Can a joint military force defeat the LRA?

[Personal details removed by Moderator] The idea looks good and it is possible that it works but. you know, in Africa, many good things or ideas don't work because of gross dishonesty on the part of the Actors. There is no way you can tell me that the LRA is a super magical force hat cannot be defeated. This group is existing today because someone, a group of people are benefiting at the expense of the common people who don't know anything.

There are elements in these very affected countries in high profile positions that are supporting and giving vital intelligent information to the LRA. With these people still around, the can be no amount of joint military operations that defeat the LRA.

On the face of it, such a force is precisely what is needed to rid the region of the LRA cancer. They must be receiving some support from somewhere within the region. If those responsible for keeping them active can't be persuaded to stop, then a robust military force would be the only option left.

But we mustn't kid ourselves. I'm not sure about the South African army, but the Nigerian one is notoriously ill-trained and ill-equipped. Indeed, the women of Liberia and Sierra Leone will attest to their brutality and indiscipline. Generally speaking, they ended up exacerbating the the conflicts in both countries. In terms of sheer effectiveness, they failed even to defeat the small band of drug-addled thugs who were responsible for so much mayhem in Sierra Leone - a task that took a small unit of the British army only a few weeks to accomplish. So while such a force would be most welcome, there is a need to be sure they are properly trained, disciplined, and equipped for the task - or else, we might end up with another messy war instead.

This is what makes us proud to be africans. The very fact that our nations can unite to solve the problem. LRA has caused great suffering to our mother land. If there is justice in Africa, these nations must win. As long as LRA continues to operate, they will be sex slaves, child soldiers, and more and more human rights abuse.

It's a step forward for the great lakes region in reducing and combating LRA killings throughout the region and more particularly in South Sudan and Congo.
Fighting LRA is not an easy task because, They don't have parmenant camps and sometimes they move in small groups which make it difficult to confront them systematically.
Another issue is that, we cannot keep on fighting the LRA rebels without giving consideration or attention to their source of support.
LRA, having lost it,s political objectives has become a business organization that carry-out attrocities across the borders.
Question. How can we protect the civillians in the course of fighting?
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This is certainly a good partnership that if the partners concern take it seriousely, it will go along way to boost the security of the region and scared away LRA. I think very much that is one of the best opportunity for African to either fail or succeed for good. If we recal the good job done by NATO forces, then I thnk very much that this agreement between Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Uganda will be a suceess. This will help in many ways such as the gathering of intelegencia, Resources and logistics etc

NATO Secretary- General and Bosnia's Defense Minister signed in March last year formally recognizing the Balkan country as "a non-NATO ISAF contributing nation."

150,000-strong ISAF forces from 41 nations, including 15 non-NATO members, are currently stationed in Afghanistan. With this experience, Africa too is in a good footing and we look forward for the fuits of such a gesture.

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LRA is a group that has caused havoc to our people for the last twenty years. Yes a joint force can defeat the LRA if they are committed to it. Because this guy has support from the region who channel ammunition to him. Check, when I last saw them during the peace talks in the Garamba, thay had new uniforms and new guns - AK47!!!

if such regional support is cut off. LRA will be history.

[Personal details removed by Moderator][Personal details removed by Moderator]HONESTLY SPEAKING IT IS A GOOD DECISION TO FORM A BRIGADE THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF LRA BY THE COUNTRIES CONCERNED, BUT MY WORRY IS THAT IT IS A KNOWN FACT THAT THE TRANSMITTING OF WILL INTO ACTION WHICH IS AN AFRICAN GOVERNMENT PALAVER WOULD NOT MAKE IT WORK,AND DEPENDING ON A COUNTRY LIKE NIGERIA FOR SUPPORT WILL ALSO HAMPER THE BRIGADE EFFORT BECAUSE NIGERIA HAS A LOT OF ITS OWN ISSUES TO CONTEND WITH SO SHE CANNOT VENTURE INTO SUCH HELP AT THIS POINT IN TIME,SO MY POINT HERE IS THAT TO TAKE CARE OF LRA THE GOVERNMENTS SHOULD EMBARK ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND PRACTICE DEMOCRACY THE WAY IT SHOULD BE DONE,WHICH IN ESSENCE WILL MAKE LRA INEFFECTIVE.

In theory this approach is encouraging. However, I have these concerns: How will they track the Lord Resistance Army? Who will fund this group? Who will provide oversight for the actions of this force? Are there any thoughts around a political solution? I believe this is a global problem their requires more than just will. The entire world community must get involve. This is where the US Drones and other western capabilities could really help. This crime against innocent women and children has to come to an end.

