SPLM call upon UN to protect civilian in Sudan’s Unity State

Aug 26, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The former rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) has called on the UN mission to take responsibility for the protection of civilians in the Fanjak, Unity State, southern Sudan area and for disarming citizens.

One of the members of the Joint Military Commission, Maj-Gen Bior Ajang, revealed that the committee investigating incidents in Rabkona in Unity State would be presenting its report to the commission at its next meeting at the beginning of September. Ajang told Arabic language Al-Ayam that they had sent an official letter to the UN calling on it to take responsibility for protecting residents and disarming the area following the withdrawal of the SPLA.

He said the UN was pressurizing them on the basis of false information, which stated that the SPLA is besieging Fanjak town. He said the SPLA is carrying out its duty to protect residents against militia attacks. In this regard, the spokesperson for the UN special representative to Sudan, Radhia Achouri, reaffirmed that the situation in the Fanjak area is tense and that the UN is doing all it can to reinstate stability to the area.

Ajang further said the SPLA had sent an official letter to the [Sudan government] armed forces demanding they take responsibility for the attack by one of its militias, the Teng Meng, against the SPLA forces. He said this was in accordance with the decision by the militias committee taking at its last meeting ordering each side to take responsibility for attacks by their militias.

Ajang further demanded SAF withdraw its forces from Fanjak as the area was not their base. He said if the armed forces withdrew from the area, the number of attacks against citizens by armed groups would be reduced.

(ST)