Rebel Chic

A challenging and rare look at the soldiers of the Lords Resistance Army of Northern Uganda. The LRA has wrought havoc in the region for over 20 years as they have engaged in a barbaric civil war that has destroyed the social fabric of the region. They have kidnapped upwards of 50 000 children, often forcing them to kill family or village members to dissuade the captives from later trying to escape.

The LRA, under the leadership of the elusive and so called ‘mystical’ Joseph Kony, despite being involved in a peace process during 2007/8 are responsible for thousands of deaths, rape and mutilation of thousands of northern Ugandans.

For years Kony has evaded Ugandan attempts to eliminate him, International Criminal Court indictments and most recently attempts to broker a peace deal. He has only revealed himself to outsiders and media on a limited number of occasions during the peace process which has now hit a stone wall following his reneging several times on undertakings to sign.

These photographs were made as Kony kept UN officials waiting several hours for a meeting on the Sudan/Congo border.

His young soldiers, replete with designer clothing, and the accessories and accoutrements of fashion and war, and themselves probably kidnap victims, keeping a disciplined and stony silent presence until he arrived, literally minutes before UN officials had to leave.