US ‘stiffens’ sanctions against Kony
The US government has decided to increase sanctions against Ugandan-born Joseph Kony, the media reported.
|||Kampala - The US government has decided to increase sanctions against Ugandan-born Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), the American media reported on Wednesday morning.
“The Treasury Department first imposed sanctions against the LRA and Kony when the US designated it as a terrorist group, in 2001 and 2008 respectively,” reported the Voice of America (VOA)
The new sanctions freeze any LRA assets under US jurisdiction and prevent US nationals from engaging in transactions with the group.
The Treasury Department says the financial sanctions, announced on Tuesday, are in response to the group targeting civilians in the Central African Republic (CAR).
According to the Treasury Department, since December 2013, the LRA “has killed, kidnapped, displaced, or committed sexual violence against hundreds of Central African Republic (CAR) residents, as well as looting or destroying civilian property”.
It says in an 18-month period starting in January 2014, the LRA was involved in nearly 330 abductions.
It also accused the group of trading in illicit diamonds and illegal elephant ivory in order to generate revenue, reported VOA.
The LRA battled the government of Uganda for 20 years before withdrawing into Central Africa in 2006 after the Juba peace talks in South Sudan.
The group now operates from CAR and South Sudan, surviving by attacking civilians in villages and using captives as fighters, or sex slaves.
Kony has been wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity since 2005 and has been subjected to an Interpol Red Notice at the request of the ICC since 2006.
So far he has managed to evade capture.
However, last December Dominic Ongen, one of Kony’s most trusted commanders, handed himself in after falling out with Kony.
His trial at the ICC started in January where he was charged with 70 war crimes and crimes against humanity
“Ongen, known as the White Ant is accused of orchestrating massacres in at least four refugee camps during his time with the LRA, reported Time Magazine.
More than two thousand victims have signalled their intent to the ICC to participate in his prosecution, reported Time.
African News Agency