22 Aug LRA Agrees to Protect Rare Wildlife
In what is being billed as the first agreement of its kind, the LRA has pledged to protect rare wildlife in a remote park it occupies in eastern Congo, including rare pygmy giraffe and what are thought to be the last four northern white rhinos in the wild:
In an apparent bid to burnish their brutal reputation, the Lord’s Resistance Army vowed to assist efforts to conserve endangered species in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Garamba National Park, where rebel leaders are holed up.
Under an unusual agreement inked on the sidelines of peace talks in southern Sudan, the LRA promised to protect the rhinos as well an estimated 40 rare pygmy giraffes and an unknown number of threatened okapis.
“The statistics we were shown were devastating and shocked us, and so we have given a tacit commitment that we will do whatever possible to live in harmony with the animals,” said Martin Ojul, head of the LRA delegation to the talks.
“We will act as their curators and do everything possible to see that they are not harmed for posterity,” he told AFP.
In addition to protecting the wildlife, the agreement includes assurances from LRA supremo Joseph Kony, who has been hiding in Garamba just over the DRC’s eastern border with Sudan for months, that his fighters would not attack game wardens.
“We wish to assure the rangers in Garamba Park that, provided they properly identify themselves and not attack us, we undertake to fully cooperate with them,” says the pact, which was signed by Ojul on Sunday with Kony’s authority.
There is no question that the LRA’s motives in signing the agreement are far from selfless; as the article notes, the LRA believes the agreement will help convince the international community that the numerous allegations against it are untrue. And there is no guarantee that the LRA will honor its agreement.
Even if it doesn’t, though, the agreement is an important reminder that human conflict harms more than just humans.
While I’m not at all claiming their cases are similar, the unusual LRA pledge did bring to mind the story of the Buddhist emperor, King Ashoka. Although it’s hard to separate fact from fiction in the story, it does seem that before his conversion to Buddhism, he had a penchant for ruthlessness, including the crushing of revolts with an iron fist. The Wikipedia entry narrates several episodes from his reign:
‘The following year passed quite peacefully for him and Devi was about to deliver his first child. In the meantime, Emperor Bindusara took ill and was on his death-bed. A clique of ministers lead by Radhagupta, who hated Susima, summoned Ashoka to take the crown, though Bindusara preferred Susima. As the Buddhist lore goes, in a fit of rage Prince Ashoka attacked Pataliputra (modern day Patna), and killed all his brothers, including Susima, and threw their bodies into a well in Pataliputra. It is not known if Bindusara was already dead at this time. At that stage of his life, many called him Chanda Ashoka meaning murderer and heartless Ashoka. The Buddhist legends paint a gory picture of his sadistic activities at this time. Most are unbelievable, and must be read as supporting background to highlight the transformation in Ashoka which Buddhism brought about later.’
Indeed, ‘the early part of Ashoka’s reign was apparently quite bloodthirsty. Ashoka was constantly on the war campaign, conquering territory after territory and significantly expanding the already large Mauryan empire and adding to his wealth.’ [….]
‘The pretext for the start of the Kalinga War (265 BC or 263 BC) is uncertain. One of Ashoka’s brothers – and probably a supporter of Susima – might have fled to Kalinga and found official refuge there. This enraged Ashoka immensely. He was advised by his ministers to attack Kalinga for this act of treachery. Ashoka then asked Kalinga’s royalty to submit before his supremacy. When they defied this diktat, Ashoka sent one of his generals to Kalinga to make them submit.
The general and his forces were, however, completely routed through the skilled tactics of Kalinga’s commander-in-chief. Ashoka, baffled by this defeat, attacked with the greatest invasion ever recorded in Indian history until then. Kalinga put up a stiff resistance, but they were no match for Ashoka’s powerful armies, superior weapons and experienced generals and soldiers. The whole of Kalinga was plundered and destroyed: Ashoka’s later edicts say that about 100,000 people were killed on the Kalinga side and 10,000 from Ashoka’s army; thousands of men and women were deported.
The story has it that upon surveying the landscape after the war he was sickened and led to his adoption of Buddhism. Some scholars have viewed this as rather opportunistic, given that the need for violence to consolidate his empire had passed, but the evidence of his behavior, including the various edicts left on rock pillars, and the construction of numerous stupas and viharas (early Buddhist equivalent of ‘rest stops,’ originally designed to protect wandering monks during the rainy season), suggest his fondness for the Dharma (the teachings of the Buddha) was genuine:
‘During the remaining portion of Ashoka’s reign, he pursued an official policy of nonviolence or ahimsa. Even the unnecessary slaughter or mutilation of animals was immediately abolished. Wildlife became protected by the king’s law against sport hunting and branding. Limited hunting was permitted for consumption reasons but Ashoka also promoted the concept of vegetarianism. Enormous resthouses were built through the empire to house travellers and pilgrims free of charge. Ashoka also showed mercy to those imprisoned, allowing them outside one day each year. He attempted to raise the professional ambition of the common man by building universities for study and water transit and irrigation systems for trade and agriculture. He treated his subjects as equals regardless of their religion, politics and caste. The weaker kingdoms surrounding his, which could so easily be overthrown, were instead made to be well-respected allies. In all these respects, Ashoka far exceeded even modern-day world leaders.
He is acclaimed for constructing hospitals for animals and people alike, and renovating major roads throughout India. Dharmashoka defined the main principles of dharma (dhamma in Pāli) as nonviolence, tolerance of all sects and opinions, obedience to parents, respect for the Brahmins and other religious teachers and priests, liberal towards friends, humane treatment of servants, and generosity towards all. These principles suggest a general ethic of behavior to which no religious or social group could object.’ [emphasis added; material not in quotes I wrote]
So, while I share your reluctance to read too much into the signing of this pledge, I will refrain from speculating about the specific motives of the LRA actors involved. And of course I’m grateful for the truly ‘important reminder that human conflict harms more than just humans.’
Please add end quote after ‘were deported.‘ and before The story has it….