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Stop Human Rights Abuses
The Christmas Massacres
February 16, 2009

II. Recommendations

To the governments of DR Congo, Uganda, and southern Sudan

  • Coordinate with MONUC all efforts for protecting civilians, rescuing abducted persons, and obtaining the surrender of LRA combatants.
  • During military operations against the LRA, make the protection of civilians and rescue of abducted persons a priority. Deploy troops as necessary to protect civilian populations from LRA reprisal attacks.
  • Establish reception points near LRA positions to make it easier for combatants to surrender or for escaping abductees to seek help by avoiding populated areas where aggrieved residents may attack them. Hand over captured or escaped children as soon as possible to appropriate authorities, such as UNICEF and appropriate local and international nongovernmental organizations tasked with reunifying children with their families and providing psychosocial support.
  • Hand over to the International Criminal Court those LRA leaders who surrender or are captured and who are wanted by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

To MONUC

  • Cooperate with Congolese, Ugandan, and southern Sudanese armed forces to establish a tactical headquarters focused on protecting civilians, rescuing abducted persons, obtaining the surrender of LRA combatants, and the capture of LRA leaders wanted by the ICC. Provide necessary resources and staff, including staff with expertise on international humanitarian law and children's rights.
  • Increase the logistical support, including further aerial support, for the Congolese armed forces and other forces as necessary, to ensure rapid deployment of troops for the purpose of civilian protection.
  • Assist the Congolese and Ugandan armed forces in setting up reception points for LRA defectors and abducted persons. In coordination with UNICEF, ensure that facilities and psychosocial services are established for children, with an emphasis on reunifying them with families as soon as possible.
  • Deploy a civilian multidisciplinary team including human rights, international humanitarian law, and children's rights experts, to Dungu to ensure ongoing monitoring of abuses by all parties to the conflict.

To the UN Security Council

  • Direct the United Nations secretariat to give priority to the prompt recruitment and deployment of the additional 3,000 MONUC peacekeepers agreed to in resolutions 1843 and 1856. Provide additional resources, including further logistical capacity, to MONUC and the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) to enable them to protect civilians at risk of LRA attack.
  • Support a strategy to apprehend LRA commanders wanted by the ICC and others who have committed war crimes or crimes against humanity with minimum risk to civilians and request member states to provide the necessary financial and operational resources.

To UNICEF and other child protection agencies

  • Urgently increase teams working in the countries affected by the LRA to document abductions and the mistreatment of children and set up programs to support tracing, assistance to those who have fled the LRA, and family reunification.

To the International Criminal Court prosecutor

  • Investigate recent LRA crimes in DRC and southern Sudan with a view to expanding the charges for those LRA leaders already subject to ICC arrest warrants and bringing cases against additional persons.

To Concerned Governments and Regional Bodies

  • Provide MONUC, UNMIS, and members of the Ugandan-led coalition with the necessary logistical capacity, intelligence, communications, and other resources to ensure that forces in the area of operations are adequately prepared to protect civilians, rescue abducted persons, and obtain the surrender of combatants.
  • Cooperate with regional governments, MONUC, and UNMIS to ensure apprehension of LRA leaders wanted by the ICC, including those who may be captured or surrender as part of the military operations against the LRA. Provide essential operational and financial resources to support apprehension of ICC suspects in a way that makes civilian protection, including that of abducted persons, a priority.
  • Provide MONUC with the rapid response capabilities and the additional 3,000 troops authorized by the UN Security Council in November 2008 to enhance MONUC's ability to respond quickly and protect civilians, including in LRA affected areas.

To International Donors

  • Provide emergency support to UN agencies and local and international nongovernmental organizations to assist the victims and the communities affected by LRA violence.