Kony 2012 charity to release new video addressing criticism of viral campaign

Glenna Gordon

Invisible Children founders pose with soldiers from the Sudan People's Liberation Army near the Congo-Sudan border in April 2008. Jason Russell is pictured holding an automatic weapon on the far right. Bobby Bailey, left, and Laren Poole, centre, are also pictured.

The makers of Kony 2012, a staggeringly popular online video campaign about capturing Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony, plan to release a new video on Monday that will respond to criticism about the film’s methods and messages.

Jason Russell’s 30-minute video, now viewed 74 million times on YouTube, highlights the atrocities perpetrated by Kony, head of the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) rebel group that once terrorized northern Uganda.

AFP files

A file photo taken on November 12, 2006, shows the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Joseph Kony, answering journalists' questions in Ri-Kwamba, southern Sudan, following a meeting with UN humanitarian chief Jan Egeland.

The film, funded by the San Diego-based charity Invisible Children, tells the story of a former child soldier named Jacob and then issues a call to action to viewers to help “make Joseph Kony famous.”

Although the film has raised more than $5-million and won the backing of millions of people, including celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Rihanna, the charity behind the project has faced criticism over their message, methods and financial transparency.
During an interview on CNN on Sunday, Invisible Children said they will release a 10-minute new film on Monday to answer to those criticisms.

“There’s nothing to hide. Invisible Children has been transparent since 2004, when we started,” Ben Keesey, the group’s chief executive, said in the interview.

“That’s our intention and we want to show that this campaign is part of a model and strategy that’s comprehensive.”