You guys loved Alex Naser-Hall‘s last couple of mixes SO much that we asked him to curate his third Monday Wednesday Mini Mixtape. Perfection, as always.

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a million times: We post links to all our beloved artists because we want you to dig deeper, listen to more music, support them by going to shows and buy their music. Share the love folks.

Download MMM16 here or listen on GrooveShark.

01. PASSION PIT // “Take A Walk” – It’s been a lengthy wait for new Passion Pit, and I actually cannot stop replaying this.  Bit of a departure from the past stuff, and SO jamworthy.

02. ICONA POP // “I Love It” – Just so you know, this is the first official anthem of summer 2012.  Thought the world should be aware of this epic song from a seriously rad Swedish female duo.

03. FLORENCE + THE MACHINE // “Breath of Life” – The featured song off the new Snow White and the Huntsman film, “Breath of Life” is just intense.  Even for Florence.  Intense.

04. ELECTRIC GUEST // “This Head I Hold” – One of the strangest videos of the year // one of the catchiest tracks of the year.

05. THE KNOCKS // “Learn To Fly” – Another song to usher in the summer, courtesy of this group from New York’s Lower East Side.

06. THE NEIGHBOURHOOD // “Wires” – We’ve shown the love to this group in the past, but we had to do it again with their new single.

07. BEN HOWARD // “Call Me Maybe” – My love for this song is not at all embarrassing.  I refuse to admit that, and this cover is next level.

08. THE TEMPER TRAP // “Trembling Hands” – If you know Invisible Children, you know we’re into the Temper Trap.  Pretty pumped for their comeback.

09. SMILE // “From Time to Time” – The Swedes only know how to make infectious pop songs.  1/3 of Peter, Bjorn & John and 1/4 of Teddybears team up on this track off the new (very excited) collective Ingrid.

You all are great. Hope this week is spectacular.

AN-H

On Saturday, May 12th, Ugandan military forces captured Caesar Achellam, one of the top four commanders in the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Achellam was captured in southeastern Central African Republic (CAR) after being in the LRA for over two decades. He was captured with a wife, a child, and a 12-year-old female from CAR.

Achellam holds one of the highest ranks within the LRA and is a leading influence in the group’s operations. Maj. General Achellam is an arabic speaker who managed the highly strategic relationship between the LRA and the Sudanese government in Khartoum. He also was one of two LRA commanders who had formal military training, and at one point he was the lead instructor for LRA troops.

Prior to Achellam’s capture, his relationship to Kony was uncertain. For years, Achellam’s group operated always in close proximity to Kony’s group, but in 2007 Kony disciplined Achellam for indicating a desire to negotiate a settlement during the Juba Peace Talks. His personal security escort was removed and younger, more violent LRA officers were promoted. In 2010, LRA expert Ledio Cakaj reported that while Okot Odhiambo (an ICC indictee) was technically second in command, Achellam was growing more influential with Kony because of his established links with Sudan–a government known to provide the LRA with food, ammunition, and safe haven.

As Ledio Cakaj notes, “Given that his knowledge of the LRA is on par with that of Kony, the apprehension or defection of Achellam could significantly destabilize the LRA.” Not only is Achellam, as some have noted, an “intelligence gold mine,” he is highly respected by Ugandan LRA because of his deep ties to the LRA movement and his formal military training. Because of the respect he garners, some speculate that he is one of the few officers who could have assumed control of the LRA if Kony were to be apprehended. For the same reasons, his capture could trigger a new wave of LRA surrenders. Since his capture, Achellam has said that he finally feels free now that he is out of the LRA. “My coming out will have a big impact for the people still in the bush to come out and end this war soon.”

We hope that Achellam will use his influence to encourage peaceful LRA defections. The surrender of LRA combatants is an important component of ending this conflict permanently. Not only does each surrender signify one fewer combatant, it also destabilizes the rest of the group, especially in the case of LRA commanders. Invisible Children has collaborated with the UN and regional partners in promoting surrenders through the distribution of fliers and support for FM radio networks.

Uganda’s Amnesty Act of 2000 says that LRA combatants will be granted amnesty if they renounce the rebellion. Based on precedent and Achellam’s cooperation thus far, it seems likely that Achellam will seek amnesty.  The Amnesty Act is scheduled to expire this year, but the Ugandan government has indicated that they intend to extend it. How the Ugandan government will proceed with Achellam is somewhat unclear because it’s somewhat new territory. Uganda attempted to prosecute lower-ranking LRA officer Thomas Kwoyelo last year, but the courts ruled that Kwoyelo had a right to amnesty.

