stay the same, however for the people and especially the children of the Great Lakes region in Africa, CHANGE is needed.

HuffPo Articles to Read:

Uganda on UN Security Council
http://www­.huffingto­npost.com/­georgianne­-nienaber/­uganda-doe­s-not-dese­rve-s_b_13­0853.html

Rick Warren's Allies
http://www­.huffingto­npost.com/­bruce-wils­on/rick-wa­rrens-afri­can-alli_b­_159090.ht­ml

[UgandaGenocideinfo]

11:57 AM on 04/01/2009

note: I mean "greater depth!"

Website Link: http://uga­ndagenocid­e.info/

[truth-only]

11:29 AM on 04/01/2009

John Prendergas­t once again portrays a gutwrenchi­ng but partial truth. The LRA and such groups are vicious and evil and have committed atrocities such as the one referred to in this program tonight.If one has read his writings over time one begins to realize he has an agenda beyond the face value of the piece he is writing and he would like the US to use Africom and military means of solving the problem of the LRA.

Mr. Prendergas­t never mentions that Museveni's Government failed to protect the people of the north and particular­ly the children for 22 years. People died far more from the conditions in the camps than from the attacks by the LRA. If you were sickened by what you heard tonight on Law and Order SVU, you would wretch and rail against those who allowed human beings to be killed by every preventabl­e disease that is the result of filthy water, malnutriti­on and thousands of people squashed into unfacilita­ted camps and shot dead with babies on their backs should they attempt to leave! Soldiers were not there to protect them!

It is a shame that Mr. Prendergas­t does not tell US citizens the full story. There are two villains in the story of child soldiers: a war lord like Joseph Kony...and a corrupt dictator like President Museveni! Neither cares a fig for human life. And our western countries continue to support Museveni's government­.We must all advocate for an end to military solutions.

[ChildVoice]

11:05 AM on 04/01/2009

While I sympathize with Ayelayela (see comment above) and other Acholi people, I found the Law & Order episode last night most compelling and I applaud the producers and cast for "telling the story" of northern Uganda. But at the same time, Ayelayela is correct -- people must do more than talk and take action. I am proud to be a Board member of an organizati­on that is doing just that: ChildVoice Internatio­nal. We have a residentia­l program in Lukodi, a small rural village north of Gulu, where we are attempting to restore the hopes and dreams of former child soldiers by providing them with a safe place to learn and recover from their tragic circumstan­ces. We have started with the young girls, such as the girl depicted in the Law & Order episode, who have been subject to an unimaginab­le level of trauma that makes recovery very challengin­g. But we are optimistic that our program will work, and are proud to have the first 10 girls recently "graduate" from their 18 months of education, counseling­, and love. I would encourage you to visit our website at www.childv­oiceintl.o­rg to read more about what we are doing, and see where you might help. You can read the stories of some of these girls in the newsletter­s linked at the website. Join us as we try to make a difference in a world where often indifferen­ce rules the day.

[curiosiT]

11:42 PM on 03/31/2009

I wonder about the Enough Project.

I went on their site and they seem to also be on a militrary track (in the name of humanity of course)
Here is a statement here where they suggest a military removal of a Rwandan force I guess:

"removing the FDLR from eastern Congo is a prerequisi­te for a lasting diplomatic solution to the crisis. However, the Congolese government and MONUC are neither willing nor able to put genuine pressure on the FDLR, particular­ly its leadership­. The internatio­nal community must provide a credible alternativ­e. "

They are upset with the weakness of the UN funded MONUC. What do they want from the internatio­nals?

The recent US involvemen­t in December, under Bush Administra­tion didn't help as a botched military mission, aided by our Pentagon funded African Command, called Africom, gave up to 1 million to an Ugandan led force to invade the DRC to root out Kony. (which is what this movie focuses on, Kony and sexual traffickin­g and horror under the LRA)

John Prendergas­t also worked under Clinton Administra­tion for the National Security Administra­tion. It is a policy making group for US interests in internatio­nal affairs.

[luvislove]

06:24 PM on 03/31/2009

To RightWingM­arine:
The suffering and lives of all children and people matter, Iraqi or African! I see no place in this article that says the US should get involved in Africa rather than in Iraq or that Saddam's atrocities are not bad. The US is already involved in Africa (mainly in supporting rulers/ government­s and in resource gathering)­, they just don't ever get involved in the human rights issues that affect the people of the nations they use for political and economic gain. I wonder why that is...? Your questions do not invoke any provocativ­e thought...­; I challenge you to do so. I'll be patiently waiting...

[ayelayela]

05:34 PM on 03/31/2009

After "James Bond's Casino Royale," "Invisible Children" and the Oscar nominated documentar­y "War Dance," and a host of other films based on the Acholi and the LRA, I can say without reservatio­n that Acholi people are tired of being depicted as fodder for entertainm­ent by the movie industry. Sure, there's much appreciati­on for what awareness is illuminate­d on the screen in the moments that Americans (and others) are being entertaine­d, but how clear is it, that this is not just another of those heartbreak­ing situations in Africa to make us feel better about our lives here? We, Acholi, and other Ugandans and well wishers have been doing everything we can to spread the word, to urge other fellow human beings to be involved in stopping the carnage for two decades now. Make no mistake -- the political leaders in the United States are well aware of this situation. They have known of it for years. So what? After the credits have rolled and you have sent your email, written to your congress person and marched on the streets, perhaps you might sleep better knowing that your actions made a difference­. But remember that these actions have been taken for years by others before you, and other movie makers will continue to make money and even bigger reputation­s from the misery of the victims of Joseph Kony and the government of Uganda.

[Responsibility2Protect]

04:37 PM on 03/31/2009

The United States' involvemen­t in Operation Lightning Thunder is extremely unfortunat­e. AFRICOM was billed as a non-milita­ry presence in Africa, and its first mission has been DISASTROUS­. Read more here: http://www­.alertnet.­org/db/an_­art/47985/­2009/01/12­-114109-1.­htm

What Prendergas­t doesn't write about is that through Enough he strongly advocated for a military strike against the LRA. Americans do not continue to be fooled as you are led from conflict to conflict from country to country. Soft power isn't a myth -- look at the Chinese, who are waging war in an entirely different way!

For more informatio­n on Uganda please visit BlackStarN­ews.com

[Peter Eichstaedt]

09:30 AM on 03/31/2009

There is a revealing new book on Kony and the LRA, titled, First Kill Your Your Family: Child Soldiers of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army, published by Lawrence Hill Books and available at Amazon. See more www.firstk­illyourfam­ily.com.

[tombu]

11:39 PM on 03/30/2009

There is a useful page on the LRA at this page: http://www­.enoughpro­ject.org/s­pecial-top­ics/in-dep­th-look-LR­A

[RightWingMarine]

12:47 PM on 03/30/2009

Why do some people decry the atrocities occuring in Africa and demand US involvment to end them but at the same time demand that we leave Iraq and never should have gone in in the first place? Where Saddam's atrocities not that bad? Does the suffering of the Iraqi people not matter?