LRA delegates under South Sudan protection

May 7, 2007 (JUBA) — The Lord’s Resistance Army delegates at the Juba peace talks have been given presidential guards as part of the new security arrangement to boost their confidence and protection. The security detail around the LRA delegates has been greatly increased with more armed guards following consistent complaints that they are under threat.

Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) soldiers have been deployed at the Juba Bridge Hotel where the rebel side resides, while others travel with the delegates whenever they are going for meetings.

Unlike the previous deployment, this time some of the soldiers, both in civilian and military uniform, have walkie talkies and carry automatic weapons. Four soldiers have been deployed at the entrance to the hotel on a 24-hour basis in addition to others inside the compound. Delegates talking a walk outside the hotel are escorted by the presidential guards.

“They have changed the guards. We have new ones”, LRA publicist Godfrey Ayoo said when contacted. “All this is intended to improve our security” he added.

Some of the guards were drawn from the VIP protection unit, protecting President Salva Kiir and the Vice-President, Riek Machar. The latter is the chief mediator.

According to sources, the VIP protection personnel of the SPLA have been trained by the United States Army. Similar protection like that offered to the LRA is granted to visiting dignitaries. The increased security around the LRA delegation is one of the conditions, the rebels, UN and the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) reached as a condition to resume the peace talks after they bolted out in January alleging lack of personal security and bias by the mediation.

The LRA claimed that some Ugandan and Sudanese army intelligence operatives would ransack their rooms in search of security related information whenever they are out negotiating with the government side. But both sides have denied the allegations.

(Daily Monitor)