Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 7, No. 2, 2008, Page 23
its goal to oust President Museveni (HRW 1997, 64). In 1986, the NRA massacred UPDA
soldiers, damaging morale during a period when arms and ammunition were becoming
scarce (Doom and Vlassenroot 1998, 14). At this time, uncertainty within the UPDA was
high, but when Alice Auma (a charismatic healer and Catholic convert also known as Alice
Lakwena) emerged, the morale of 10,000 of the UPDA soldiers rose (Allen 2006, 36). Alice
promised to correct the source of the Acholi problems and claimed to cast cen (the polluting
spirits of soldiers‘ victims) out of UPDA soldiers (Allen 2006, 34). Alice claimed to be the
medium of the holy spirit named Lakwena and of many lesser spirits. (The holy spirit
Lakwena was allegedly the jogi of an Italian soldier who died in World War One [Doom and
Vlassenroot 1998, 16]). After disappearing in the Nile region for forty days in 1986, Alice
returned as a self-proclaimed healer who was allegedly possessed by the Lakwena jok
(Doom and Vlassenroot 1998, 17). Following her return, Alice gathered many followers who
began to call her Alice Lakwena (Allen 2006, 33).4
The Lakwena jok legitimized Alice‘s efforts to build the Holy Spirit Mobile Forces (HSMF)
from the battalion of UPDA soldiers that she commanded in 1986 (HRW 1997, 64). Her goal
(which Joseph Kony later claimed to share) was to fight to fulfill her prophetic vision, which
she claimed would prevent the genocide of the Acholi and initiate 200 years of peace (Doom
and Vlassenroot 1998, 17-18). Under Alice‘s guidance, the HSMF was violent (although less
violent than the LRA) toward the NRA and the local population, especially toward those
whom it regarded as witches, sorcerers, or otherwise involved with jogi (HRW 1997, 68).
Alice‘s vision included Christian values such as the abandonment of sin, loving one another
and oneself, and strict obedience in all behavior (Doom and Vlassenroot 1998, 18).
Informants allege that regulation within the HSMF included a ban on smoking, stealing,
drinking, quarreling, and taking cover during battle. Alice‘s followers believed that the result
of breaking these rules, called the Holy Spirit Safety Precautions, was death in battle (HRW
1997, 68). The Holy Spirit Safety Precautions are consistent with the rules that Kony forces
onto his followers, but Kony violently imposes them upon children who did not willingly join
his movement, unlike Alice‘s followers.
Many of Alice‘s practices in preparation for and during battle resemble battle tactics that
child soldiers in the LRA undergo (Allen 2006, 35, Behrend 1999a, 25).5 The HSMF initially
confused and frightened their enemies, many of whom simply ran away (Allen 2006, 35):
―Soldiers in the NRA were confronted by scores of partly naked, glistening men and women
marching towards them, some holding bibles, others throwing magical objects, and a few
wielding guns‖ (Allen 2006, 35). By October 1987, the HSMF numbered 10,000 (Allen 2006,
36).
In November 1987, however, the defeat of the HSMF near Jinja (on the outskirts of
Kampala) forced Alice to retreat on bicycle to Kenya (Allen, 2006:36 Doom and Vlassenroot
1998, 16). Alice justified her retreat by arguing that she fled to the Kenyan refugee camp
because her followers displayed impure tendencies, which destroyed the movement (Allen
2006, 36). By this time, however, many Acholi believed that Alice was a ―lunatic, [and]
prostitute turned witch‖ who brought increased suffering, poverty, and structural violence to
their communities (Doom and Vlassenroot 1998, 20). Acholi beliefs regarding Alice are
similar to those that would develop regarding Kony.