Invisible Children’s Country Director, Jolly Okot says, “It is a very good thing that Caesar Acellam, his wife, and his daughter have come out of the bush alive. Now they can share their experiences with the world. The message is very clear: the suffering must stop. The difference will be shared by everyone.”

The White House issued a press release this afternoon:

“The United States congratulates the Government of Uganda on the capture of one of the senior commanders of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) by the Ugandan military. The capture of Maj. Gen. Ceasar Acellam is a testament to the resolve of Uganda and its military forces to work with regional forces to end the threat posed by the LRA.

Ugandan and other regional forces continue to pursue the LRA and keep its leadership on the run. The United States joins regional governments and the African Union in calling on abductees and remaining members of the LRA to depart the ranks of the LRA and peacefully surrender. Support is available to help those who defect and peacefully surrender to return to their home communities and build a new life.”

Achellam’s capture is a major victory for everyone interested in seeing an end to LRA violence. This is an important step in capturing Joseph Kony, dismantling the LRA, and ending LRA violence for good.

For updates on LRA activity, vist LRACrisisTracker.com or follow @CrisisTracker on Twitter.

Photo Credit: REUTERS/James Akena

Joseph Kony

Founder and commander of the LRA, Joseph Kony remains the group’s sole leader, a position he has held since 1987. A charismatic leader who instills fear in his subordinates, Kony commands the LRA with absolute power and remains a key to the dismantling of the group. Kony was indicted by the ICC in 2005 for crimes against humanity.

Okot Odhiambo

Odhiambo is often seen as Kony’s second in command. Acting as the “Head of the Army,” Odhiambo often acts as a go-between in the LRA command structure now scattered across three countries. Odhiambo’s deputy killed Vincent Otti, Kony’s former deputy, and no one has benefitted more from Otti’s death than Odhiambo. Odhiambo was indicted by the ICC in 2005.

Dominic Ongwen

Abducted as a youth in northern Uganda, Dominic Ongwen rose to prominence within the ranks of the LRA for his reputation as a fierce fighter with a strong propensity for violent acts against civilians. Ongwen’s loyalty to Kony has given him a level of autonomy and influence within the group. Ongwen was indicted by the ICC in 2005. His indictment is thought controversial, however, because he was first a victim of the group and later a perpetrator.

Caesar Achellam

One of the most respected commanders in the LRA, Caesar Achellam had deep ties to the rebellions of northern Uganda and received formal military training as a member of the Ugandan People’s Democratic Army. His experience and his Arabic language skills made him the key liaison between the LRA and the Sudanese government armed forces, a strategic alliance for weapons and ammunition. Achellam was seen by many experts as pivotal to the dismantling of the LRA and his capture in May 2012 is the largest victory for the UPDF since January 2010 when Bok Abudema was killed.

For more information on the LRA command structure as of 2010, see Ledio Cakaj’s report The LRA of Today

Download a PDF of the LRA hierarchy infographic.

-Krista

Uganda warlord Kony on the move as manhunt steps up -UN envoy

By Louis Charbonneau

UNITED NATIONS, May 11 (Reuters) – Fugitive Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony is constantly changing his hideouts as the African Union prepares to expand a U.S.-assisted manhunt for one of Africa’s most wanted men, a senior U.N. official said on Friday.

Kony has evaded the region’s militaries for nearly three decades, kidnapping tens of thousands of children to fill the ranks of his Lord’s Resistance Army and serve as sex slaves as he moves through the bush. Thousands have been killed by his brutal army.

The deployment of U.S. special forces as advisers to help Ugandan soldiers track Kony and his senior commanders in the dense equatorial jungle across a region that spans several countries has raised hopes the sadistic leader’s days are numbered.

Three other African countries – the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic – prepare to join an African Union guerrilla coalition to launch an international manhunt to capture Kony and see that he is put on trial. Kony appears to be increasingly nervous as a result.

“The latest we’ve received so far is that, contrary to what Kony used to do – to stay one month, two months on the ground – he’s now moving almost every other day, which means the pressure is mounting on him,” said Abou Moussa, head of the U.N. Regional Office for Central Africa.

“They’ve found traces of where he’s settled,” Moussa said in an interview with Reuters and one other newswire. “People who’ve defected have provided information on his state of mind.”

“The pressure must continue,” he said, adding that this development was “an excellent thing for us.”

Kony was thrust back into the spotlight earlier this year when a video, “Kony 2012″, highlighting the chilling mutilations, rapes and murders carried out by his spell-bound fighters went viral on the Internet.

Read full article here.

