The Ugandan government has renewed its call for remaining Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) fighters to surrender, following the return of four members of Joseph Kony’s family from the Central African Republic (CAR).
Dr. Kenneth Omona, Minister of State for Northern Uganda, received Ms. Judith Acan, a former wife of Kony, and three of his children, Akidi Betty, Kony Pope, and Amu Maisa, at Entebbe International Airport early Wednesday morning. The family members, who escaped from LRA camps in the CAR last year, arrived at 12:55 AM.
“We continue to call upon all those who are still there to come back home, because the window, the door is still open, and all those who have come back have been given amnesty, just like those who have come back today also,” Dr. Omona stated.
The minister emphasized the significance of the returnees, noting, “We have received four of our children from the LRA camp in the Central African Republic. And what is special about this group is that they are close family and close family members of Joseph Kony.”
He appealed to Ugandans to welcome the returnees and support their reintegration into society. “I want to ask all Ugandans to accept our children who are coming back home and accept them in the communities and help them to resettle in the communities and participate and contribute towards the socio-economic transformation of our country,” he said.
Sources indicate the family’s escape followed “chaos” within Kony’s camp. It is believed that numerous combatants, women, and children have escaped in the past year, leaving Kony with a drastically reduced force of approximately 100 men, forcing him to remain constantly on the move.
The returnees have been granted asylum and will undergo rehabilitation before being reintegrated into their communities. Upon their arrival, an atmosphere of both relief and apprehension was noted. Sources suggest they will find greater comfort upon reaching Gulu, where they will reunite with former LRA members.
Uganda, in collaboration with the CAR government, has been facilitating the repatriation of escaped and surrendered LRA members. “We have an understanding with the Central African Republic to ensure that any person or any former combatant that surrenders in the CAR will be returned home,” Dr. Omona explained. Returnees and their dependents, including non-Ugandans, are rehabilitated and resettled.
Since the agreement with CAR five years ago, over 150 former combatants have received amnesty. The returnees will join others at a transit camp in Gulu, operated by the Dutch NGO Pax, where they receive skills training and support for reintegration. They are expected to be resettled in their communities in May, equipped with skills and startup kits.
Fulbert Dabira, Director of Cabinet of the Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation and Reintegration (DDRR) in the CAR, highlighted the importance of cooperation in the DDRR initiative.
Dr. Omona and Mr. Dabira did not receive specific information about Kony’s whereabouts from his family, focusing instead on assisting those who have surrendered. Mr. Dabira affirmed that the LRA is no longer conducting attacks in the CAR, with many rebels from various countries having surrendered.
Joseph Kony, 64, faces charges at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity committed in Northern Uganda.