As the war in northern Uganda enters its twentieth year, spanning three nations and causing an estimated 1000 deaths weekly in Uganda alone, the United Nations Security Council has passed its first resolution with explicit mention of the crisis.

The resolution,which resulted after a series of briefings on peace, democracy, and human rights in the Great Lakes Region of Africa, expressed the Council's "deep concern at the devastating impact of conflict and insecurity on the humanitarian situation throughout the Great Lakes region and their implications for regional peace and security, especially where arms and armed groups move across borders, such as the long-running and brutal insurgency by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in northern Uganda which has caused the death, abduction and displacement of thousands of innocent civilians in Uganda, the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo."

The resolution further called for the LRA to end its campaign of terror on innocent civilians, and for regional governments to fulfill their responsibility to protect civilians and to cooperate in finding resolution to violent conflict.

Civil society organizations, including Uganda-CAN, have called for further action to be taken by the international body, including the sending of a UN Envoy to northern Uganda by Secretary General Kofi Annan, the development of a commission to explore sources of LRA financing, the provision of increased material and diplomatic support to mediation efforts, and the deployment of human rights monitors to the area. While these requests have yet to be met, the passage of this resolution by the Security Council makes future Council engagement of the crisis more likely.

William Bionx Akena, Uganda-CAN news correspondent in Gulu town, reports -

Three Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) fighters were killed over the weekend in Kitgum and Gulu districts. Speaking to Uganda-CAN this morning, the northern army spokesman Lt. Chris Magezi said the army also rescued eleven abductees and recovered eight SMGs with several rounds of ammunitions. The northern army spokesman appealed to the LRA fighters to come out of the "bush" while the opportunity is still there with the Amnesty Law.

William Bionx Akena, Uganda-CAN news correspondent in Gulu town, reports -

On Sunday, some fifteen Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) fighters attacked a disco in Adjumani district, killing three people and injuring twelve others. UPDF military forces pursued these attackers, and hit the group Monday morning, killing two rebels on the spot. One of those killed is a LRA major whom they have not yet identified by name.

In Pader district over the weekend, three LRA rebels were killed. The UPDF army spokesman for the northern region said that the UPDF continues to pursue LRA elements in that district. Meanwhile in a related event, recently-promoted LRA central protection units intelligence officer Lt. Col. Dr. Acaya was shot dead west of river Unyama in Gulu district this morning. The UPDF recovered a list of newly promoted LRA commanders, telephone contacts of prominent people including the chief of defense force Gen. Aronda Nyaikarime, Bishop Odama and others.

William Bionx Akena, Uganda-CAN correspondent in Gulu, reports -

A military court martial sitting yesterday at Lalogi Internally Displaced Person (IDP) Camp in Lira District of northern Uganda sentenced a local soldier to death for killing a camp resident on Christmas day.

The court found Private Rubangakene Joel guilty of killing Ojok Ojara on the 25th of December. Rubangakene is a member of a Local Defense Unit (LDU), recruited by the government locally to augment the services of the national military.

Ojara's killing sparked off a mob protest at an army barracks several days later later that was fired on by Ugandan soldiers, leaving six civilians dead with seventeen more remaining in Lacor hospital with bullet wounds. The Ugandan military detach based in the area is to be relocated, according to a directive from Ugandan President Museveni, and several soldiers have been court-martialed.

Many amongst the local population however think that the trial and sentenceing of Rubangakene is not purnishement enough to the army, arguing that the real culprits have not been brought to justice. Moreover, many remain angry that the government's policy of relocating army detachs that commit human rights abuses does nothing to punish perpetrators or prevent such abuses from occurring.

A local government official told Uganda-CAN that the killing has been politicized, and that President Museveni plans to use the incident to demonstrate his commitment to prosecuting violators of human rights. The government has been criticized by local and international human rights organizations for failing to protect the northern population from rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) attacks and for creating an atmosphere of impunity for Ugandan soldiers.

Meanwhile, the bodies of three women suspected to have been kidnapped by the LRA two weeks ago where recovered last week in Bobi sub-county and laid to rest.