Behind the Violence. The War in Northern Uganda

This monograph by the Institute for Security Studies examines the structural causes and dynamics of the war in northern Uganda, which had lasted nearly 18 years at the time of writing. The authors argue that the conflict consists of two distinct elements: a deep-rooted northern rebellion against the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government and a separate war waged by Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), which is driven by apocalyptic spiritualism rather than conventional political goals. The report highlights how the consequences of the war, including mass displacement and a perceived war economy, have become drivers for its continuation, and it provides a series of recommendations for resolution, including a Truth and Reconciliation process and a shift in military strategy toward civilian protection.

• The conflict in northern Uganda is characterized as two separate conflicts: a multi-faceted rebellion against the NRM government rooted in unresolved grievances, and a war with the LRA that is motivated in part by "Old Testament-style apocalyptic spiritualism" and does not follow standard political insurgency models.
• The LRA is described as extremely unpopular among civilians and lacks a clear political agenda; its force consists primarily of kidnapped children. The authors suggest that Joseph Kony views violence as a legitimate tool to "cleanse" the people of a perceived collective failure.
• The war's effects have created a cycle where the consequences of the conflict now drive its continuation. This includes mass displacement, a perceived war economy, and a military response that fails to protect communities, leading to a lack of trust between the LRA, civilians, and the government.
• The spread of the conflict east into the Teso and Lango regions in 2003 led to the creation of government-sponsored Arrow and Rhino militias. The arming of over 20,000 civilians through these militias is identified as a potential long-term threat to national security.
• The authors recommend several systemic changes to end the conflict: shifting the military focus from destroying Kony to protecting civilians, establishing a Truth and Reconciliation process to address historical injustices in areas like the Luwero Triangle and West Nile, and purging corruption within the UPDF.

APA

Lomo, Z., & Hovil, L. (n.d.). Behind the Violence. The War in Northern Uganda. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-99-behind-the-violence.-the-war-in-northern-uganda-zachary-lomo-and-lucy-hovil

Chicago

Lomo, Zachary, and Lucy Hovil. Behind the Violence. The War in Northern Uganda. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-99-behind-the-violence.-the-war-in-northern-uganda-zachary-lomo-and-lucy-hovil.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lomo |first1=Zachary |last2=Hovil |first2=Lucy |title=Behind the Violence. The War in Northern Uganda |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-99-behind-the-violence.-the-war-in-northern-uganda-zachary-lomo-and-lucy-hovil |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lomondbehind, author = {Lomo, Zachary and Hovil, Lucy}, title = {{Behind the Violence. The War in Northern Uganda}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-99-behind-the-violence.-the-war-in-northern-uganda-zachary-lomo-and-lucy-hovil}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }