Invisible Children Blog » KONY 2012

Ben Keesey // Media that Moves Millions

Danny Porter — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 18:33:59 +0000

Last week, our CEO Ben Keesey spoke on behalf on Invisible Children at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington D.C. The panel was part of the Media that Moves Millions conference and included several other prominent individuals whose campaigns have sparked massive international support. New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristoff and United Nations Foundation CEO Kathy Calvin were among the panelists. After presenting a recap of MOVE:DC, Ben spoke of the progress that’s been made and the focus moving forward:

“In the last two years, killings by the LRA have decreased 67%. It’s a story of progress but it’s not done yet. There are few moments in our lives or in the space of humanitarian affairs and international justice where you can see concrete successes. The LRA is a chance for that. We can see Joseph Kony captured and the permanent end of LRA violence. We can get it to zero. Zero is a powerful number. Successful completion provides momentum that we can build on. We talk a lot about momentum and positivity because we believe that nothing is more motivating than progress.”

When asked if the context of documentary storytelling was changing, Nicholas Kristoff credited Invisible Children with getting it right:

“People who are selling a product know that they have to focus in incredible storytelling. People who are involved in an issue that is really important tend to think that ‘this is really important, so I don’t need to worry about making something that’s interesting or engaging.’ People don’t sell malaria nets with the same professionalism that they sell Coca-Cola, even though it is so much more important. One of the things that’s striking about KONY 2012 is the professionalism of it.”

You can view the panel in its entirety here:

Watch live streaming video from independentlens at livestream.com

Filed under: Invisible Children, KONY 2012

We are the Fourth Estate

Invisible Children — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:36:59 +0000

This generation is changing the rules. The traditional routes of communication, influence, and authority have been reversed, and our connectedness has turned the power pyramid upside down. Invisible Children firmly believes that with the ability to see one another comes the responsibility to protect one other.

The Liberty Triangle was inspired by the three-layer pyramid that illustrates what happened during the French Revolution. The two smaller layers represented society’s elite, while the largest layer represented the common man. It was that third level, or third estate as they called it, that rose up with the aim of establishing individual rights for every citizen during the revolution.

In the French Revolution, the third estate fought for its own rights. The Fourth Estate takes this ideology a step further and expands the defense of liberty and equality to the global stage. It is more than just demanding our own rights. It is demanding the rights of others, all of us, no matter where we might live. That is the Fourth Estate.

The first layer represents those with the most power, governments and the politically-favored. The second layer represents affluent society, money, and fame. The third represents media, and the fourth represents everyone else. When we as the Fourth Estate stand up for each other, we flip the system on its head. Together we are changing the way the world works.

This symbol represents the evolving shift of power from the few to the many. As we begin the 21st century, the democratization of information provided by the Internet, specifically social media, has allowed the people of the world unprecedented access to knowledge, self publication on a global scale, and emotional connection across borders. This changes the way human beings see, hear, and ultimately understand each other. Indifference is eroding under the weight of what really unites us: our common humanity. The Liberty Triangle represents this. We are more alike than we are different. And when we have relationships with one another, we protect one another. This modern age of connection and conversation is uniting us, and it is changing the way we as a species approach global problems.

Filed under: Fourth Estate, Invisible Children, KONY 2012

One year later // KONY 2012 & infographics

Danny Porter — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:20:16 +0000

As an avid sports fan, I love statistics. I can break down an NBA box score faster than you can Kareem Abdul Jabbar, so when KONY 2012 went viral a year ago this week, I couldn’t help but head straight to the stats.

What KONY 2012 accomplished was unprecedented. Most of us know the biggest stat – 100 million views in 6 days, but there were many factors in KONY 2012 going viral including the Oprah effect. The film had 66,000 views on March 5th. When Oprah tweeted about the film to her 10 million followers the next day, the view count skyrocketed to 9 million. Did we mention how much we love Oprah? In addition to the incredible Invisible Children’s Facebook likes jumped from a humble 5,000 to a staggering 3.17 million.

