Kasper Agger's blog

Efforts to establish “safe reporting sites,” where rebels with the Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA, can surrender peacefully, are starting to pay off.  Read More »

Based on research conducted while embedded with the Ugandan army, Enough is publishing today a field dispatch titled, “Chasing the Lord’s Resistance Army - Challenges faced by Ugandan soldiers pursuing the Lord’s Resistance Army.” The dispatch explains that the UPDF trekking teams can roam around in the jungle for weeks without any clear trace of the LRA and that direct encounters are rare.  Read More »

Today marks Uganda’s 50^th Independence Day. The anniversary has been long-awaited and with some excitement. The main opposition group, For God and My Country, headed by longtime opposition leader Kizza Besigye, has staged rallies and protests in Kampala in the week leading to today’s celebrations.  Read More »

Enacted in 2000, Uganda’s Amnesty Act has been a helpful tools over the past decade in cutting down the size of the Lord’s Resistance Army. It offered exemption from criminal prosecution for returning rebels, who abandoned the rebellion and handed over their arms. To date more than 26,000 rebels have received a Certificate of Amnesty, enabling them to defect without fear of prosecution and resettle in their communities with government assistance. As of this week, this is no longer an option.  Read More »

In late March and April 2012, I traveled to areas affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army in the Central African Republic to take a closer look at the ongoing military and non-military efforts by the U.S. advisors and the national armies in the region in their fight to end the Lord’s Resistance Army. Today the Enough Project published a report, a video, and a slideshow based on the research.  Read More »

The capture of Caesar Acellam, a high-ranking LRA commander, is a significant development in the effort to bring an end to the rebel group. His survival and safe capture should serve as a model for future encounters with LRA leaders and can be a real game changer provided that the U.S., Uganda, and other partners utilize this opportunity fully.  Read More »

Since the early 1900s countries around the world have celebrated International Women’s Day as a time to recognize the role of women in society and mobilize against injustices specifically impacting half of the world’s population. At Enough, rather than confining our commemoration to just one day—March 8—we’re giving a special focus to women all this week, to highlight how the conflicts we’re working to end affect women and girls, and to recognize the work of heroes advocating on their behalf.

For Day 1 of our International Women’s Week coverage, Enough’s Kampala based LRA researcher Kasper Agger spoke to Betty Bigombe, Ugandan cabinet minister, member of Parliament, and longtime advocate for survivors of the LRA.  Read More »

Sam Kolo, once known as a high-ranking commander and spokesperson for the Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA, graduated from Gulu University last week with a degree in business administration. In an interview with the Ugandan Daily Monitor after the ceremony, Kolo said he regrets that so many of his former comrades remain in the bush. “We would be jubilating with them,” he said.  Read More »