Ugandan rebels kill 4 civilians in South Sudan’s Nzara – official
By Richard Ruati
November 14, 2009 (Nzara) – Ugandan rebels have killed at least 4 civilians in their latest devastating attack in the far southwest of Southern Sudan Nzara County, the County Commissioner Col Sentina Ndefu confirmed on Saturday.
The “notorious” rebels stormed the village on Friday November 13, 2009 at 10:00AM.
“The demised were one child, one woman and two men among them a noble well-known peasant late Daniel Kpangarakp?,” added the mourning commissioner.
“Unknown numbers of civilians have been abducted in the latest horrendous attack,” stated Sentina.
The civilians had converged to Buremanga Boma to take part in the ongoing voter registration process. It turned to mourning.
“The LRA attack will have adverse effect on the voter registration in Nzara, after the scene the voter registrations have come to a standstill in some parts of Nzara County,” worries the commissioner.
The rebels also kidnapped many other civilians, including children, according to a shot-survived escapee’s statement, while a source from the mourners said food and non-food products were looted in raids that “led to the displacement many of people”.
Three weeks ago about five civilian were killed at around Yambio, in small villages about 20km in Gangura Payam, in another raid blamed on the LRA, which is the Ugandan rebels pillaging in the DRC, South Sudan and CAR.
The Aid agencies say that more than 2 000 civilians have been killed by the LRA since December 2008 in regions affected by the backlash attacks of LRA rebels, where there are 70,000 civilians displaced in Western Equatoria. Over five thousand Congolese have taken refugee into Western Equatoria creating the direst humanitarian catastrophe in the state.
Between the end of 2008 and March 2009, the DRC, Ugandan and South Sudanese armies launched a major joint military operation against the LRA and its leader, Joseph Kony, but did not succeed in neutralising the rebel force, which has long battled in north Uganda and retreated across the DRC border and now hiding the dense bushes of CAR.
After the joint military operation led by Uganda, Congo, and South Sudan, the LRA brutally retaliated, attacking Congolese and south Sudanese civilians.
Living in fear.
Many people are still living in fear of LRA imported violence in Western Equatoria State, despite the optimism after the creation of Arrow boys backed by the government and joined the fight against LRA rebels
For now, many continue to hope that the government will succeed in bringing their villages back from the brink of LRA atrocities they contain torture, killing, rape or maim of innocent civilians.
A mothers and daughters are still too afraid to return to their village after being abducted and repeatedly tortured by LRA rebels four months ago.
For many, they remain the target and most vulnerable in the hands of LRA rebels.