Here are three of the best info graphics to come out during KONY 2012:

Join us as we move forward and continue to work towards bringing a permanent end to the violence of Joseph Kony and the LRA. Visit our website to learn how you can become a member of the Fourth Estate and join thousands of others in the fight for international justice.

(Photo credits: 1, 2, 3)

Filed under: Culture, Invisible Children, KONY 2012

#KONY2012 told through tweets

Danny Porter — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 17:42:15 +0000

March 5th marks the one year anniversary of the release of KONY 2012. Within one week, the film was viewed over 100 million times, making it the most viral video in history. The hashtag #KONY2012 was used 3,290,800 times between February 11th and March 11th. On March 7th alone, the hashtag was used 1,594,812 times. In honor of tomorrow’s anniversary we’ve compiled a chronological history of KONY 2012 and the week that changed international justice forever.

Join us as we move forward. Find out what happened to KONY 2012, March 5th, 2013 at invisiblechildren.com

Filed under: Invisible Children, KONY 2012

Invisible Children proudly presents // A Wedding Story

Monica Retka — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 20:29:27 +0000

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something red.

For the past nine years we’ve known that Invisible Children has the best, most dedicated supporters across the globe, but thanks to newlyweds Jessica (formally Greer) and Daniel Streeter, that fact is now impossible to contest.

Jessica and Dan are veterans when it comes to investing in their community. Their commitment to service has sent them on volunteer trips around the world, including Mexico and the Dominican Republic. A clear powercouple. After watching KONY 2012, our mission resonated. Like many of our viewers, Jessica and Dan wanted to share the story, but they completed that feat in a way previously unheard of at IC – Dan and Jessica included our KONY 2012 campaign in their wedding.

Get this: Not only did they donate funds originally allocated for party favors to our programs in East and central Africa but they made sure no guest left empty-handed by providing them with an array of Invisible Children bracelets.

“Dan and I were thrilled that many of our guests approached us and thanked us for opening their eyes to the Invisible Children organization and [they] were so excited to go home and visit the website and learn more…and many of them are still rocking the red bracelets today!”

The new Mr. and Mrs. Streeter left a lasting impression on their guests beyond that of leftover wedding cake and centerpieces. Jessica and Dan may have joined their two families that day, but they also joined ours.

We wish all the best for the happy couple. Cheers.

(Photo credit: J’Adore Love)
(Video credit: Fruit Tree Studios)

Filed under: KONY 2012, Supporter Spotlight

What would you write in a letter to Kony?

Krista Morgan — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:46:19 +0000

Whitney Brammer was an IC Roadie in the Spring of 2008 and is currently a teacher in Florida. She recently visited our San Diego office and brought along a slew of letters that her students wrote to Joseph Kony after learning about his reign with the LRA. Below is an intro from Whitney, and then quotes from the students’ letters. It makes me wonder – if we all had the mentality of our fifth grade selves, how different would our perspective be?

“Last year, I taught fifth grade at an inner-city school near the heart of downtown. One week, I decided to do a unit on current central-eastern Africa. On the first day, I showed the IC film Emmy [from 2006]. I was blown away by how engaged my students were, and how effortless it was for me to keep their attention. Even my most challenging student showed signs of softening as they watched Emmy pretend to need a drink of water only to wipe a couple of tears from his eyes. My students actually seemed to care about these kids and what was happening to them in Uganda. On the last day of the unit, after watching and discussing another IC film, Sunday [from 2007], I asked my students to respond to the following writing prompt: “If you could write a letter to Joseph Kony, what would you say?” Immediately, every single one of my students began to write. I was amazed by the diligence and effort I was seeing from some of my students for the first time. Their thoughtfulness and depth superseded my expectations. I can honestly say that I saw a whole new side of some of my kids open up. Some were able to relate to Uganda’s developing world conditions, others showed great sympathy unlike before, while some displayed a freshly-birthed activist side saying, “Ms. B! We need to do something!” It was humbling and moving for me to witness my students connect and be moved by something in a way unlike anything I had seen from them before.” -Whitney Brammer

“Did you ever think about your own country? Did you ever cry? Did you ever think about what you are doing? Is this the way you find life?”

