Last weekend the details emerged of a massacre that took place in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) just before Christmas. Over 300 people were slaughtered, 80 children were abducted. The perpetrators: child soldiers from the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

According to Médécins Sans Frontières (MSF), who’s working in DRC’s northern Uélé region, it took several weeks for villagers to realize what had really happened. “People were taken from their community and killed along the way as the LRA marched on. There were no wounded people, just dead bodies they gradually discovered. It’s a very remote area and people are paralyzed by fear so they don’t easily step forward to tell what’s happening.”

Lips cut off
Lately, MSF has received several patients who had their lips and/or ears cut off after smaller attacks on villages. “It’s a worrying development. We never used to see these types of wounds in this area. They were always typical for Uganda and southern Sudan.”

Horrific violence
The LRA has been terrorizing northern Uganda and parts of southern Sudan, the Central African Republic (CAR) and DRC for over two decades. An estimated 70-80% of the rebels consist of children. They’re notorious for the horrific acts of violence they commit when raiding villages. Their leader, Joseph Kony, was reportedly in CAR last week.

Kony ‘nice person’
Although many of his young recruits were kidnapped and saw their own families slaughtered by the LRA, researcher Lotte Vermeij discovered that they actually like Joseph Kony. “When the children were in training camps in Sudan, Kony would come and visit them. He would sit down with them, chat and tell jokes. Despite the cruel things the LRA had done to these children, they really thought Kony was a nice person.”

Vermeij has been studying the socialization of children in rebel groups for two years. The stereotypical image of child soldiers as either harmless victims or ruthless murderers needs some updating, she thinks. “These children have to fight in order to survive. If they refuse, they’re killed or heavily punished. There’s just no choice. But not all end up as fighters. Many take up jobs as cooks, porters or ‘wives’ of LRA commanders.”

Strict rules
The LRA has strict rules to make the children behave like ‘true’ soldiers. Alcohol, drugs and cigarettes are forbidden, the rebels are not allowed to eat food prepared by villagers and the thirteen spirits that possess Kony dictate where and how the LRA will attack next. Anyone who disobeys is killed publicly to set an example.

Listen to Victor's story told by Lotte:

Brainwashed
Especially with younger recruits, this has turned out to be an effective approach. Vermeij: “Children are vulnerable and obedient. They can be easily brainwashed. The LRA becomes their new family. Because they’re taken far away from their native villages, they often have no clue where to go to.”

Problems reintegrating
Of the children who manage to escape or are rescued by the Ugandan armed forces, many have difficulties adapting. Vermeij: “Current reintegration programmes don’t meet the needs of these children. It’s important to better understand the life and socialization processes within the LRA. Otherwise, people return to their default LRA behaviour, which greatly jeopardizes the stability in the region.”

Lotte tells the story of Anna, who killed her father after leaving the LRA: