World Vision's latest report, Pawns of Politics: Children, Conflict and Peace in northern Uganda, declares that peace is attainable in the world's most protracted, cruel and bloody humanitarian crisis. According to the report, the international community has failed to take action on its promise to help stop the crisis. The report will be available to the public Monday.

For more than 18 years the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has been abducting children and inflicting terror on the people of Uganda. Since 1999, the UN Security Council has passed five resolutions on the protection of children armed in the conflict, but there is still very little action taking place. The report warns that the capture of LRA rebel leader Joseph Kony may not cease the bloodshed, as there is a real risk of a new leader taking his place.

The report reveals the impact of the 18-year conflict on northern Uganda and includes new research that shows that HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in conflict-affected areas are almost double the national average, and rising.

To read the report: (PDF 1.2MB, opens in new window)