“Hopefully you will read this letter and you will question yourself because you are making too much damage in people’s hearts…they are kids, not men like you, they can’t fight you.”

“Joseph you have better things to do than be a criminal.”

“Stop robbing children because that’s bad. If they took away your kid, wouldn’t you be desperate?”

“…you don’t need to steal children and brainwash them to kill other people. That’s not going to give you what you want…God is watching you.”

“Why do you do this? It’s wrong, you shouldn’t. And can you please stop.”

Filed under: Culture, KONY 2012

MLK: remaining awake through a revolution

Danny Porter — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:55:48 +0000

This past November, in the shadow of the Washington Monument, thousands of young activists in a sea of red shirts listened as Richard Mark Ochaka spoke with power and conviction on behalf of a generation affected by LRA violence. It was in this same spot, nearly 50 years ago, that a different generation listened to the dreams of another man who spoke with the same power and conviction for his own people. These men, separated by nearly half a century and born halfway around the world from one another, were and are the foremost purveyors of human justice.

Dr. King redefined the way we fight for social change. In the spring of 1968, just months before his death, he spoke about the importance of remaining awake through a revolution and the dangers of neglecting something of such great importance:

“One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. Every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.”

Dr. King, in his slow and captivating voice, brought to light the myths created to keep true social change from happening, and challenged his listeners to reject these excuses and stand together towards human progress:

“Somewhere we must come to see that human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and the persistent work of dedicated individuals…and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the primitive forces of social stagnation. So we must help time and realize that the time is always ripe to do right.”

He also stood firm on the belief that all decisions, especially regarding human rights, should be made first and foremost within a man’s conscience rather than superficial reasoning:

“On some positions, cowardice asks the question, is it expedient? And then expedience comes along and asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? Conscience asks the question, is it right?”

The Civil Rights era was truly revolutionary and for those who remained awake through it and did not falter despite the trials and tribulations. In return, they experienced something greater than themselves. Because of that unique moment in time, their lives were forever changed and many of them continued to pave the way for human rights. They left a legacy that can never be wiped away.

KONY 2012 was the start of a new revolution. One that changed the way that our generation sees the world around it and reacts to the injustices within it. Those who stood up for the basic rights of our neighbors thousands of miles away chose to stay awake through a revolution. When some chose cowardice, expedience, and vanity, they chose truth and conscience. This past year showed what we are capable of and MOVE:DC proved that we will stop at nothing to bring the world’s worst warlord to justice.

This revolution is not over. 2013 is not an expiration date, but rather a challenge to continue moving forward. Progress is being made and we must adhere to Dr. King’s words and stay awake through this revolution. The LRA is not stopping and neither are we.

(Photo credit: Reddit)

Filed under: Culture, KONY 2012, World News

The manhunt for Joseph Kony

Krista Morgan — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:13:09 +0000

From the Council on Foreign Affairs, a truly insightful article on the ongoing manhunt for Joseph Kony, the efforts thus far, and why perseverance is crucial.

_______________________

#Kony2013

Why the Manhunt Is Taking So Long — And How It Can Succeed

by Benjamin Runkle

In a little-noticed move in October 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama sent 100 military advisers to Uganda, part of an effort to apprehend Joseph Kony, the ruthless head of the central African guerilla group the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The once-obscure rebel leader, a fugitive since 2005, became a household name this March after a video about him produced by the advocacy group Invisible Children went viral. More than a year since U.S. advisers arrived in Uganda, and despite the unprecedented public awareness about the cult-like militia’s crimes, Kony and his associates remain at large, and media coverage of the search has become nearly as hard to find as the fugitive himself.

The Kony manhunt is proving frustrating. Despite some small tactical successes, there has yet to be a single credible sighting of the fugitive, and LRA attacks in the region have only become more frequent. But it is too soon to get pessimistic and give up. Such operations are inherently difficult, and they take time. If U.S. and African forces refine their efforts to get locals to provide intelligence, and if Washington steps up its diplomatic efforts to eliminate potential LRA safe havens, they could well bring Kony and the rest of the LRA’s leadership to justice.

