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Fighter Defects, Citing Ties to Fugitive African Warlord Fighter Defects, Citing Ties to the Fugitive African Warlord Joseph Kony
(about 1 hour later)
A man claiming to be a senior commander in the Lord’s Resistance Army, the ruthless renegade guerrilla organization in central Africa led by Joseph Kony, the fugitive warlord, has surrendered to a joint military task force of the United States and the African Union, a State Department spokeswoman said Tuesday in Washington.A man claiming to be a senior commander in the Lord’s Resistance Army, the ruthless renegade guerrilla organization in central Africa led by Joseph Kony, the fugitive warlord, has surrendered to a joint military task force of the United States and the African Union, a State Department spokeswoman said Tuesday in Washington.
The spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, told reporters at the department’s daily briefing that efforts were underway to verify the identity of the man, who defected and claimed to be Dominic Ongwen, a brigade commander. Mr. Ongwen is among a group of Lord’s Resistance Army soldiers, led by Mr. Kony, who have been wanted for a decade by the International Criminal Court at The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity.The spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, told reporters at the department’s daily briefing that efforts were underway to verify the identity of the man, who defected and claimed to be Dominic Ongwen, a brigade commander. Mr. Ongwen is among a group of Lord’s Resistance Army soldiers, led by Mr. Kony, who have been wanted for a decade by the International Criminal Court at The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Ms. Psaki said that if the man in custody proved to be Mr. Ongwen, it would “present a historic blow to the L.R.A.’s command structure.”Ms. Psaki said that if the man in custody proved to be Mr. Ongwen, it would “present a historic blow to the L.R.A.’s command structure.”
The surrender, if confirmed, could also be a boon for the International Criminal Court. Fatou Bensouda, its chief prosecutor, has been forced to shelve the investigation into the group because she has been unable to gain custody of any of the indicted men.The surrender, if confirmed, could also be a boon for the International Criminal Court. Fatou Bensouda, its chief prosecutor, has been forced to shelve the investigation into the group because she has been unable to gain custody of any of the indicted men.
United States military forces began collaborating with the African Union in 2011 to hunt down the Lord’s Resistance Army, which originated as a Ugandan rebel force nearly three decades ago. It then morphed into a feared organization of fighters who roamed parts of Uganda, southern Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic. Disciples swore cultlike devotion to Mr. Kony, a self-proclaimed prophet who ordered village massacres, kidnapped and recruited prepubescent soldiers, kept harems of child brides and mutilated opponents.United States military forces began collaborating with the African Union in 2011 to hunt down the Lord’s Resistance Army, which originated as a Ugandan rebel force nearly three decades ago. It then morphed into a feared organization of fighters who roamed parts of Uganda, southern Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic. Disciples swore cultlike devotion to Mr. Kony, a self-proclaimed prophet who ordered village massacres, kidnapped and recruited prepubescent soldiers, kept harems of child brides and mutilated opponents.
The United Nations has estimated that from 1987 to 2012, the Lord’s Resistance Army killed more than 100,000 people, abducted 60,000 to 100,000 children and displaced more than 2.5 million civilians.The United Nations has estimated that from 1987 to 2012, the Lord’s Resistance Army killed more than 100,000 people, abducted 60,000 to 100,000 children and displaced more than 2.5 million civilians.
Mr. Ongwen, believed to be 35, got his start as a child soldier, abducted at age 10 on his way to school, according to the LRA Crisis Tracker, a website established by rights organizations to monitor the guerrilla group’s atrocities. He was promoted rapidly but was also known for having clashed with Mr. Kony.Mr. Ongwen, believed to be 35, got his start as a child soldier, abducted at age 10 on his way to school, according to the LRA Crisis Tracker, a website established by rights organizations to monitor the guerrilla group’s atrocities. He was promoted rapidly but was also known for having clashed with Mr. Kony.
