Joseph Kony of the Lord's Resistance Army has never been captured. The rebel group has been active in Uganda, the DRC, South Sudan, and the African Central Republic. Despite warrants for Kony's arrest, finding him has been a challenge. The rebel group has been around since 1987, but the release of Kony 2012 made western audiences familiar with the rebel group. The documentary gave a simplistic analysis of a complex conflict related to the Ugandan Civil from 1986 to 1994. Rebel groups were seeking the removal of the President Yoweri Museveni. The Acholi were an ethnic group that faced persecution by the government. The Lord's Resistance Army formed in response to this. The myth is that the organization wants to liberate all Ugandans and establish democratic rule. The real agenda is to create a state based around their own version of Christian fundamentalism. The LRA is still active, but not as powerful as it was in the 1990s. The sudden interest of the US to capture the warlord is not out of altruism. The ICC already issued a warrant for his arrest in 2005. The United States wants to have a larger military presence in Africa. This is designed to counter both Russian and Chinese influence in Africa. By acting like it is a humanitarian mission the US can send advisors to the African Central Republic. The Lord's Resistance Army also provides Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni with an excuse to maintain an authoritarian political structure. It has been speculated that Kony is based in the Central African Republic. Nothing is certain, however his activities provide an excuse for abuses by world powers and authoritarian regimes.
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