Although Ugandan troops captured Kony’s top military strategist in May and killed LRA fighters led by the militia’s director of operations in August, the campaign has failed to meet the expectations generated by Obama’s announcement and by Invisible Children’s awareness campaign. Following the spectacular success of the raid in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden five months earlier, the deployment of U.S. Special Operations Forces to hunt Kony may have created unrealistic expectations. But as with the U.S. forces that helped indigenous forces catch the guerilla leader Che Guevara in Bolivia and the drug lord Pablo Escobar in Colombia, the U.S. military advisers in Uganda, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan are prohibited from conducting operations themselves. They can only guide those countries’ militaries in the pursuit of the LRA, providing intelligence and communications support. In March, the African Union announced that it would deploy a 5,000-person multinational brigade to hunt down Kony, but less than half the number of troops pledged have actually arrived in the region, and those who have are poorly trained and equipped.

The LRA has subsequently shifted tactics to evade detection, splintering into smaller groups and retreating deeper into central Africa’s dense jungle territory in an area roughly the size of California. The move has worked: no one seems to know where Kony actually is. In April, the commander of Ugandan forces said that the rebel leader was hiding in the Central African Republic, and the chief spokesman of the Ugandan military insisted that he was several hundred miles away, in Sudan. Rear Admiral Brian Losey, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Forces in Africa, admitted in April that the troops searching for Kony are able to do little more than guess at his whereabouts based on his past movements and eliminate areas where the LRA is unlikely to take refuge. Meanwhile, the LRA continues to commit atrocities in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the number of reported attacks more than doubling from January to June of this year.

Historically, the key to successful manhunts is not troop strength, advanced technology, or favorable physical terrain but, rather, what the military calls “human terrain” — the attitudes of the people living in the territory where the target is hiding. If locals consider the object of the search a Robin Hood-like figure (as the revolutionary leader Pancho Villa was by Mexicans while the U.S. army searched for him, unsuccessfully, in 1916), then he will prove almost impossible to catch, no matter how many elite troops are trying. Conversely, if the public detests the target (as was the case with the Apache leader Geronimo in the 1880s, Manuel Noriega in Panama in the 1980s, and Saddam Hussein after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq), then the hunt will be far easier thanks to the intelligence that locals provide and to their unwillingness to provide sanctuary.

These variables would appear to favor the forces pursuing Kony. The LRA’s brutality, including against its own forces, could convince some soldiers to defect, bringing intelligence about the group’s movements with them. And given its record of atrocities — including massacres, large-scale mutilations, and the abduction of children to serve as soldiers and sex slaves — local populations have a stake in rooting out Kony. Thus, when a U.S. Special Forces team arrived in the remote Central African Republic town of Obo, villagers welcomed them with songs about how God had sent the Americans to free them of the LRA.

It has been hard, however, to capitalize on these advantages. For one thing, the Ugandan forces pursuing Kony have committed numerous abuses themselves in the past, thus giving locals little reason to trust them. Another problem involves geography: central Africa’s remoteness and scarcity of roads mean that it can take weeks for word of encounters with the LRA to reach the authorities. Even when such reports do arrive, it’s difficult to distinguish legitimate sightings from bogus ones. After more than two decades of terrorizing the region, Kony has attained bogeyman status, and villagers tend to ascribe almost all banditry and crime to his group.

Still, it’s too soon to panic. The Kony manhunt is the twelfth time in U.S. history that the military has been sent abroad to kill or capture one man. Of the 11 previous campaigns, eight were successful, and, excluding the 13-year hunt for bin Laden, the average successful manhunt takes 18 months. The pursuit of Filipino insurgent leader Emilio Aguinaldo that ended in 1901, the search for Escobar that ended in 1993, and the hunt for the Iraq-based terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi that ended in 2006 all lasted over two years. Moreover, of the three failed campaigns — the pursuits of Villa, Nicaraguan insurgent leader Augusto Sandino from 1927 to 1932, and Somali warlord Mohamed Farah Aideed in 1993 — two (those against Villa and Aideed) were terminated before their first anniversary. Perseverance, in other words, is crucial. And thankfully, Washington seems to have figured this out. In April, Obama announced plans to extend the deployment of U.S. forces aiding the search, and in May the Senate Armed Services Committee voted to increase the authorized funding for the manhunt to $50 million.

