Joseph Kony was not a household name in North America one month ago. But a viral video from the U.S.-based charity Invisible Children has successfully shone the spotlight on the leader of the LordB次元官网网址檚 Resistance Army in central Africa. Kony is wanted by the International Criminal Court for countless human rights violations.
It also sparked what Victoria-based documentary filmmaker Jordan Clark calls B次元官网网址渢he first social media revolution.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 extremely effective. ItB次元官网网址檚 showing that the power really is in the hands of the people. ItB次元官网网址檚 just in a new medium B次元官网网址� sharing a link on Facebook,B次元官网网址� said Clark, program co-ordinator at the Pacific Film and New Media Academy. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think that theyB次元官网网址檙e going to solve the problems in the region, but it certainly opens the door and reinvents how powerful social media can be when youB次元官网网址檙e trying to expose an issue or get information out.B次元官网网址�
More than 104 million people have watched the 30-minute video online, which briefly touches on the cruelty that Kony and the LRA inflicted on northern Ugandans.
But Clark points out that Kony 2012 is not a documentary, as Invisible Children claims. ItB次元官网网址檚 a corporate video promoting their charity.
B次元官网网址淚t was effective because the way they presented it made so much sense to their goals that it rushed people into action in that way. It was really a recruitment video for a singular purpose,B次元官网网址� he said.
The action the charity sought from viewers wasnB次元官网网址檛 just to make Kony a recognizable name B次元官网网址� and bring accusations of child slavery, rape, mutilation and murder to light B次元官网网址� it was also to sell products.
Today (April 20), is the day Invisible Children wants their supporters to plaster cities worldwide with posters, stickers and lawn signs (available online in a $30 Action Kit, which sold out fast) to make Kony infamously recognizable.
Moussa Magassa, a human rights education advisor and sessional professor at the University of Victoria, is familiar with Kony and the LRA. Magassa wasnB次元官网网址檛 impressed with the video and the way the issues were approached.
B次元官网网址淚t was creating (film for) more selfish of a reason,B次元官网网址� said Magassa, who stressed that his views do not represent UVic. B次元官网网址淚t was creating more sensation, to make it more palatable to the young generation B次元官网网址� the Rambo-style B次元官网网址榣etB次元官网网址檚 go after himB次元官网网址� (mentality).B次元官网网址�
The one-sided video did not touch on the responsibilities of the international community or the Ugandan government, he said. For two decades, no government has done enough to protect children in northern Uganda.
B次元官网网址淎s an educator, I think it is wonderful that people have heard, at least for the first time, about Kony, that they have learned about some of what he did,B次元官网网址� began Magassa, B次元官网网址淏ut, as a human rights educator, I am very concerned about the content of the education you impart on people. B次元官网网址� I am concerned (viewers) have heard half of the news, and they should be educated to learn more about the whole context and the history of (the issues in Uganda).B次元官网网址�
Though Clark supports the idea of Kony 2012, purely from the perspective of being interested in seeing whether todayB次元官网网址檚 poster-plastering campaign pans out, he agrees that viewers need to better educate themselves on the issues presented.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 so many different layers to the problems (in the video). B次元官网网址� The reason it worked is (the video) was simple and nobody was confused with the issues,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 think Kony 2012 has oversimplified it to push people into action, which is exactly what (Invisible Children) wanted.B次元官网网址�
kslavin@saanichnews.com
