IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 542 
Condemning the ongoing attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) 
which have affected innocent civilians in Uganda, South Sudan, Central 
African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 12, 2009 
Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. MORAN of Kansas, Mr. 
KISSELL, and Mr. MCGOVERN) submitted the following resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Condemning the ongoing attacks by the Lord’s Resistance 
Army (LRA) which have affected innocent civilians in 
Uganda, South Sudan, Central African Republic, and 
the Democratic Republic of Congo, and for other pur-
poses. 
Whereas for over two decades, the Government of Uganda 
has been engaged in an armed conflict with the Lord’s 
Resistance Army (LRA) that resulted in as many as 
200,000 civilian deaths from violence and disease, as well 
as the displacement of more than 1,600,000 people from 
eastern and northern Uganda; 
Whereas the LRA has also occupied and caused severe inse-
curity and humanitarian crises in northeastern Demo-
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•HRES 542 IH 
cratic Republic of Congo and southern Sudan, and ab-
ducted innocent civilians in southeastern Central African 
Republic; 
Whereas Joseph Kony, the leader of the LRA, and several of 
his top commanders have been indicted by the Inter-
national Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes 
against humanity, including rape, murder, enslavement, 
and sexual enslavement, and have forcibly recruited tens 
of thousands of children; 
Whereas in April 2008, after nearly two years of peace nego-
tiations mediated by the Government of South Sudan, 
Joseph Kony refused to sign the Final Peace Agreement 
with the Government of Uganda; 
Whereas Joseph Kony subsequently refused to sign the Final 
Peace Agreement in May, September, and November of 
2008 despite continued efforts by mediators and civil so-
ciety leaders to meet with him and clarify the terms of 
the agreement; 
Whereas in March of 2008, despite being engaged in negotia-
tions to finalize the Final Peace Agreement, the LRA 
raided several villages in southeastern Central Africa Re-
public and southern Sudan, abducting 150 people, includ-
ing 23 children; 
Whereas since September 2008, Joseph Kony has directed 
the LRA to engage in systematic, large-scale violence 
against innocent civilians in the Democratic Republic of 
Congo and South Sudan that has resulted in the— 
(1) deliberate killing of over 1,000 Congolese and 
Sudanese civilians until January 2009, which, according 
to research done by Genocide Intervention Network, con-
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•HRES 542 IH 
stitutes the deadliest violence in Africa during that time 
period; 
(2) deaths of over 200 Congolese civilians on Decem-
ber 25, 2008, in a series of coordinated rebel attacks that 
targeted civilians gathering to celebrate Christmas, ac-
cording to Human Rights Watch; 
(3) displacement of 150,000 Congolese and 36,000 
Sudanese civilians from their homes, many of whom do 
not have access to essential humanitarian assistance; and 
(4) abduction of over 450 children; 
Whereas military forces and United Nations peacekeepers in 
the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan have been 
unable to protect civilians from LRA attacks; 
Whereas the Ugandan military, working in conjunction with 
the militaries of the Democratic Republic of Congo and 
South Sudan, launched a regional military offensive, 
‘‘Operation Lightning Thunder’’, against LRA bases in 
Congolese territory on December 14, 2008; 
Whereas ‘‘Operation Lightning Thunder’’ did not adequately 
protect civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo and 
South Sudan from LRA attacks, which dramatically in-
creased in frequency and brutality after December 14, 
2008, and did not result in the capture of Joseph Kony 
nor pressure him to sign and abide by the Final Peace 
Agreement; and 
Whereas the United States military’s Africa Command pro-
vided logistical and technical support to regional mili-
taries involved in ‘‘Operation Lightning Thunder’’: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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•HRES 542 IH 
(1) condemns the decision by Joseph Kony, the 
leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), to not 
sign the Final Peace Agreement with the Govern-
ment of Uganda and to instead order LRA rebels to 
resume large-scale attacks against innocent civilians; 
(2) expresses the support of the citizens of the 
United States for civilians in central Africa who 
have suffered from LRA attacks and abductions; 
(3) urges Joseph Kony to sign the Final Peace 
Agreement and ensure the LRA takes concrete, gen-
uine steps to abide by its terms, including halting all 
attacks on civilian populations; 
(4) urges the military forces of Uganda, the 
Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Re-
public, and South Sudan, as well as United Nations 
peacekeeping forces in the region, to protect civilians 
from further LRA attacks, ensure all offensive oper-
ations target only top LRA commanders and avoid 
endangering abducted children and noncombatants, 
and strengthen ongoing efforts to facilitate the de-
mobilization and reintegration of lower-level combat-
ants, captives, and noncombatants; and 
(5) calls for President Barack Obama to ap-
point a senior diplomat dedicated to addressing the 
destabilizing impact of LRA atrocities in the region, 
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