DOminik Ongwen was nine years old when he was kidnapped from his village in northern Uganda and conscripted as a child soldier by the notorious Lord’s Resistance Army rebels led by Joseph Kony. During his childhood, Onwen was an abused and brainwashed victim. As an adult, he rose through the ranks and became a feared commander of the LRA. The film follows his trial at the International Criminal Court, where he was found guilty of 61 separate charges of murder, rape, sexual slavery, kidnapping and torture. Ongwen is the first former child soldier to be convicted in court, and one of the questions raised by this documentary is to what extent he bears moral responsibility for his crimes.
It’s a tough watch, with some very harrowing moments. Shot over six years by filmmakers Lukasz Konopa and Emile Langbarre, this documentary cleverly adds context to help explain the Ugandan conflict, expands the story, and focuses on the colonial powers that divided the continent. It goes back to
The courtroom drama unfolds in a bleak, gray building in The Hague, where prosecutors describe Onwen’s guilt as an “illegal matter.” He said in his final submission that childhood trauma does not give anyone a “free pass” to commit atrocities. The defense was led by elegant and charismatic lawyer Crispus Aiyena Odongo, who argued that his client acted under duress.
The filmmakers follow Aiena through the lush and beautiful landscape of northern Uganda as she gathers testimonies. A boyhood friend who was kidnapped along with Ongwen agrees to provide evidence. He said that shortly after his capture, he was forced to watch as a man was hacked to death with an ax as he tried to escape. Back in court, a recording is played of one of Ongwen’s victims recalling how a baby died in an attack ordered by Ongwen on a displaced persons camp. For me, the discussion about Ongwen and her guilt stopped because of her.
Elsewhere, Ugandans ask why only the Lord’s Resistance Army stands in court. What about the atrocities committed by the military? Yoweri Museveni has been in power since becoming president in 1986, and has been the subject of popular singer-turned-democracy candidate Bobi Wine (who himself has been the subject of an excellent film). His six consecutive election victories over opposition can be seen on TV screens (Bobi Wine: The People’s President). This is a difficult watch with no easy answers.
