Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 7, No. 2, 2008, Page 27
although the majority of tasks fall on the shoulders of wives (young girls who Kony assigns
to commanders as rewards, with no formal marriage ceremonies), small children, and wife
assistants (girls whom the LRA considers too young to be wives [Amnesty International
1997, 16 UN 2003, 47]). Small children run errands, fetch water, and cultivate land on the
somewhat permanent bases, while wives conduct the majority of meal-preparation duties
(HRW, 2003:3). Some human-rights groups and newspapers argue that the LRA also trades
children as slaves for weapons in Sudan (Oxfam 2001, 18 Zarembo 1996). Amnesty
International (1997, 9), however, found no evidence of the LRA‘s involvement in the slave
trade.
Few children ever receive a gun, but at some point, the LRA forces most children (whether
or not they are trained or the LRA considers them to be old enough) onto the front lines of
battle. Small, unarmed children (most of whom are haulers) fight on the front line during
the LRA‘s battles because their deaths hurt the LRA less than the deaths of trained soldiers
and commanders (HRW 1997, 37). Moreover, commanders instruct children not to take
cover, and to fight ruthlessly to avoid physical punishment following battle, and most
children follow suit: ―Child warriors are often the most feared of all soldiers as they have
been acculturated to violence and have few scruples about killing‖ (Shaw 2003, 241). Child
soldiers kill very effectively, especially in an ambush, because they are small and difficult to
spot (Hundeide 2003, 118).
When it encounters child soldiers, the UPDF is subject to fright like many other armies—
becoming temporarily paralyzed, ineffective in skill and communication, and suffering
physiological effects, all of which affect the army‘s fighting ability (Vinci 2005, 374). Despite
members‘ fear, the UPDF often fires to disperse children and to encourage them to escape
the army, however, still hits many of them (Mazurana and McKay 2004, 79). The LRA uses
the deaths of these children to discourage local support of the UPDF by arguing that the
UPDF, which is supposed to be protecting Acholiland, is murdering children (Hovil and Lomo
2004, 33).
Physical Coercion
The LRA subjects children to constant physical coercion in an effort to force them to become
effective laborers and soldiers. LRA commanders enter homes and schools at night, often
burning them down and beating or killing families while they abduct children. After the LRA
removes children from their homes, it subjects them to constant violence, the threat of
death, food deprivation, and the deprivation of adequate clothing and equipment. Many
children respond to this abuse with anxiety for survival and total surrender to their
commanders‘ orders (Hundeide 2003, 116). These children do not know what the
commander will do to them—kill them, beat them, abandon them, rape them, force them to
kill, or release them (Allen 2006, 61). Human Rights Watch (1997, 18) argues that some
children are instantly frightened to the point that their experiences seem imaginary: ―the
pain, fear, and shock combine to create a numbness, a dizziness—a sense, at times, that
madness is not far off.‖
During marches, children—without rest, water, or food—carry heavy loads of looted food
and goods (Cheney, 2005:27). LRA commanders bind new abductees together for the long
march to a base camp and expect the abductees to behave throughout the trek (Cheney
2005, 27). Disobedience in the LRA ranges from getting tired and lagging behind, to refusal
to kill upon request, to escape attempts. If a commander considers an abductee to be
disobedient, then the commander forces the other children to kill that child as an example
of what happens to those who are disobedient. Furthermore, the LRA frequently alters rules,
and commanders occasionally trick children into punishment (Legget 2001, 32). For
instance, periodically commanders will ask tired-looking children if they would like a ‗rest‘
and some children will say ‗yes.‘ A ‗rest,‘ however, actually means that they will be killed
although the majority of tasks fall on the shoulders of wives (young girls who Kony assigns
to commanders as rewards, with no formal marriage ceremonies), small children, and wife
assistants (girls whom the LRA considers too young to be wives [Amnesty International
1997, 16 UN 2003, 47]). Small children run errands, fetch water, and cultivate land on the
somewhat permanent bases, while wives conduct the majority of meal-preparation duties
(HRW, 2003:3). Some human-rights groups and newspapers argue that the LRA also trades
children as slaves for weapons in Sudan (Oxfam 2001, 18 Zarembo 1996). Amnesty
International (1997, 9), however, found no evidence of the LRA‘s involvement in the slave
trade.
Few children ever receive a gun, but at some point, the LRA forces most children (whether
or not they are trained or the LRA considers them to be old enough) onto the front lines of
battle. Small, unarmed children (most of whom are haulers) fight on the front line during
the LRA‘s battles because their deaths hurt the LRA less than the deaths of trained soldiers
and commanders (HRW 1997, 37). Moreover, commanders instruct children not to take
cover, and to fight ruthlessly to avoid physical punishment following battle, and most
children follow suit: ―Child warriors are often the most feared of all soldiers as they have
been acculturated to violence and have few scruples about killing‖ (Shaw 2003, 241). Child
soldiers kill very effectively, especially in an ambush, because they are small and difficult to
spot (Hundeide 2003, 118).
When it encounters child soldiers, the UPDF is subject to fright like many other armies—
becoming temporarily paralyzed, ineffective in skill and communication, and suffering
physiological effects, all of which affect the army‘s fighting ability (Vinci 2005, 374). Despite
members‘ fear, the UPDF often fires to disperse children and to encourage them to escape
the army, however, still hits many of them (Mazurana and McKay 2004, 79). The LRA uses
the deaths of these children to discourage local support of the UPDF by arguing that the
UPDF, which is supposed to be protecting Acholiland, is murdering children (Hovil and Lomo
2004, 33).
Physical Coercion
The LRA subjects children to constant physical coercion in an effort to force them to become
effective laborers and soldiers. LRA commanders enter homes and schools at night, often
burning them down and beating or killing families while they abduct children. After the LRA
removes children from their homes, it subjects them to constant violence, the threat of
death, food deprivation, and the deprivation of adequate clothing and equipment. Many
children respond to this abuse with anxiety for survival and total surrender to their
commanders‘ orders (Hundeide 2003, 116). These children do not know what the
commander will do to them—kill them, beat them, abandon them, rape them, force them to
kill, or release them (Allen 2006, 61). Human Rights Watch (1997, 18) argues that some
children are instantly frightened to the point that their experiences seem imaginary: ―the
pain, fear, and shock combine to create a numbness, a dizziness—a sense, at times, that
madness is not far off.‖
During marches, children—without rest, water, or food—carry heavy loads of looted food
and goods (Cheney, 2005:27). LRA commanders bind new abductees together for the long
march to a base camp and expect the abductees to behave throughout the trek (Cheney
2005, 27). Disobedience in the LRA ranges from getting tired and lagging behind, to refusal
to kill upon request, to escape attempts. If a commander considers an abductee to be
disobedient, then the commander forces the other children to kill that child as an example
of what happens to those who are disobedient. Furthermore, the LRA frequently alters rules,
and commanders occasionally trick children into punishment (Legget 2001, 32). For
instance, periodically commanders will ask tired-looking children if they would like a ‗rest‘
and some children will say ‗yes.‘ A ‗rest,‘ however, actually means that they will be killed
