Civilians on the frontline against LRA rebels in Western Equatoria
By Richard Ruati
October 20, 2009 (YAMBIO, WES) — Western Equatoria civilians are venturing to self-defense groups to protect homes and families from Ugandan LRA rebels.
The purported attacks surged after Ugandan forces spearheaded an anti-rebel offensive in December 2008.
In silence broken only by the buzz of insects and the crunch of earth under their plastic sandals, vigilant boys armed with traditional weapons file through the cool night, hunting arrows in hand, scanning the darkness for those who killed their villagers and burned their homes.
Elsewhere in the areas surrounding the Payam (Sub-county) of Gangura, dozens more like them stalk the forest, mostly fearless young boys armed with locally made guns or bows and arrows.
“This is very necessary for me, first and foremost, for the town, and for the people who are suffering in the bush, who have done nothing and who are dying,” said Michael Poulino, a community leader at Bazungua Boma.
Lord’s Resistance Army rebels first attacked Yambio in March 2006, as efforts to negotiate a peace deal to end their two-decade bush war against the Ugandan government broke down at the first stage.
“They just walked straight into our fertile villages. They started to burn houses and kill people,” Poulino said.
At this time, not all villages is protected by the allied forces, and analyst say no conventional army can be deployed in the State of over 600,000 inhabitants, located near northeast border of Democratic Republic of Congo, the LRA’s stronghold since it fled from Garamba National Park to various dense jungles of DR Congo, southwest southern Sudan and Central Africa Republic in 2008.
On Dec. 14, a Ugandan-led multinational force, including Congolese and South Sudanese soldiers, launched an offensive aiming to capture the rebels’ reclusive leader Joseph Kony.
Instead, the operation splintered the rebels into smaller groups that are now attacking villages, slaughtering civilians, raping women and kidnapping children for use as sex slaves and child soldiers. The Aid Agencies death toll may be conservative.
The UN humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, Ameerah Haq, said there was “grave concern” at “escalating attacks”.
“Many innocent people are losing their lives every week,” she says, speaking during a recent visit to Yambio, capital of the hard-hit Western Equatoria state.
“The United Nations is very concerned about the killing, abduction, maiming and displacement of innocent civilians,” Ms Haq said.
Many of the attacks targeted the food provided by international aid agencies, she said, warning that greater security efforts were needed.
There are just 200 UN peacekeepers in Western Equatoria, with forces already stretched tackling separate conflicts elsewhere in southern Sudan.
Since their creation, the Arrow boys have taken on over 10 LRA bandits from a number of clashes with the Ugandan rebels.
But since last September 2009 the ongoing self-defense patrol in the counties of Mundri, Maridi, Yambio, Nzara and Ezo of Western Equatoria State caught 6 LRA soldiers. It mutilated and killed some before handing the other over to the allied forces.
At Bazungua, Poulino said he feels no hatred for these latest horrendous attacks by LRA rebels. He simply wants them to leave the innocent civilians in Western Equatoria State.
“Why are they dehumanizing us? Why?” he asked.
“Our future generations are degenerating from LRA rebels, they abduct our children and child bearing women,” he said.
“If it comes to a battle, we will die together and [I] encourage more boys to take up traditional weapons against the infamous rebels.” Augustino Ibba at Bazungua village said
“We are rocked by dire humanitarian crisis, the UN and GOSS must intervene and save our lives from marauding rebels,” stressed Gideone Batikpo, one of the former LRA abductees.
(ST)
thieleling
Civilians on the frontline against LRA rebels in Western Equatoria
Thanks to Equatoria’s Arrow brave boys for self-protecting your communities. You are truly on your own because Salva Kiir and Gier Chuang(interior ministry) base their crisis intervention on tribalism in south sudan. Sorry the leadership is a tribal-based leadership today. Our current south sudan president chooses and selects where the gov’t intervenes based on tribes. He prefers his own. The primary means by which we the citizens of south sudan control our future gov’t is by voting in free elections. I hope you guys remember your conditions when the elections come.
BUSTA 2
Civilians on the frontline against LRA rebels in Western Equatoria
I will smuggle guns to WE soon!!!!!!!!!!
Within my capacity, am ready to smuggle guns to WEs to deal with both LRA and IDPs who have migrated from thier land to WE for what I don’t know.
Brothers and Sisters who are suffering in WE will soon have peace of mind without so called “COWBOY KIIR’S” support!!!
Brother in Christ,
Busta 2
M.Cool.J
Civilians on the frontline against LRA rebels in Western Equatoria
What is the role of a soldier? This should be answered by our Kiir who is actually security-blind.Why should our civillians die like flies when we have armies to depend the countr?
Thank you brave boys.God will give a hand in our security because we have already knowwn that we havr no leaders.Look.What we call soldiers are seriously engaged in beer-taking, what do we do?Protect ourselves.Hell with Kiir’s government.
Critic_Ngueny
Civilians on the frontline against LRA rebels in Western Equatoria
Dear Equatorains,you have to harvest what you plant.
There is nothing called LRA apart from those Equatorians who are collaborating with Arabs to abrogate CPA.Majority of the young men from Equatoraia are recurred and will be recurred by their Generals to be against the SPLA/M.
Anyway,it is not a big deal,it becomes a culture in Equatoraia to be against their own government.During the struggle,they had and they have Equatoria defend force, from who?
Critic_Ngueny from Bor town
kadogo2
Civilians on the frontline against LRA rebels in Western Equatoria
Dear my brothers and sisters in Western Equatoria state,
don’t give up. i know some of our leaders are not serious about the mess going on there.LRA was killing people in Eastern Equatoria, when UPDF and SPLA were sent there, Riek Machar called LRA for peace talk in Juba, and transfered them to Western Equatoria, and gave them food and accommodation, so LRA became powerful again.Riek machar knows about whats going on there, God will ask Riek Machar for that. Long live Western Equatoria.
stephen
Civilians on the frontline against LRA rebels in Western Equatoria
That is good work gentlemen, don;t allow the enimies to loot your properties,as you know that these LRA are sent by the khartoum Government(Jallabas) to create insecruity in our evergreen.using arrow and bow is good step, am quite sure you have right to defend yourself from enimies, if possible get guns because the government of south sudan has fail to protect you from these catfews of arabs.