'KONY 2012' Filmmakers Deny Wrongdoing in New Video Aimed at Critics
Invisible Children's CEO Addresses Claims About Uganda Conflict, Lack of Transparency
Invisible Children has produced a response video to critics of its KONY 2012 campaign that was launched by the organization last week aimed at capturing Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony.
The KONY 2012 campaign gained massive attention in the cyber world last week, and within six days became the most viewed viral video of all time.
Despite massive amounts of attention and viewership, the campaign drew stark criticism from many arguing that the the producers simplified a complex problem and offered little historical narrative to educate viewers on the actual problems Ugandans are currently facing.
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Some critics also argued against the financial transparency of the organization, maintaining that less than half of the organization's funds go directly to its program efforts.
The organization released a statement last week defending its approach to the campaign, arguing, "We've done [our] utmost to be as inclusive, transparent, and factual as possible."
The statement failed to quell criticism and the group decided to offer an even more detailed response in a short video released on Monday. Invisible Children CEO Ben Keesey is seen speaking in the video and defending the organization's methods and financial accountability.
"When we launched KONY 2012, our intention was to share the story of Joseph Kony with new people around the world, but in the process there have been a lot of questions about us," Keesey says in the video. "Our goal has always been the same, it's always been one thing and that is to stop the violence of the LRA permanently and help restore the war-affected communities."
In the eight-minute video, Keesey addresses the media, advocacy, and development approach behind the campaign to ensure that pressure emerges in the international community to bring a final end to Joseph Kony and his weakened Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) forces.
"I understand that people have questions about our comprehensive model and may question our strategy. But any claims that we don't have financial transparency, or that we're not audited every year by an independent firm, or that we don't have financial integrity, just aren't true," Keesey said.
"The cool thing is there's one thing everyone agrees on and that's that Joseph Kony should be stopped."
