Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Uganda Monitor
Published on 2024-04-07 06:27:26
Operation North, the first major military operation aimed at neutralizing the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) under Joseph Kony, was launched on April 1, 1991. The LRA had emerged from the remnants of Alice Lakwena’s Holy Spirit Movement and the Uganda People’s Democratic Movement/Army (UPDM/A). After initial victories against the National Resistance Army (NRA) in the Acholi sub-region, the Holy Spirit Movement moved south.
Alice Lakwena, the self-styled priestess, led her forces through various regions before meeting her defeat in Busoga in October 1987. The UPDM and its armed wing, the Uganda People Democratic Army (UPDA), formed shortly before the Holy Spirit Movement, mainly comprised former soldiers of the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA). Despite Lakwena’s defeat, remnants of her forces continued to operate in northern Uganda, eventually merging with factions of the UPDM/A to form the LRA.
Maj Gen David Tinyefuza, later known as Sejusa, was deployed to lead Operation North in April 1991. The operation involved a security lockdown in parts of northern Uganda to hunt down rebels and collaborators. However, reports soon emerged of brutality and arrests of civilians, including high-profile politicians like Daniel Omara Atubo, who were accused of treason and held without trial.
Accusations of high-handedness and brutality by the NRA soldiers marred the operation. Amnesty International released a report in 1992 detailing human rights violations, including torture and unlawful arrests. Government officials, including Augustine Ruzindana, defended the actions of the military despite the allegations.
The effectiveness of Operation North remains debated, with some analysts suggesting that the search and destroy missions, coupled with the establishment of local militias, weakened the LRA. However, the decision to end the operation raised questions about inadvertently prolonging the insurgency.
Despite the military’s reported success in taking thousands of rebels out of action, concerns were raised about the conduct of the operation and its impact on human rights. The removal of Gen. Tinyefuza from his position as commander in the north, following the negative press surrounding Operation North, highlighted the contentious nature of the military campaign.
In conclusion, Operation North marked a significant milestone in the efforts to combat the LRA in Uganda. However, the operation was not without controversy, with allegations of human rights abuses and questions about its overall effectiveness. The legacy of Operation North continues to be debated, as the insurgency persisted despite the military’s efforts to quell the rebel group.
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