Background of the conflict
Uganda has been experiencing an intra state conflict since 1986. The conflict consists of a struggle for power between the government of Uganda and the largest leading rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The background reasons of this conflict retreat back many years before the start of the conflict in 1986. One such an important reason is Uganda’s colonial history. Ethnic and religious tensions rose in Uganda after it gained independence from Britain in 1962, which was among others the result of the divide and rule tactics applied by the colonial ruler during the colonial years.
Uganda has experienced many coups as a result of these ethnic tensions. Between 1962 and 1971 Milton Obote, from the northern Langi ethnic group, ruled Uganda. However, Idi Amin, who was Obote’s chief of the armed forces, took power after a coup. It was not until 1979 that Amin was ousted from power and Obote was reinstated. Yet Obote was deposed once more in 1985 by General Tito Okello. Okello was only able to rule for six months, after which he was overthrown by the National Resistance Movement (NRM), of which Yoweri Kaguta Musevini, the current president, was the leader. Dissatisfied with Musevini a number of Northern rebel factions emerged, of which the LRA was the most long-lived. Presently, the LRA is the most important rebel faction in Uganda.

The conflict parties and their conflicting goals
President Musevini is a member of the NRM, which was a longtime opponent of previous presidents such as Idi Amin, who was an advocate of the north. The NRM’s website states that, “The Vision of NRM is a peaceful, united, democratic, harmonious, industrialized, transformed and prosperous Uganda within a strong and united Africa.” Large parts of the northern population however doubted Musevini’s honest intentions. Under Musevini’s rule the north feared that they would become subject to neglect and marginalization. Joseph Kony, the leader of LRA, fed on these grievances and started a rebellion. Kony is a self proclaimed medium and messenger from God. At the beginning of the conflict the LRA hoped to develop a kind of theocracy, which is a government where God is seen as the supreme ruler. Along with the support from Uganda’s neighbor Sudan, the LRA became induced with power.

Present situation
Sudan has stopped supporting the LRA and cooperates now with Uganda to fight the LRA. In early 2009, the Ugandan army commenced ‘Operation Lightning Thunder’, together with the Sudanese and the Congolese army. This operation aimed to finally defeat the weakened LRA. This operation was not successful; the LRA took revenge and killed hundreds of civilians, also in Sudan and Congo. This proves that the conflict is still far from over, although peace talks started again in late September 2009.

The ICC arrest warrant
In 2004 a brief truce occurred, but in 2005 the international crime court issued a warrant for Kony’s arrest and fighting started once more. 2006 was the most peaceful year since 1986 and in June 2006 the Juba peace process began, but Kony’s fear of being arrested kept him from signing this peace agreement. After a cease fire in 2008, the Ugandan conflict has reached a crossroads as of March 2009. Kony refuses to sign any peace agreement until the International Criminal Court (ICC) has withdrawn their warrants of arrests for Kony and his co-leaders, while Uganda “insists” that Kony has to sign first and then the government will handle the ICC. The ICC arrest will therefore continue to play a crucial role in future peace talks.

Sources
Uppsala Conflict Database (UCDP), www.ucdp.uu.se.
BBC, "Uganda to continue Congo LRA hunt.", March 5th 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7926173.stm.
National Resistance Movement, 2006, www.nrm.ug/aboutuganda.php. 
Newstime Africa, "LRA in Ceasefire Talks with Ugandan Government." September 25th, 2009, http://www.newstimeafrica.com/archives/2417.