Few horror stories rival the humanitarian crisis in northern Uganda, where a cult-like rebel group - the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) - has terrorised an entire population and kidnapped children, turning them into sex slaves and killing machines. Despite this, the country is hailed as one of Africa’s development success stories.

In a poll of "forgotten" emergencies released by AlertNet in March 2005, aid experts chose northern Uganda as the world's second-biggest neglected crisis. Here they explain why.

On abducted children…

The tragedy of northern Uganda has hit children particularly hard. Between June 2002 and December 2003, rebels from the Lord's Resistance Army abducted more than 12,000 children. Fear of attack and abduction has driven more than 44,000 children to seek shelter each night in churches, hospitals and public buildings. James Morris Executive Director, U.N. World Food Programme
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The Lord's Resistance Army, which has been supported by Sudan, abducts children and turns them into warrior-killers, often by forcing them to kill other children from their villages as initiation rites. Ken Bacon President, Refugees International, USA
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The Lord's Resistance Army has been active since 1988, killing, torturing, maiming, raping, and abducting large numbers of women and children as sex and war slaves; some estimates say as many as 28,000 children have been enslaved, with 14,000 in the years 2002-2004 alone. Kathryn Wolford President, Lutheran World Relief, USA

On the internally displaced…

That the emergency in Northern Uganda is largely forgotten cannot be denied. There has not been a single U.N. Security Council resolution passed on the topic, and the 2005 U.N. Consolidated Appeals Process for the 200,000 Darfuri refugees in Chad sought to raise $183 million, whereas the equivalent figure for Uganda's 1.6 million displaced (at the time of the appeal) was $158 million. Tim Raby Disaster management officer for northern Uganda, Tearfund, UK
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Like many people, I didn't have any idea of the scale of this conflict. Nearly two million people have been made homeless and hundreds of thousands more have been killed. The people of northern Uganda cannot wait for peace any longer. Helen Mirren Actor, UK
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More than one million displaced people in northern Uganda are crowded into squalid camps with inadequate protection and aid as a result of a long-running civil war between the government and the LRA. Despite frequent proclamations that Uganda is a "forgotten emergency", governments, the U.N. and aid agencies have not done enough to help the people of northern Uganda and to resolve the conflict. Larry Thompson Senior advocate, Refugees International, USA

On pressuring the international community and Uganda’s government…

U.N. and other humanitarian agencies have only recently begun to pay attention to the crisis, but the displaced population is still underserved and unprotected. For years the Ugandan military was feckless in its efforts to protect civilians or defeat the rebels. Recently, however, the Ugandan military has scored damaging hits against the rebels. The stage may be set for a negotiated settlement, but there is not enough outside pressure on the sides to stop the fighting. Ken Bacon President, Refugees International, USA
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I believe that there ought to be more pressure on the government of Uganda to clean up its act and to start proper talks with the LRA. In addition, it is important to not neglect the involvement of the government of Rwanda in the conflict. Tanja Knierim Challenge fundraising assistant, Care International, UK
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Uganda is now set to be the subject of the International Criminal Court's first full investigation into crimes against humanity. And the media coverage of this ongoing tragedy internationally? Almost nothing. Gareth Evans, President, International Crisis Group, Belgium

On corruption in the Ugandan government …

Approximately...1.7 million are displaced in Northern Uganda and neither the Ugandan government nor the international community seems remotely concerned whether or not they suffer at the hand of the Lords Resistance Army or indeed suffer as a result of being caught in the cross fire between the Ugandan Army and the Lords Resistance Army. Strong suspicion here that the Ugandan Government is making a lot of money from the UN by “protecting” the food convoys, so it is in no hurry to bring an end to the struggle. John O’Shea Chief executive, GOAL, Ireland

On Uganda as a development success story…

Northern Uganda was forgotten, shadowed by the "hailed success" given by Northern Countries on Uganda's HIV/AIDs programmes and the economic stability given by Yoweri Museveni government. That was until (U.N. emergency relief coordinator) Jan Egeland went in November 2003 and saw for himself the suffering and atrocities carried out by children on behalf of their adult masters. Nathan Targett Disaster management officer, eastern & southern Africa team Tearfund, UK
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At the moment there is a tendency to think that Uganda is a “good partner” and therefore British engagement should be careful not to upset the status quo. However, this attitude fails to engage with the fundamental structural problems underpinning the conflict in Uganda. George Graham Programme officer, East Africa, International Rescue Committee, UK
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Northern Uganda - senseless conflict, monstrous Kony, children forced into lives of sheer depravity. And all the while Uganda is held up as a shining example of good economic development and approach to HIV/AIDS. It's simply unconscionable. Sian Buckley Production manager, Rooftop Productions, Christian Aid, UK