Wahwahwah.bravaaaaaalll..finally Africans leaders can act on their failures that have plagued the continent with constant wars. Ask any African and they'll give you a horrific story that you can't even come to imagine why/how s/he survived and you know why these actions should be more recommended and encouraged by everyone who has the power to do so. Where is the UN when it's more needed?

A joint military may not defeat the LRA instantly but it could in the long term force them to come to the table and seek peaceful means their grievances. On the other hand, the joint military has the potential being developed and used beyond simple purposes such as LRA. I have always thought African countries need a cooperative military force that will be used to address the continent's problem; and one area the joint force is gravely needed is sea patrolling, if my knowledge serve me well, i thinks our coasts have and are still patrols by foreign forces. I hope our leaders can see the need for an extended joint military force in the continent.

I strongly hold the views of Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Uganda for agreeing to form a joint military force to fight the Lord's Resistance Army.

This so far went along way to intensify cooperation at the theatres of operation where both armed forces from neither country are deployed, to fight the Rebels of LRA.

"Lastly, this could develop more armament programmes that are efficient and adapted to the needs of both armed forces.

This new type of African corporation could contribute to stability and peace not only in the region but globally, and would enable progress in bilateral relations in all its facets, "be it facing common threats, or intensifying operational cooperation, or bringing the projects for equipping the African armed forces, launched together, to their fruition."

This military join cooperation between the nations "concerns the very heart of our security and facilitate counter-terrorism and other ills that are plaguing Africa in recent times."

Further, this have a very promising operational cooperation, be it regarding anti-piracy, joint exercises or officer exchanges.

Brovo to The Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Uganda.

This is exactly what many of us has been asking in anticipation the government of these countries to do in order to halt the LRA in destroying communities in these countries. I can imagine what happened to the civilians in Dungu (north-north east) of the DRC, CAR, Sudan and of course Uganda. The LRA has been operating safely as these countries were not politically matured to handle these situations because they were been busy supporting rebel groups in neighboring countries. It is a new development if they can establish a robust military joint structure to force the disarming of the LRA as soon as possible because they are still exploring ways and means to be contracted by disgruntled politicians in the region, most especially the future referendum in Sudan, the upcoming elections in Uganda, next year in the DRC etc.

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I do not see any reason why joint military forces cannot defeat the LRA if the countries that providing assisting the LRA stop their backing,otherwise if the LRA continue to get the support from other countries it will just be a waist of livies and resouces, and the LRA will never be defeated.

I have, for a long time, been an advocate of a single military for the African continent. This would be under the control of the African Union.

I do not see why every country, no matter how small, has to have its own military. It does not make sense. Economic or militarily.

Take the example of Swaziland. Small kingdom. Small population. Completely surrounded by South Africa. What is Swaziland's army for? If South Africa, for some incomprehensible reason, decided to invade Swaziland, what would Swaziland do about it? Not much.

Swaziland's best protection would be to pool it's defence with South Africa.

The case in point. Uganda has been fighting the LRA for more than 20 years. The LRA is a rag tag of child soldiers led by a religious zealot. What is the Ugandan Army for ? It can't defeat even an army of amateur child soldiers.

I believe that African countries should pool their militaries into a single military structure. This makes sense economically and militarily. There is no need to keep the structures we inherited from the colonial regimes.

Africa's threats in the future will come from outside the continent. Everyone outside the continent is eyeing Africa's vast wealth of natural resources. Outsiders in the past have not hesitated from using force to grab Africa's wealth.

We will be able to protect ourselves better if we pool our defence. Africa's colonial humiliation was made much easier by the disunity that existed among our ancestors. We should not make the same mistake again.

Okay, this is a great news. I'm sure a joint military action is a great idea at this stage to defeat these guys. The big question is, will my country, Nigeria, or South Africa readily provide the needed logistics? As it sounds, the plan will fail without one of these countries.
Though I think the logistics will be provided, I wonder if this might not lead to further crises and hence, more civilian casualities.
Intelligence sharing will be great and if a joint military action will be commenced, I strongly advice their mandate be clear and right, not like what we have in Sudan. The military guys should not be handicapped with a wrong mandate.
To reply Akpan above, the Nigerian troops did not make situation worse in Sieria Leone. They are reputed to be one of the best trained in africa. Of course, as with everything in my country, there are bad eggs among them.
God bless Africa and give us peace.
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Well that would be a good idea theoretically but practically im very doubtful and worried about the whole plan.First let somebody out there explain what happened to the so called "Operation lighting Thunder" which was busy executing the same mission around last year and never succeeding in finishing of this so called "Terrorists",Of what difference is it with the current plan meant to flush out the LRA from this great lakes region.

