H.Res. 584 (112th): Reaffirming the commitment of the House of Representatives to finding and capturing Joseph Kony, and for other ...

HRES 584 IH

Reaffirming the commitment of the House of Representatives to finding and capturing Joseph Kony, and for other purposes.

March 13, 2012

Mr. ISRAEL submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

Reaffirming the commitment of the House of Representatives to finding and capturing Joseph Kony, and for other purposes.

Whereas the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has been active for over two decades in central Africa and is responsible for the murder, abduction, mutilation, and rape of tens of thousands of men, women, and children, and is responsible for the displacement of 2,000,000 people;

Whereas Joseph Kony, the leader of the LRA, and several of his top commanders have been indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, enslavement, sexual enslavement, pillaging, and rape;

Whereas in the year 2011 alone, there were over 250 attacks attributed to the LRA and an estimated 440,000 people displaced or living as refugees due to LRA activity in central Africa;

Whereas the United States seeks to support the people and Governments of Uganda, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan in their struggle against the LRA;

Whereas in the Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009, enacted May 24, 2010, Congress expressed support for increased, comprehensive United States efforts to help mitigate and eliminate the threat posed by the LRA to civilians and regional stability;

Whereas the Administration submitted to Congress a strategic plan entitled ‘Strategy to Support the Disarmament of the Lord’s Resistance Army’ on November 24, 2010;

Whereas the Administration has developed a comprehensive, multi-year strategy to guide United States support to help regional partners in their struggle against the LRA;

Whereas President Barack Obama authorized on October 14, 2011, a team of combat-equipped United States forces to deploy to central Africa to provide assistance to regional partner forces working toward the removal of Joseph Kony and other senior commanders of the LRA;

Whereas these forces will act only as advisors to partner forces, providing them with logistical support, advice, and training and will only engage the LRA if necessary for self-defense; and

Whereas the deployment of these forces furthers United States national security interests and foreign policy goals: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) condemns the crimes against humanity committed by Joseph Kony and other senior Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commanders;

(2) expresses its support for the people of central Africa who have been affected by the brutality of the LRA;

(3) expresses its support for the regional partner forces working toward the shared goal of removing Joseph Kony and senior LRA commanders from the battlefield;

(4) applauds the Administration’s actions in support of the central African people and regional partner forces in their struggle against the LRA; and

(5) expresses its support in making every effort possible to capture and remove from the battlefield Joseph Kony and senior LRA commanders and bringing them to justice.

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