Kony comes to St Andrews

Students launch project to publicise LRA leader, Joseph Kony

The organisation, ‘Invisible Children’, is running a campaign to make Joseph Kony a household name. The aim is to make sure enough people know who he is and are united in bringing him to justice. Yesterday, a video was released marking the start of the KONY2012 campaign. The video has already gone viral, spreading on social networking sites across the world. (You must have seen it on your feed).

Kony is the leader of the Ugandan guerrilla group, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and has been responsible for the recruitment of thousands of child soldiers. He is seen as one of the world’s most dangerous war criminals. Very few people have even heard of him.

The KONY2012 campaign couldn’t have hit St Andrews at a better time, just as another group of students are launching a coalition for a ‘conflict-free campus’. This movement is about avoiding the usage of electronics containing minerals sourced from the Eastern Congo where militant groups (such as the LRA) control the mines.

On the night of 20th April, people across the world are going to try and make Kony famous. Streets anywhere and everywhere are going to be covered in posters. Just hours ago, three students decided St Andrews should be involved too, and the support has proved overwhelming: as of 11am today over 900 people are attending their Facebook event). On a side note, this should help to cover up much of the scaffolding and building works around town.

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

If you want to give up your Friday night at the BOP (don’t worry, I’m sure you can take a break for toasty bar), then head out to the streets at 10pm on 20th April, armed with posters, ready to play your part in bringing Kony to justice.

Written by Catherine Anderson, newsstand writer.