Patience, however, doesn’t mean waiting quietly for the current tactics to do their job; Washington can and should refine its efforts. The key to apprehending Kony lies not in the introduction of a new super technology or the influx of more U.S. forces but, rather, in better exploiting the favorable human terrain. In order to get intelligence about Kony’s whereabouts faster, U.S. and African forces should provide remote villages with the means to transmit LRA sightings more rapidly. Invisible Children has installed 30 radio towers in remote areas to encourage communication between villages, but this effort needs to be expanded. To get better intelligence from within the LRA, the United States should pressure the Ugandan government to reverse the decision it made last May to stop granting amnesty to former rebels. Instead, Uganda should offer amnesty for all LRA fighters other than the five commanders under indictment by the International Criminal Court.

Washington should also use its diplomatic heft to deny Kony safe havens. This would entail convincing the Democratic Republic of the Congo to let Ugandan forces through Congolese borders. The country is understandably wary of the Ugandans, who have plundered its natural resources in the past, but the United States could make military assistance to the Ugandan government conditional on its respecting Congolese mineral sovereignty, or pledge to compensate the Central African Republic for any unauthorized extractions by Ugandan forces. As for Sudan, Washington should send the message that Darfur cannot serve as a sanctuary for Kony and his forces. Although Sudan has proved resistant to international pressure on human rights in the past, it does have a breaking point. In 1996, diplomatic pressure from the United States and Saudi Arabia, combined with international sanctions, persuaded it to expel Osama bin Laden and other al Qaeda leaders. Such pressure could work today, especially since Sudan gains no strategic advantage from harboring the LRA.

The first year of the hunt for Kony has been frustratingly unproductive. But those hopeful for success can take comfort in the fact that the variables that have determined the outcome of past manhunts favor the forces searching for Kony. All it should take to bring the warlord to justice is a practical plan to exploit these underlying forces — and a little more time.

Filed under: KONY 2012, World News

MOVE:DC // an alumni perspective

Alex Naser-Hall — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 17:13:01 +0000

“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

+ Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton didn’t know it, but he wrote that quote to appeal almost exclusively to the view we hold about Invisible Children alumni. Since the beginning of Invisible Children, we have seen hundreds of people come through these walls, exhaust themselves for the cause, and move forward to do massive things.

From former Roadie Anna Azarjew who now works in Washington DC at Global Zero to former Roadie/Intern/Livestream Ghandi Timmy Harris who is currently in New Zealand taking courses in hopes to become a television presenter, our alumni are some of the most Renaissance go-getters we know.

We were further than ecstatic when they started registering en mass to attend MOVE:DC. Over three hundred of our alumni attended our most successful event yet, and beautiful reunions were abounding on every street corner, in every restroom line, and amongst every mosh pit.

While it goes against all sort of Invisible Children training to not help out with logistics on the day of an event, we wouldn’t allow any of the alumni attending to lend their hands – we wanted them to be able to appreciate the work they did in the past and experience the event as a participant. (Sara Jo, we saw you helping. Stop that).

We asked a few of our alumni to try to summarize their emotions (something IC-ers are generally quite bad at) and answer several questions about their experience in Washington DC.

Bethany Bylsma

When did you work at Invisible Children + what was your job?
I worked at IC FOREVER. Which only equates to four years in real time. 2008-2012. Roadie, Event Coordinator, Regional Manager, Uganda Tour Logistics Coordinator, Alumni Coordinator, Mama Bird, Caffeine Supplier, Van Driver, Wallflower, S-Show Management, Caged Persons Supervisor, Livestream Celebrity (BARFING). You know the rest.

