Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement regarding the Central African Republic and Joseph Kony of the Lord’s Resistance Army:

“If the reports that Central African Republic interim leader Michel Djotodia has intentionally assisted Joseph Kony and his brutal Lord’s Resistance Army are verified, the Administration must reconsider our engagement with the interim government in Bangui, including our aid.  While we are supporting the Uganda-led African Union mission to capture or kill Joseph Kony and dismantle his rebel outfit, the CAR government may be propping him up. That is a direct and intolerable challenge to American efforts and interests in the region.”

Note:  Last week in a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry prior to news reports of possible C.A.R. assistance to the LRA, Chairman Royce urged more meaningful and practical engagement by the State Department to address the “abysmal state of affairs” in the C.A.R. following the Seleka rebel seizure of the capital Bangui and forcible ousting of President Francois Bozize.

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