A young woman, held by the LRA for three years, sits with her sister in a camp for Internally Displaced Persons following her escape a month earlier. Dungu, DRC, July 2011. © Conciliation Resources/Tom Bradley

*Latest update* LRA conflict: Who is responsible for the consequences of military action?

The #Kony2012 viral campaign has caused a media storm. In drawing the attention of ordinary global citizens – particularly young people – to this neglected war with the LRA it has succeeded where two decades of campaigning work have so far failed.

We urge that efforts to end the LRA conflict must listen to the opinions of local people.

The LRA conflict requires a holistic and coordinated response

Conciliation Resources has been working with local civil society organisations on the frontlines of the conflict since 1997. Local people have been calling consistently on the international community to help protect their families from attack and displacement but they struggle to make their voices heard.

The Stop Kony online campaign has been successful in bringing the LRA conflict to the attention of an audience who hadn't previously heard of Joseph Kony or the violence that's been terrorising people in East and Central Africa for decades.

The campaign calls for further military intervention but we urge a different approach.

We really question how any military intervention now will help to protect all these people against retaliation attacks from the LRA

Ernest Sugule Kangoyangala, civil society leader, DRC

We support the UN Security Council's call for a political strategy and agree with the US government's own conclusions that there can be no exclusively military solution to this deep rooted conflict.

Unfortunately, however, alternative strategies are not vigorously explored and pursued. There must be a political solution that promotes civilian security.

Civilian protection should be a priority

Find out more about what local organisations are saying about the conflict and how to support them to cope with the conflict:

Find out more about our work on the Lord's Resistance Army conflict.