Hunted LRA forces strike two villages in Sudan’s W. Equatoria
March 13, 2009 (LONDON) -– Thirteen villagers were killed in Western Equatoria State by guerrillas of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), the chairman of the Western Equatoria Azande Community World-Wide Organisation has recounted to Sudan Tribune, while three LRA rebels were killed by SPLA-backed local self-defence groups.
After being hunted through the Andari forest, some LRA forces escaped and struck an undefended village, killing 12 deaths in Ezo County and one in another attack in Ibba County as reported today.
Inhabitants of the state have formed armed parties to oppose the LRA, known as “Arrow Youth” because sometimes they are armed only with bows and arrows. But recently they have indicated that they receive support, including ammunition and recruits, from elements of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army.
For the last few weeks, the LRA were reported to be attacking and looting villagers in Ezo, and then retreating into the forest of Andari where they had set up camp. This prompted the state Minister of Security and Police, Col. Samuel Bati to go to Ezo to assess the situation. Together with the outgoing commissioner of Ezo County, he organised the self-defence groups to go after the LRA into the Andari forest.
But as the self-defence groups were there combing the area and looking for the LRA camps, some of the LRA outmanoeuvred them and appeared behind them at the undefended village of Madoro on Thursday.
They attacked the village, “rampaging and looting everything in their paths and hacking and shooting 12 people to death” said Charles B. Kisanga, the chairman of the international Azande group.
In the meantime the South Sudanese defence groups eventually came across the LRA camp in Andari and attacked it killing 3 LRA as the rest scattered and fled in disarray leaving behind possessions, guns and ammunition.
RESCUE
The self-defence groups also rescued a young captive Ugandan woman who had been abducted as a teenager in Uganda, plus her child. She has now been handed to the WES Minister of Security and Police and today he brought the girl and the child to Yambio and after debriefing she will soon be handed over to Ugandan authorities so that they can trace her family back in Uganda.
The young woman said she had spent three years in captivity after being abducted by LRA from her village back in Uganda. The Ugandan girl as usual had been forcibly married to an LRA member who fathered her child.
Ugandan forces are reported to be deployed in certain areas of Western Equatoria and are helping if they hear about any LRA attacking an area.
DEFENCE FORCES RESPOND TO ATTACK
On the other front in Ibba county, LRA forces attacked the villagers of Ndanga near Nabanga in Ibba County. The LRA came upon a man in his homestead and they tied him, beat him and chopped off his limbs which resulted in his death.
Eventually, as the LRA were looting the homesteads, they were stumbled upon by the self-defence groups and fighting ensued with the LRA being chased into the forest. Other cases of wounded or abductions are still being assessed so more updates are expected later.
Kisanga commented, “although we had many civilian deaths in WES in the past few days at the hands of the LRA, the Self Defence groups’ leaders have said still we are winning the war and the current LRA atrocities now are the last shots of a dying man.”
He added that morale is up for the defence groups, who are now going after the LRA to their jungle hideouts and destroying them there rather than just waiting for LRA to attack first.
The chairman of the Azanda (Zande) Community World-wide Organisation thanked the Ugandan army, SPLA forces, and the leaders of the Government of Southern Sudan for instructing SPLA to help in the fight.
“Self Defence groups are calling on all WES able-bodied men and women to join in the fight against LRA terrorists so that the barbaric terrorists could be defeated soon and allow the villagers time to return to their villagers and cultivate in the rainy season now,” said Kisanga.
(ST)
Aduol Liet
Hunted LRA forces strike two villages in Sudan’s W. Equatoria
TO: An Equatorian people. I think you guys Equatorians people will not defend your communities if they Dinkas people are not call to help you. I have there for 9 years around Juba during the SPLM/SPLA movement. When the late chairman sent the SPLA there in Western Equatorian in 1991-1992, people run a way to the SPLA when the SPLA told them did n’t run a way we are your people of Southern Sudan then, they said SPLA are just Forests polices even when the whole Regions have been captures by the SPLA, they still believes some days SPLA will be defeated but after the Peace Agreement have been signed they realized that, the dream of the SPLM/SPLA was a real things. Today they can see they governors are not Dinkas they workers at States level are not Dinkas but still some of Tribes did not even say thank to the Dinka peole who apparently lost nearly to one million in all Equatoia Regions starting from Eastern Equatoria up to the Western Equatoria.
Now every time I read an Articles of EQuatorians people said many times that, they did not want civikians of Dinkas in their land that make us pain to think about our people who lost their lives so that the next generations will be free. the real question to all Equatorians to be asked is, how would you feel if your people were fighting to free Southern Sudanese citizens in Bhar el Ghazal Regions let me make assumption like that and after when the peace was signed then, the people of Bhar el Ghazalan turned against your Equatorian who apparently lost nealy one million? Will you feel bad about it or what do you thin? To me, I think it would make you feel bad about your people lost lives. According to our observation in Southern Sudan. All Tribes in Southern Sudanese know how to kill Dinka people only but they fear to fights with the real enemies in Sudan, does Equatorians now thinks they will defeated Rebels without any Dimka there? they Dinka people did defend themseleves from Arab Arm Tribes without calling SPLA for help, last two months Equarorians people were blaming SPLA that, the SPLA did nothing to secures them.
War in Sudan is not over put in minds that did’t turn against Dinka or any Tribe in Southern Sudan it result opposite to your Community. I think the Dinka civilians have right to stay any where at any time in any place because they are citizens within Southern Sudan and perhaps they lost their Sons and love one in all a cross Sudan Country. Two things can not go at th same time we Dinka gave a way our blood in order for us the whole Sudanese people will have chance to freedom, freedom to speak up without fear government to arrest you that is good. And Freedom to say what you think is right or what you did’t think is right. Freedom to go any where if you got money for your travelling that is another good things but the Sudan government block the Southern Sudanese not to go a broad Countries now you can go any where in Africa at that it was not allowed.
There are very few Tribes In Southern Sudan which did not harm Dinkas particularly during the SPLA/SPLM struggle and even in Today. I think Bari of Juab around is one of good people and two others Tribes in Yei are also my favorable that, I can honore them but the rest were so bad even Arab were a little a bit some how is ok. Here is my messages to Equatorian people are you ready to fight with Uganda Rebels now? why Equatorians young people did not show up their strong during the SPLA/SPLM? At that time, you can see people of Equatoria when there is no war later when they hear enemies are coming out from Juba then, they started disappearing to the Mountains, Topose people did not tried to see enemy at all during the SPLA/SPLM movement they were distribanes SPLA at that time. I think maybe Equatorian will buy a braver people from others like Dinkas,Nuers and Nuban people otherwise they Equatorians people will continues to be fearful people in that Regions for years.
Finally, I do not want to hear Equatorian claiming about Dinka has taking their land if this continually then, we will ask Equatorians goveronrs to pay our blood off in nearl one million Dinkas people lost lives in all Equatoria Regions we are not stupid to let our most braver men dies in all Equatoria Towns and now they says they did not want Dinkas meanhwile they Equatorians young people disappearing going to the top of Mountains are not sleeping our history will tell us what you did good or bad later on.
Sincerly
By Aduol Liet.
U.S.A
Dinka Aliap Chawul
Hunted LRA forces strike two villages in Sudan’s W. Equatoria
You guys all the people fought and liberates each ither communities but not dinkas were braver enough than Equartorians tribes or Equartorian were braver than the Nuer.Please cant you changes even when you taken to school institutions?