Following their defeat in 1988, many key factions of the UPDA and the HSMF surrendered
because the Ugandan government offered amnesty to any rebels who did so (Mawson 2004,
132). Nevertheless, some former UPDA and HSMF, who wanted the worldly and outer-
worldly redemption that the HSMF promised, turned to Alice‘s father, Severino Lukoya
(Doom and Vlassenroot 1998, 16), or to Joseph Kony, who took over the UPDA in April 1987
(Mawson 2004, 132).
its goal to oust President Museveni (HRW 1997, 64). In 1986, the NRA massacred UPDA
soldiers, damaging morale during a period when arms and ammunition were becoming
scarce (Doom and Vlassenroot 1998, 14). At this time, uncertainty within the UPDA was
high, but when Alice Auma (a charismatic healer and Catholic convert also known as Alice
Lakwena) emerged, the morale of 10,000 of the UPDA soldiers rose (Allen 2006, 36). Alice
promised to correct the source of the Acholi problems and claimed to cast cen (the polluting
spirits of soldiers‘ victims) out of UPDA soldiers (Allen 2006, 34). Alice claimed to be the
medium of the holy spirit named Lakwena and of many lesser spirits. (The holy spirit
Lakwena was allegedly the jogi of an Italian soldier who died in World War One [Doom and
Vlassenroot 1998, 16]). After disappearing in the Nile region for forty days in 1986, Alice
returned as a self-proclaimed healer who was allegedly possessed by the Lakwena jok
(Doom and Vlassenroot 1998, 17). Following her return, Alice gathered many followers who
began to call her Alice Lakwena (Allen 2006, 33).4
The Lakwena jok legitimized Alice‘s efforts to build the Holy Spirit Mobile Forces (HSMF)
from the battalion of UPDA soldiers that she commanded in 1986 (HRW 1997, 64). Her goal
(which Joseph Kony later claimed to share) was to fight to fulfill her prophetic vision, which
she claimed would prevent the genocide of the Acholi and initiate 200 years of peace (Doom
and Vlassenroot 1998, 17-18). Under Alice‘s guidance, the HSMF was violent (although less
violent than the LRA) toward the NRA and the local population, especially toward those
whom it regarded as witches, sorcerers, or otherwise involved with jogi (HRW 1997, 68).
Alice‘s vision included Christian values such as the abandonment of sin, loving one another
and oneself, and strict obedience in all behavior (Doom and Vlassenroot 1998, 18).
Informants allege that regulation within the HSMF included a ban on smoking, stealing,
drinking, quarreling, and taking cover during battle. Alice‘s followers believed that the result
of breaking these rules, called the Holy Spirit Safety Precautions, was death in battle (HRW
1997, 68). The Holy Spirit Safety Precautions are consistent with the rules that Kony forces
onto his followers, but Kony violently imposes them upon children who did not willingly join
his movement, unlike Alice‘s followers.
Many of Alice‘s practices in preparation for and during battle resemble battle tactics that
child soldiers in the LRA undergo (Allen 2006, 35, Behrend 1999a, 25).5 The HSMF initially
confused and frightened their enemies, many of whom simply ran away (Allen 2006, 35):
―Soldiers in the NRA were confronted by scores of partly naked, glistening men and women
marching towards them, some holding bibles, others throwing magical objects, and a few
wielding guns‖ (Allen 2006, 35). By October 1987, the HSMF numbered 10,000 (Allen 2006,
36).
In November 1987, however, the defeat of the HSMF near Jinja (on the outskirts of
Kampala) forced Alice to retreat on bicycle to Kenya (Allen, 2006:36 Doom and Vlassenroot
1998, 16). Alice justified her retreat by arguing that she fled to the Kenyan refugee camp
because her followers displayed impure tendencies, which destroyed the movement (Allen
2006, 36). By this time, however, many Acholi believed that Alice was a ―lunatic, [and]
prostitute turned witch‖ who brought increased suffering, poverty, and structural violence to
their communities (Doom and Vlassenroot 1998, 20). Acholi beliefs regarding Alice are
similar to those that would develop regarding Kony.
Following their defeat in 1988, many key factions of the UPDA and the HSMF surrendered
because the Ugandan government offered amnesty to any rebels who did so (Mawson 2004,
132). Nevertheless, some former UPDA and HSMF, who wanted the worldly and outer-
worldly redemption that the HSMF promised, turned to Alice‘s father, Severino Lukoya
(Doom and Vlassenroot 1998, 16), or to Joseph Kony, who took over the UPDA in April 1987
(Mawson 2004, 132).
