PAW editors were kind enough to run a nice profile of myself and the book. Probably one of the most personal interviews I have given so far. Can be accessed here.
Blog
My Foreign Policy article on the US military mission in Central Africa
I was in Kampala when American military planners came to talk about how to deal with the LRA and Kony. There was a belief that the military mission the US army was about to embark on in Central Africa was going to be quick and relatively painless - the term 'low hanging fruit' might have... Continue Reading →
My article on Foreign Affairs on the US withdrawal from Central Africa
I co-wrote an article with Kristof Titeca for Foreign Affairs about the US military mission against the LRA and what the US and Ugandan withdrawal means for the region. We concluded: "The success of campaigns against groups like the LRA depends on the commitment of national governments and international organizations. U.S. leadership is a crucial... Continue Reading →
Book listed on the Fourth Annual TMC African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular!
Happy to announce that When the Walking Defeats You was included in the list of Washington Post's The Monkey Cage Summer Reading List.. Full review to appear on 21 July.
On the defection of Maikol Signaler
Michael Omona, aka Maikol Signaler, one of Kony's main communication handlers, returned to Uganda this week. He apparently surrendered in Sam Ouandja, CAR, near the border with Kafia Kingi, where Kony has been holed up for the last few years. It is unclear how he managed to leave and make it to Sam Ouandja, the... Continue Reading →
Great article on how to talk about rebels
Jamie Hitchen wrote this fascinating article for Africa is a Country on the general discourse relating to rebel groups in Africa. He uses examples from When the Walking Defeats You and from the writings of Nigerian expert on Boko Haram Atta Barkindo to question the simplistic narratives used in media accounts to describe rebels. "The researcher and writer,... Continue Reading →
My profile on ‘We Too Are America’
I was featured in this wonderful Facebook page highlighting the stories of immigrants and their contribution to the US and the world. With a bit about my journey from being an undocumented migrant in Greece and the UK to graduating college and working on conflict and reintegration of child soldiers in East and Central Africa. More here.
VOA article and full interview about my book and life story – In Albanian
It was a pleasure being in the VOA studios here in Washington DC on Sunday 12 February for an interview with Keida Kostreci, the well respected journalist and anchor of the news program Ditari. We spoke about the book and a bit about my life story, especially how I left Albania at 16 to walk... Continue Reading →
‘Make 2017 the year of the internally displaced,’- my blog for IDMC
I wrote this piece for the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center on the plight of IDPs, the vital need to understand their stories and help them before it reaches a crisis point. Focusing on refugees, albeit badly, but ignoring IPDs is cruel and short sighted as displacement is a long process that often starts at home... Continue Reading →
‘You belong to Joseph Kony’ – My latest for African Arguments
On Dominic Ongwen's case at the ICC with a short excerpt from the book illustrating how many child soldiers - likely including Ongwen - made their entry into the LRA: against their will and covered in blood. Full piece.
Ledio Cakaj 