As to the first, the article argues that the Ugandan government referred the conflict to the ICC in order to obtain international support for its militarization and to entrench, not resolve, the war; the ICC, in accepting the referral and only prosecuting the LRA, has in effect chosen to pursue a politically pragmatic case even though doing so contravened the interests of peace, justice, and the rule of law. As to the second, the article reveals the harmful effects that ICC intervention can have upon the capacity for autonomous political organization and action among civilian victims of violence, specifically how it leads to de-politicization by promoting a political dependency mediated by international law. The article draws from this analysis disturbing implications about ICC interventions generally, and concludes by asking whether ICC practice may be reformed so as to avoid these negative consequences.
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