Why did you decide to go to MOVE:DC?
I had a hard time deciding to attend MOVE:DC. I wanted to go for the right reasons, and wasn’t totally sure what was going to constitute a right reason. I hosted a few Roadie teams, heard them talk about MOVE:DC and knew they believed it was the going to be the best, most important event IC had ever hosted. That sounded awfully familiar.

However, I heard through the grapevine that when it came to the conflict, the LRA and supporting institutions (ahem, Sudan) were waiting for the hype of KONY 2012 to die down, and once it did, they were preparing to be extremely active again.

And then I said, OH NO YOU DIDN’T.

Showing up is important. Showing up, even after you’ve given everything you know how to give is even more important. And knowing I now represented more than just IC Alumni was important too. I represent the school I attend, the state I am a constituent in, and the communities that supported me while I was at IC. And so I showed up for them.

What did MOVE:DC mean to you?
I spent the weekend reuniting with supporters, Roadies, staff members, my best friend, friends of friends of friends, and hope. And it was the first event that I fully participated in as a supporter, not a staffer. It was weird and wonderful and fully of beauty. That’s what MOVE:DC meant to me. I got to be reminded that I am not alone, that hope is real and I have to show up sometimes to be reminded of that. To see thousands of people who showed up, restored my faith in humanity. And after KONY 2012 – I still need reminding.

Thank you. All of you who made it happen. It was important. And people showed up.

Meagan Shorey

When did you work at Invisible Children + what was your job?
I was at IC from August 2010 to December 2011. I was a Roadie, Fourth Estate Event Planner, and a Movement Assistant. I also came back for a bit in March to help with KONY 2012.

Why did you decide to go to MOVE:DC?
I decided to go to MOVE:DC because I felt it was a culmination of everything the community at Invisible Children has worked towards for so many years. Invisible Children has tried to make this conflict known world-wide and this year did just that. I believe in the work abroad, the paradigm shifts in people, the unions formed in the conversations about what it means to try to change the world, and the growth that comes from criticism and asking questions. It’s about the continual support and the continual fight to see justice and celebrate successes. This year had the highest highs and biggest challenges and I believe it was a chance to fight for what you really believe in. All of this was addressed at MOVE:DC, and I didn’t want to sit on my couch or go see Twilight instead of being in attendance.

What did MOVE:DC mean to you?
The event showed me that the film was not just a fad. I couldn’t believe how many people were in attendance. I saw that the desire for justice is still very strong in people and we will not give up even if we’re not currently trending on Twitter. As a Roadie, my dream was to see the world aware and take action about the LRA. I remember conversations with co-workers about the idealistic dream of the nations coming together to address this issue and take action. MOVE:DC was the physical union of all these hopes. It wasn’t just a hope or a silly idealistic wish. It was real. And it was effective.

Claire Warne

When did you work at Invisible Children + what was your job?
Roadie: Pacific Northwest, Fall ’09…Middle America, Spring ’10… Deep South, Spring ’11

Why did you decide to go to MOVE:DC?
My first real event with IC was Lobby Days in the summer of 2009. I had already applied to be a Roadie at that point, and got the “YEA, you are accepted” call from HR a few days prior to leaving for the event. I attended the summit part of the event…then it was off to lobby my Senator, and I was so nervous. There was only me and one other girl in my group, and I didn’t know what to say. But when we arrived in the office and realized that the staffer was my age and was also pretty chill, I began to feel more comfortable. Being with so many young people, using our voices to talk to leaders about issues larger than us was so encouraging to me. During that weekend, I started a new family, and I had no idea how important that family would become 3 years later.

I came to MOVE:DC for numerous reasons, but I think the biggest reason was to surround myself for a few days with activists and people that wanted to see peace and justice for our friends in central and East Africa. I feel that with all the attention and international support IC has gotten this past year, we are so much closer than ever to finding an end to this atrocity. I truly believe that this is the year Joseph Kony will have his time in the Hague, and peace will begin to be seen in central and East Africa.

What did MOVE:DC mean to you?
Like I said, this IC family that has been created is so very important to me, and some of the closest friendships in my life have been met through my time at Invisible Children. I can say that I have brothers and sisters in Uganda and all across the world. We are the movers and the shakers. And I know that I will be able to tell people that I was a part of this movement.

Saul Malone

When did you work at Invisible Children + what was your job?

Saul Malone. Spring 2012 Roadie. Midwest region

Why did you decide to go to MOVE:DC?

I decided to go to MOVE:DC because I know how much of a change that communication with local and national representatives can make. The fact that I could be a part of the Global Summit on the LRA, the largest and most important of its kind no less, was too important to pass up. This event was literally history in the making. Representatives from the LRA-affected areas, as well as from the international community and difference-making institutions like the UN and ICC, speaking on this conflict? The idea was absolutely incredible. And, selfishly of course, the idea of having all of my best friends and favorite people in one place for a whole weekend was not going to happen without me being there. The thought of not going never even crossed my mind.

What did MOVE:DC mean to you?
MOVE: DC meant the culmination of years of hard work. Seeing alumni from every year really validated the work we had done. It truly showed that the work we’ve been doing and will continue to do is truly life changing, important, and transcends social constraints and normal. It was a humbling reminder that people are good and that peace is possible. In my opinion, it will be attained very soon. It also showed that, as an organization, we handle adversity like nobody’s business and that we’re stronger than we’ve ever been. And I could not be more proud to call myself a part of this family.

Filed under: Invisible Children, KONY 2012, MOVE

How Gulu MOVEd

Bethany Williams — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 16:58:58 +0000

In Gulu, Uganda, there is also movement.

Friday saw more than 150 people gather to hear lectures from different contributors to the peace process. Religious leaders, local officials, academics, NGO representatives and others joined together to talk about their experiences, their unique perspectives, and their shared hopes for peace. The continued conflict in neighboring countries has not gone unnoticed by those now enjoying peace in northern Uganda.

“When we are comfortable, we are not going to move. We need a little discomfort so we leave our seats and we move…a lot needs to be done,” said Komakech Daniel, a lecturer at Gulu University Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies, speaking on the importance of making reintegration work for Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) victims returning to their communities.

“It is the victims, it is the survivors who are going to…tell the story. The positive story that ‘we went home and when we were home…the return was positive, the resettlement was positive, and the reintegration was positive.’”

Guests at the Gulu District Council Hall for lectures at the peace actors forum.

Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI) was represented by speakers of various religious backgrounds, speaking about the efforts being made to achieve peace in the region, what has worked well, and what still needs to be done.

Sheikh Musa Khalil, speaking on behalf of ARLPI urged that we not give up on the dream of seeing the LRA conflict permanently ended. “Let us keep on praying …let us keep on sending our voices to the international community so that a lasting peace comes away as far as the conflict is concerned.”

Hon. Betty Bigombe made an appearance on Friday while in Gulu to visit with recent LRA defectors.

Honorable Betty Bigombe, State Minister for Water Resources and a major player in the LRA peace building process for more than 20 years, was in Gulu to meet with recent LRA defectors and took time to stop by the event. “Let me take this opportunity to thank Invisible Children for being persistent and facilitating a meeting of this nature…even if Kony is no longer on Ugandan soil, as long as he is alive he is still abducting people in Congo, in Central African Republic, in [South] Sudan, we cannot rest until he is out. Until our children are out.”

She also encouraged Ugandans to continue sending messages to those still in the LRA, telling them to come home. “Some of the messages you send from here – especially letters – get there. And it encourages them to find their way out.”

Local artists perform at Pece Stadium on Saturday.

Saturday morning kicked off with a peace march through Gulu town, followed by ecumenical prayers for peace at Pece Stadium. The event culminated in a music gala with local artists performing songs and dances.

“Peace is our gift to each other.” The inscription on the awards for the winning songs in the music competition.

Filed under: Homepage, IC in Uganda, Invisible Children, KONY 2012, MOVE