(Photo credit: International Business Times)

Enjoy this magical experience and catch her live on tour with Coldplay and Santigold in a city near you.

LOVE. KENNY.

North Korea is another important issue of global justice and an endless source of fascination. A pro-skater named Patrik Wallner filmed a video while he was there during the 100 year anniversary of the Great Leader & eternal president Kim II-Sung’s birthday. If you think anyone has ever thrown you a big party, think again. At my next birthday I’m asking for a fireworks display. And ribbon twirlers.

Honorable mention: Patrik Wallner runs visualtraveling.com, a website which started out as a personal blog and turned into a place where he can showcase his photography and videos of his skateboarding adventures around the world. Super cool.

-Krista

(Photo credit: Patrik Wallner)

PhoneAll’s Christi, Paul & Josh = priceless

Readers: allow us to explain. While you were making Kony famous, our phones started ringing off the hook & all of our internet sites crashed. Ashes to ashes. We needed help and we needed it fast. Enter PhoneAll. They are a local San Diego, family-owned company who we have been using for years and years. At the drop of a hat they showed up with what we needed more than anything (besides more coffee): 20 additional phones & a bunch of ethernet jacks. Install more phone lines, check. Plan our systems, check. Make it so we can speak with our supporters, check. Life saving, plan and simple (not life saving like our programs in Central Africa, but life saving like a gas station in the Sahara Desert).

And once all that was under control, it was time to tackle the Action Kits.

Reel Picture employees outside of their warehouse

Premise: The amount of Action Kit orders that came in was overwhelming. There is literally no other word for it. Not only did we not see that coming (the demand for kits or the hundred million views of the video – any way you slice it, overwhelming) but as our shipping department previously consisted of three people and one customer service intern, we were not prepared. Enter Reel Picture. They are a fulfillment center that we had worked with in the past who handled the assembly of our Bracelet DVD’s.

Reel is run by Michael Ishayik, who was hugely instrumental in helping us come up with the plan to fulfill the orders. It takes lots of planning, people. And then to execute: Reel had 25 people working 8 hour shifts 24/7 for weeks. As I am a writer and not a mathematician, I can only tell you that’s a ton of man hours.

There is no way to properly express our appreciation. It would take weeks & months of articulation, and even then we would fall short. So we’re starting with a blog post, and hoping that these two companies know how much they saved us during the most integral of times. And just to be clear: THANK YOU.

-Krista

It all started at the San Diego airport when we finally became complete
Shortly thereafter we found out pancakes are what Santo would love to eat.
Later we made it to our first host home in Jackson, Miss.
And just like our team date with Team Texas, it was pure bliss.

Despite the cold water, Santo jumped into his first pool like a duck.
A bit later, he experienced his first ice cream truck!
The fun doesn’t stop there though, because then he went on his first jet-ski Whoop!
Guess what—the very next day he learned how to hula-hoop.

Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen came to a screening and showed her support
And Santo got to play his first Deep South game of soccer—his favorite sport.
We made some dear friends in Orlando—we had lots of fun on the lake
And later at Disney… to be away makes our hearts ache.

Cover the Night included trash clean-up, exciting!
And a whole lot of students’ letter-writing.
There was chalking galore
& murals were painted to end this war.

We’ve seen the most wondrous sunsets
& cityscapes we’ll never forget.
The people are most beautiful of all.
That’s all for now folks, peace out y’all.

For those of you who haven’t ventured on to the interwebs recently, Thrice’s Farewell Tour has begun! We’ve only been back on the road with the guys for a few days, but it already feels like we never left. Just like being at home with family. The feeling is bittersweet in the worst/best way.

We snapped a few photos of the beginning of our 11,341 mile journey in 44 days over 24 states and 2 Canadian provinces. Check them out below. Just like the last tour, follow us on Twitter for more behind-the-scenes pics, exclusives and secret shows with Dustin Kensrue.

Van, pre-loft bed.

Roadies (L-R) Adam Palumbo and Eugene Kim helping me (Alex) build a bed inside of the 12-passenger van. This is where we will be sleeping while touring around North America with Thrice.

The finished product. Home Sweet Home for the next 6 weeks.

Side stage during Thrice’s first night of tour in San Diego, CA.

First “Secret” Acoustic Show of the tour was in San Diego, CA. Video coming soon!

Eugene and Alex love the Mojave desert, clearly.

Opening band, O’Brother, in Las Vegas

Alex, his minion and Eugene headed from Arizona on to Oklahoma. Driven in a single day like the OG Band Tour Roadies that they are.

- Alex & Eugene

Pssssttt… be on the look out later this week for footage of Dustin’s secret acoustic show in San Diego.