To me as long as we do not first deal with people behind the funding of the LRA activities then i fore see a bad deal out of this.

Basing on my experience as one of the victims of LRA atrocities,It would be agood plan but the question is who are these commited forces ready to end the LRA incursion within and in the great lakes region without causing more problems to us again and perhaps causing causalities and death to the poor victims incase of failure and revage by the LRA,are they going to give their full best like a local militia group called ARROW BOYS which we formed and managed to flush out the LRA in Teso region in Uganda when they had advanced to the east of the country to distabalise us?

By the way,these so called LRA fighters are just mainly comprised of young boys and men capable of disorganising the so called an " organised" ARMY of the same country and that of the region for the last 20+ years without out even containing them,its embarrasing to learn that this is now the time when these countries are now waking up.

Otherwise i wish you guys (Uganda,DRC,Sudan and CAR)good luck as you try to pursue your plans and "dreams" in order to bring back peace to the region.

To Oluwatoyin Olabisi: I think if you speak to the countless Sierra Leonean or Liberian women that were raped and brutalized by them, you might just be shaken out of your complacent mindset. You'll notice I used the word "might" - and that's because I'm almost sure this sort of thing matters very little to your ilk.

To quote Akpan "but the Nigerian one is notoriously ill-trained and ill-equipped. Indeed, the women of Liberia and Sierra Leone will attest to their brutality and indiscipline." This is an individual that clearly cannot hide his bitter anti Nigeria antics. But as a Nigerian, who cares about Akpan and his likes? As it stands so far in Africa Nigeria is the only country who have proven her capability to project and sustain military force in Africa's trouble spots. Akpan referred to a small British force taking on the RUF in Sierra Leone is clearly exercising the extremity of the figment of his imagination. The small British force he referred to took on a small renegade kidnapping group called West side Boys in order to free their captures comrades and the operation was only successful because Nigerian forces block all possible escape routes against the so called West side Boys. Simply putting it the Nigerians broke the back of the crazed and notorious RUF in Sierra Leone. Akpan please sound a bit more intellectual in your writing and spear us the embarrassment.

Dear BBC its not the first time for this four countries to make a join army group agenist LRA always faile and our felow citizen in weastern Equatoria are surfaring
how comes that four courties were not able to get rid of LRA.
LRA is an Udandan reble not for Sudan way are they in south Sudan

This is to tell African leaders that they have to be responsible in dispensaring their duties and managing the resources effectively. The minerals and attractive resources Africa has, can be more than enough if they are managed with attention and good judgement.

yes the joint military can defeat the lra ,because the lra distrbance the peace between southern suadan /congo/uganda and cetral africa plus chad. thsee group become the enemies to all community of africa because they did not want peace between ugandan citzien ,

thank
george gatloy
student of sunshine college unity state south sudan

T dele olubodun: You're quite right in describing me as "an individual that clearly cannot hide his bitter anti Nigeria antics" (though I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "antics" here). I might remind you that there are millions of ordinary Nigerians who, like me, are fed up to the back teeth with mind-boggling misrule by our rulers. And, contrary to your suggestion, they do in fact care, perhaps not particularly about what I think, but about this very issue. So, I'm naturally proud to be in their company.

But your assertion that "in Africa Nigeria is the only country who have proven her capability to project and sustain military force in Africa's trouble spots" is as risible as it reminds me of those fellow Nigerians who revel in their grandiose delusions - the only surprise being that you haven't yet got round to using the usual cliched phrase "the giant of Africa" to describe the so-called country. Leaving Sierra Leone and Liberia aside, don't you think if Nigeria had any of these capabilities, they might just have succeeded in taking on and defeating the criminal gangs who now effectively control many parts of the Niger Delta? Or do those capabilities only manifest themselves on foreign missions?

My goodness, I thought it was I who needed to "sound a bit more intellectual in [my] writing," but I'll "spear" you the embarrassment, as you've urged me to.

Haha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LRA???? what a hell are you doing in the Bush? do you wanted to be caught like a rat? this Kony must come back Home, H.E Ocampo is looking for Him, come and confess in front of your brothers who are still alive, many while those whom you murdered are waiting for you in hell.