10/24/2003

This young woman is 20 years old.  She spent more than eight years with the LRA.  When she was abducted, she was taken to Sudan for military training.  The Sudanese government has been actively supporting the LRA since 1995, in retaliation for Uganda's support for the SPLA, the resistance movement of southern Sudanese opposed to Islamic rule from Khartoum.  At the beginning of her captivity, she was beaten almost daily.  She fought once in 1997 in Uganda, but mainly she would cook for the men.  In 1997, when she reached puberty, she was married to a commander.  Her husband also beat her.  Her husband died this past January, and according to LRA practice, she was released.  She came to the reception center about six weeks ago.  Now she wants to find a job -- perhaps tailoring -- to support herself and her baby.  She has seen her family, who are living in an IDP camp, and she will join them soon.  She has met Joseph Kony, the leader of LRA.  She, like many other former combatants, is convinced that he has magical powers.  She is also convinced that Kony will keep fighting until he takes over the government.