Rights organizations — including Human Rights Watch and the Enough Project, which closely monitors the group — were reticent to declare the reported defection a victory until it was confirmed. But if true, “Ongwen’s defection is strong evidence that the African mission against the L.R.A. is working, slowly but surely,” said Sasha Lezhnev, the Enough Project’s associate director of policy for the Great Lakes region of sub-Saharan Africa. “It will have a major psychological impact on other L.R.A. commanders.”Rights organizations — including Human Rights Watch and the Enough Project, which closely monitors the group — were reticent to declare the reported defection a victory until it was confirmed. But if true, “Ongwen’s defection is strong evidence that the African mission against the L.R.A. is working, slowly but surely,” said Sasha Lezhnev, the Enough Project’s associate director of policy for the Great Lakes region of sub-Saharan Africa. “It will have a major psychological impact on other L.R.A. commanders.”
They described Mr. Ongwen as a marauding murderer.They described Mr. Ongwen as a marauding murderer.
Ida Sawyer, a senior researcher in the Democratic Republic of Congo for Human Rights Watch who has worked to document L.R.A. atrocities, said that in December 2009, soldiers under Mr. Ongwen’s command killed at least 345 civilians and abducted 250, including at least 80 children, during a four-day rampage in the Makombo area of northeastern Congo.Ida Sawyer, a senior researcher in the Democratic Republic of Congo for Human Rights Watch who has worked to document L.R.A. atrocities, said that in December 2009, soldiers under Mr. Ongwen’s command killed at least 345 civilians and abducted 250, including at least 80 children, during a four-day rampage in the Makombo area of northeastern Congo.
“Most of those killed were adult men, who the L.R.A. combatants first tied up and then hacked to death with machetes or crushed their skulls with heavy wooden sticks,” she said. “Those abducted who walked too slowly or tried to escape were also killed. The L.R.A. left a trail of death all along the 105-kilometer journey through the Makombo area. Witnesses told us that for days and weeks after the attack, the area was filled with the stench of death.”“Most of those killed were adult men, who the L.R.A. combatants first tied up and then hacked to death with machetes or crushed their skulls with heavy wooden sticks,” she said. “Those abducted who walked too slowly or tried to escape were also killed. The L.R.A. left a trail of death all along the 105-kilometer journey through the Makombo area. Witnesses told us that for days and weeks after the attack, the area was filled with the stench of death.”
Mr. Ongwen is charged with seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. An Interpol notice for his arrest has been posted since June 2006.Mr. Ongwen is charged with seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. An Interpol notice for his arrest has been posted since June 2006.
There were reports of his death in September 2005, but the International Criminal Court’s DNA tests on a body believed to have been his were negative. The court unsealed those test results in July 2006.There were reports of his death in September 2005, but the International Criminal Court’s DNA tests on a body believed to have been his were negative. The court unsealed those test results in July 2006.
Mr. Kony has been at large since a warrant for his arrest was issued in mid-2005.Mr. Kony has been at large since a warrant for his arrest was issued in mid-2005.
Two of the five L.R.A. commanders indicted by the court are dead. Uganda referred the Kony case to the International Criminal Court.Two of the five L.R.A. commanders indicted by the court are dead. Uganda referred the Kony case to the International Criminal Court.
The United States is in a delicate position regarding the transfer of any suspect to the court because it is not a member. But suspects in the custody of the joint task force could presumably be transferred to the court by an African Union member.The United States is in a delicate position regarding the transfer of any suspect to the court because it is not a member. But suspects in the custody of the joint task force could presumably be transferred to the court by an African Union member.
A similarly delicate position confronted the United States when Bosco Ntangada, a Congolese warlord, surrendered to the United States Embassy in Kigali, Rwanda, in March 2013. The International Criminal Court sent its representatives to the embassy, accompanied by some European diplomats. American officials let the suspect hand himself to the court, though it did not technically orchestrate his surrender.A similarly delicate position confronted the United States when Bosco Ntangada, a Congolese warlord, surrendered to the United States Embassy in Kigali, Rwanda, in March 2013. The International Criminal Court sent its representatives to the embassy, accompanied by some European diplomats. American officials let the suspect hand himself to the court, though it did not technically orchestrate his surrender.