The role of "religion" in armed groups' mobilization: the case of uganda's lord's resistance army

The Role of "Religion" in Armed Groups' Mobilization: the Case of Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army. Research problem: if the Western world is becoming more and more secular, then the Global South is still very dependent on religion. Sadly, because of the low levels of education, cultural history, beliefs’ system and contemporary problems some groups which use religion as the main influential and mobilizing factor for their own goals are starting to arise. The aim of this research is to analyse how rebel groups use religion as mobilizing factor in armed conflicts. In order to achieve my goal, several tasks are created: First of all, because religious mobilization in armed conflicts is not well documented in the literature. It means that I have to find similar theories and expand them by adding some extra criterions which would help me to analyse my case. Secondly, I have to select a case of the conflict (which in this particular case would be Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda, LRA). And lastly, I would use my created methodology and criterions on LRA to find out how did LRA used religious tools to mobilize people and establish or legitimise their regime. Conclusion. By applying my own methodology and criterion system on LRA case I have found out that religious mobilization is based on most of the criterions: LRA creates devilish view of their enemies; the leader of LRA Joseph Kony uses cult of personality and mystical hierarchy to rule the group; to achieve unity and control of the LRA religious rules, traditions and symbolism is used; also “new man” and “new society” is established; lastly, LRA base their continuity and strength by abducting and indoctrinating children. However, several criterions were denied. Interestingly, LRA does not uses greed (material motivation), nor grievance (revenge) to mobilise people. Instead of that they promise religious and mystical goods, such as “cleansing”, eternal life and internal safety. What is more, the Uganda’s conflict is not clearly a religious one because LRA’s goal is not to spread their own “religion”, but rather to clear all the evil and safe Acholi identity. All in all, spiritual system which LRA uses is not what we should call a religion per se. LRA spirituals system correspond to the concept of religious cult and the whole organization should be called religious terrorist group