Diagnostic study of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)

Though there has been much public discussion of ways and means of dealing with the challenge posed by the presence of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) since the failure of Juba Peace Talks and of Operation Lightning Thunder, there have been few attempts to analyse the political, historical and military dimensions of the problem in a coherent way. 

The aim of this LRA Diagnostic Study is to arrive at an adequate contextual description of these three main elements of the LRA problem in order to facilitate discussion among the members of the International Working Group (IWG).

The study was conducted over the period December 2010 – April 2011 by a small team of experts working in close collaboration with a network of established researchers.

In addition to interviews and consultations with diplomats, representatives from engaged agencies and governments, academics and military officers, the Study team members conducted a series of field visits to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda and South Sudan. Visits to the Central African Republic (CAR) were not possible due to time and logistics restraints.

Ultimately, the study argues that the responsibility to protect civilians in this case imposes an obligation to find alternatives to approaches that are clearly not working.

Draft – 11 June 2011 – Phil Lancaster, Guillaume Lacaille and Ledio Cakaj