Kony 2012

Kony 2012

           

             As the stir and excitement of Kony 2012 grips the social media conclaves, I’ve been bombarded with e-mails and text messages regarding my perceptions on this video. Simply because I’ve spent time researching and working in northern Uganda, coupled with intense personal passion for our beautifully resilient brothers and sisters north of the equator, it’s vital that I first and foremost identify my agent, privileged identities. I am a white male, who was reared in a middle-to-upper socioeconomic landscape, in a white homogeneous society in the United States. Aside from two international educational experiences, my formal education was in the confines of Western institutions in the U.S. Thus, my observations, thoughts, and theories are rooted in my social structure.

            Fortunately, back in 2005 I was introduced to The Invisible Children (The Rough Cut -2003), a documentary crafted by three young fellas from San Diego. The underpinnings of the film portrayed a dismal state in northern Uganda where conflict ravaged and destroyed a once thriving African society. As I attentively observed the video and diligently jotted down notes, I was left confused. I was puzzled as to why the filmmakers didn’t explore the sociopolitical factors that contributed to the conflict. Could all the grit, grime, and mayhem of northern Uganda merely be focused on one man, Jospeh Kony?

            Through the years since 2005, various readings, writing, and discourse with major scholars and academics have ignited distaste in the underlying objective and intent of what constitutes Invisible Children’s ideology. After recently viewing the 30 minute Kony2012 video, I was left with minor anxiety and greater frustration. Throughout the clip, I consistently pondered, “What is this dude’s authentic rationale for creating this piece?”

            First and foremost, my aim is to not completely discredit the effort of Invisible Children (IC) organization. After all, their motivations have absolutely created awareness, and because of this, discourse has globally circulated. Isn’t that what life is about, in an existential aspect?

            However, as a white, Western male, I believe it’s my responsibility to deconstruct the philosophies of a White-run (U.S.) American organization operating in a post-conflict sub-Saharan African nation. Both the Rough Cut documentary and Kony 2012 express a sincere desire to catch one of “Africa’s most wanted” who has abducted, raped, pillaged, and destroyed a prospering land and people. What either video fails to recognize are the factual sociopolitical, historical, and geographical factors that contributed to the foundations of the LRA. Instead, the filmmakers portray Joseph Kony as the soul creator of evil, and if he is stopped so will the atrocities that have plagued northern Uganda for 20 plus years, which is simply not the case.

            In no way do I slightly condone the brutal, despicable, and gross atrocities committed under Kony’s watch. However, a recurring theme of Kony 2012 is “don’t study history, make history.” Besides leaving a pit in my stomach, I invite members of IC or its followers to do just the opposite. In fact, prior to creating a documentary, perhaps reading a book or two on the subject could entice a more grounded rationalization. For starters, “Living with Bad Surroundings” by renowned Anthropologist Sverker Finnstrom, is an exceptional place to begin.

            Perhaps most frustrating about IC’s movement is in all of its discourse, it consistently fails to mention the political implications of what stirred “rebel” movements in northern Uganda. When President Museveni took control in 1986, there were a plethora of armed rebel groups opposing his regime. The Acholi of northern Uganda has been historically subjugated, marginalized, and oppressed by the rest of Uganda. The Lord’s Resistance Army, which essentially originated from Alice Lakwena’s Holy Spirits Movement, attempted to resist the constant marginalization that President Museveni continued to perpetuate. In the early stages of Alice Lakwena and Joseph Kony’s movements, the Acholi collective generally supported and believed in the ideology of the “rebel” movements. When President Museveni was elected in 1986, he so eloquently stated, “"The problems of Africa, and Uganda in particular, are caused by leaders who overstay in power, which breeds impunity, corruption and promotes patronage. How can someone stay in Power for over 10 years?!" It’s now 2012, and Museveni is still calling the shots (literally and figuratively) in Uganda.    

            I ask how a circulating documentary could fail to assess such valuable information. Again, I’m forced to ponder the genuine underpinnings of the IC in this situation. Whose benefit are they trying to serve? I’m left to believe this white dude has narcissistic undercurrents of being known as the one to capture an “evil African man.” Kony 2012 left me feeling nauseous, and incomplete. The 30 minute clip focuses entirely too long on some southern California guy with his baby. The film depicts not only Uganda, but Africa as “the other”, and demands the help of white, Western people. It perpetuates an already existing hegemonic divide between the already white and black, Western and non-Western states. For viewers of the film who have minimal background on northern Uganda, or do not take the time to educate oneself, he or she is left to believe that Africa in general is a dark, depressing, evil place where children are constantly being abducted, and only whiteness can come in and “help.” As with a majority of “humanitarian” efforts, Kony 2012 focuses specifically on this white guy and how he plans to end this war. Although Kony does need to be stopped, Kony has been out of northern Uganda since 2007.

On personal ventures to Kampala, numerous southern Ugandans were shocked that I was studying in Gulu; calling the Acholi people “backwards” where they “chop each other’s heads off.” If that’s what people in Uganda think, what hegemonic stereotypes will surface after misinformed Westerners in the United States view the lopsided Kony 2012? I challenge you to find the photos of these white kids holding guns with the SPLA. What are they doing?     http://www.scarlettlion.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/GlennaGordon_InvisibleChildrenA.jpg

            Almost just as disturbing is the outcry this group has caused in the United States. Last October, President Obama erroneously sent 100 U.S. troops into the DRC, CAR, and Sudan to “get Kony.” Obama claimed, he “saw the documentaries” and feels a need to act and “support the Ugandan government.” In no way has IC or Obama been educated on the atrocities, killings, rapes, displacement, and enslavements caused by the Ugandan Government’s Army (UPDF). If one cannot venture to northern Uganda to gather firsthand accounts of UPDF disgust, simply flip through Finnstrom’s book for realistic accounts. Almost every Acholi person I was close enough to expressed similar fears of the UPDF to those of the LRA. Almost all Acholi folks had stories of how they were tortured, raped, beaten, arrested, etc. by UPDF troops. Why is that not mentioned in Kony 2012? In fact, numerous Acholi colleagues working with HIV/AIDS patients expressed that raping was more common amongst UPDF soldiers than LRA members.

            Having spent time in northern Uganda, I was fortunate enough to meet some of IC’s staff and interns. Kony 2012 is a microcosm of the ways in which these white (U.S.) Americans tend to live and interact in Gulu. The IC staff lives in the outskirts of Gulu town in a well structured house with a gigantic wall surrounding the outside, and one black Acholi guard with a rifle guarding the entrance. Discourse with staff and interns educated me on the notion that there is generally minimal interaction with locals outside of work, and after being there for nearly six months three of the interns had not heard of a local Acholi food I mentioned. None spoke the local vernacular, and instead of attempting to learn, would watch lousy (U.S.) American made films on the TV in their comfy, full amenity house.

This situation is exceedingly layered, and a simple response to Kony 2012 will not solve any of these issues. However, failing to present the full political landscape of northern Uganda is not only biased and misleading, but more importantly maladaptive and perhaps destructive. Okay, enough of a white man talking about this, let’s hear what a local Uganda has to say.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLVY5jBnD-E&feature=youtu.be