Reflections from Uganda on “Kony 2012”

Like more than 80 million others around the world, I have watched the moving and professionally done “Kony 2012” video produced by Invisible Children.  Unlike the vast majority of those who have watched the 30-minute video, however, I am actually in living in Uganda and have had the opportunity to experience this phenomenon from the inside.

I will leave to the social scientists to explain why this is the most widely viewed video in the shortest amount of time in the history of the world.  I simply hope to offer a few thoughts and a window into how the video is being received here in Uganda, both in the popular press and by those who lived through the nightmarish war in the north.

From my perch in Kampala, it appears to me that Americans are choosing sides – pro and con.  Though that is likely too simplistic.  More accurately, Americans appear to be choosing whether they are for or against Indivisible Children as an organization and/or its founders.  While there are those who contend that the issues surrounding the war in Northern Uganda is much more complex than the 30-minute video captures (duh), no one appears to be coming out in favor of Joseph Kony or the LRA.  That is a good thing, for he is a very bad man.

So what are people against, exactly, and why?  And how do Ugandans feel about this video?

In the immediate wake of the release of this video, Invisible Children was the subject of quite a bit of criticism based upon the way it uses its money and the alleged lack of transparency relating to its finances.  IC immediately responded in a way that seemed to provide much-needed clarification in light of the criticisms.  Here is their response.  I have neither the time nor the inclination to independently assess whether they are using their money in precisely the way I (or anyone else) think they should use it.  But they make crystal clear that they are an advocacy organization and that among their core functions are (i) producing high-quality videos that bring awareness to the plight of otherwise-forgotten children in Africa, and (ii) traveling around the country and world in an effort to build awareness.  It seems to me indisputable that they are doing an excellent job on first point, as witnessed by the fact that most of the developed world is talking about Joseph Kony right now.  And with respect to the second point, I can personally attest that traveling around the world in an effort to get things done is very expensive.  It is also true that there is no substitute for being here, there, and everywhere in person.

I personally don’t know the founders of IC – I met one of them only briefly and he seemed like a good guy to me.  One of my former students works for IC, and I know he is a stellar guy.  (Hey Jed).  I also know that what IC did about a decade ago to put a spotlight on Uganda and the “Night Commuter” children was nothing short of spectacular.  Their original video inspired a generation of young people to look beyond themselves and to come to Uganda, Congo, and other places in Africa and around the world in order to bring relief to the suffering.  That simply is not in dispute.  (Please do not allow the recent public indiscretion by one of the IC founders to at all distract you from the real issue here – the suffering population in Northern Uganda).

Granted, whether or not IC spends “enough” of its money on relief, counseling, rehabilitation, and reconstruction is a legitimate point for discussion.  But critics of IC should understand that they are not solely a relief organization – they are an advocacy organization as well.  For those who think that IC should be spending more on relief, then there is an easy solution.  Find an organization that does solely relief work and send some money there also.  Better yet, come to Uganda or South Sudan or wherever and get involved, rather than simply heckling someone else who is trying to help.

Here are a few organizations who are trying to bring relief to the oppressed around the world:

World Vision

International Justice Mission

I also want to commend to you Sister Rosemary who runs a relief operation for those affected by the LRA in Northern Uganda.  She is truly an amazing woman, and I had a chance to speak with her earlier this week about her take on the Kony 2012 video.  I don’t feel authorized to quote her, but I will say that those who are looking to do something tangible to help those directly affected by the LRA should look into supporting her and her work.  Here is a fairly recent CNN story on her.  Also, Restore International (Bob Goff’s organization) runs a school in Gulu (the epicenter for the war in the north) and is helping to re-educate and re-vitalize this part of Uganda.

OK, so how is the Kony 2012 video being received here in Uganda?  Unsurprisingly, it is getting lots of press attention.  Also unsurprisingly, the responses are mixed, but trending mostly positive.  There are certainly questions being raised about the timing of this video.  I will admit to scratching my head when I first heard “Kony 2012.”  Kony was driven out of Uganda in 2006, so why are they doing a video about him now?  But after watching the video, and seeing and hearing IC acknowledge that while Kony and the LRA are no longer here in Uganda, they are still active in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.  That was news to me, and it appears to be news to lots of Ugandans.

A couple days ago, the video was played on an outdoor screen in Gulu.  About halfway through the screening, some teenagers started throwing rocks at the screen and at the organizers, so it was halted.  When asked to explain their actions, the teenagers reported that they were kids during Kony’s reign of terror and the images on the screen were still too haunting for them.  This was a sobering reminder of how much in need of relief this region still remains.  Other public commentators have acknowledged that the capture of Kony would be helpful in bringing closure to this entire episode, so they are pleased that this video might enhance the international pressure to capture Kony.  Still others – largely those who oppose the current government – complain that that video does not acknowledge the destructive role of the Uganda government and its army during the war and in its aftermath.  While that is certainly true, making a video long enough to get one’s point across, and yet short enough that people will watch it, necessarily means that it will not contain all of the details.

So, in conclusion, I am pleased (and most Ugandans are pleased) that there was a video created to bring attention to Kony and the LRA.  If you have not watched the video, I encourage you to do so.  If you feel inclined to support IC, then do.  If you would rather focus your generosity on organizations that exclusively provide relief, then do that.

As Forrest Gump memorably said, that’s about all I have to say about that.