World urged to protect Southern Sudanese civilian from LRA attacks
By Richard Ruati
December 19, 2009 (YAMBIO) – The latest strategy paper from the Enough Project has urged International Community, UN and Government of Southern Sudan to protect Civilians from LRA attacks.
A report by the Enough Project, argues that, “both the Government of Southern Sudan and the United Nations should urgently step up efforts to protect civilians.”The situation is dire and poised to get much worse in the months ahead,” says Enough researcher Ledio Cakaj, “Increased troop presence and improved relationships with the communities at risk of attack are prerequisites to a more effective strategy.”
Improving civilian protection is only one part of a comprehensive strategy to address the LRA threat. “Civilians in the region will never be safe so long as the LRA continues to operate as a transnational terrorist group,” says Enough Co-Founder John Prendergast. “A comprehensive counterinsurgency strategy is needed. The U.N. Security Council must also identify and sever external lines of support, increase opportunities for rank-and-file to defect, and increase effective military pressure on Joseph Kony and his high command.”
In Western Equatoria State in Southern Sudan, where LRA attacks in recent months have killed at least 135 people and driven 67,000 from their homes.
Enough Project says that, “the Government of Southern Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, or SPLA, have been unable and in some cases unwilling to protect southern Sudanese civilians.”
Arrow Boys are local protection group that have organized to defend communities against the LRA.
The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) ended one of Africa’s longest and complex civil wars, with nominal agreement reached on security, wealth sharing, and governance issues, however the Sudanese villagers bordering DRC and CAR have barely enjoy the peace.
Unfortunately, U.N. peacekeepers deployed to support implementation of Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement have not risen to the direct challenge to the peace posed by LRA.
The report stresses that improved civilian protection is only one element of a comprehensive strategy to address the LRA threat. “Civilians in the affected region will not be safe so long as the LRA continues to operate as a transnational terrorist group.”
During a telephone conversation with Ledio from Kampala he added that,
Speaking by telephone from Kampala Ledio said there are indications that the LRA rebels have regrouped with means to cause havoc in Congo, CAR and South Sudan in order to send clear message denying Ugandan government statements about the dismantlement of their movement.
“The fear is that a potential lethal Christmas attack will be carried out as a real statement of intent, a clear message to the governments of DRC and Uganda which have claimed the rebels are finished. Whether attacks happen during the Christmas period or not, it is almost certain that the LRA will continue to harm civilians in the upcoming months.”
Ledio has visited both Northeast of Congo and south Western Sudan where LRA rebels have been active and carried out the most horrendous atrocities on the civilians.
Driven out Garamba Park in Northeast of Congo by the Ugandan Military, LRA rebels have marauded to the villages of DRC, CAR and South Sudan, causing the direst humanitarian situation on the civilians.
The flamboyant nature of its leader, Joseph Kony, the kidnapping of children for his army and his rebels’ reputation for extreme brutality have kept the self proclaimed spiritual movement on shake drive.
The LRA’s wave of attacks across the three countries follows a nearly two-decade long war in Uganda’s north and a Ugandan-led multinational strike on rebels in December late last year.
(ST)
Dinka Boy
World urged to protect Southern Sudanese civilian from LRA attacks
LRAs are nothing than the Rebels from Uganda and Equatorians.
I am sorry for the ill acted of LRAs aganist the citizens of Southern Sudan.
The errows boy will not protect the lives of their civilians alone. Where are other men with errow and bows?.
Great job mr errow boy. Though your dirty errows will not compete with the guns of LRAS.
Thanks
Kon Ajith Deng
World urged to protect Southern Sudanese civilian from LRA attacks
Yes,Government of the Southern Sudan,unable to protect the civilans of the Southern Sudanese from the LRA attacks,Mr.President Salva Kiir and his cabinets are busy with drunkard,corruptions and looting public money,and civilans are suffering from LRA attacks,and they are talking about disarmmamet in the Southern Sudan,to let his dinkas to grabe other tribes’land ,civilans must to arms themselves,so that to protect themselves from the SPLA Dinkas and from the LRA attacks, all of them are enemies, SPLA forces only to protect Dinka in Jonglei and Upper Nile states,they are busy for grabing shilluk lands and Nuer lands for his dinkas,leave SPLA forces to them to protect dinka
Time1
World urged to protect Southern Sudanese civilian from LRA attacks
Sudanese will teach this terrorist group LRA a good lesson soon, the problem we also need to address as Sudanese is the original source of LRA funding, support and training, who are behind the LRA? there are two side helping the LRA, the first is the Khartoum security to destabilize the south before referendum, the second group is the Foreign mercenarys who are giving secret support to LRA and sometimes they are also involve in carrying out killings with the LRA, Foreign mercenaries from Europe are involve in the region, they pose as foreign companies for mining and for tourists but are secretly supporting the insurgency activity of LRA to keep south sudan underdeveloped and also to clear space for them to take mineral resources, we have to monitor all foreign companies that work in Security, Conservation in our forests and those who work as Churches in remote area, they are the ones coordinating rebel and insergency operations without the knowledge of the authorities, because authorities think they are mare security, Tourist and conservation agencies but they are the ones involve, just ask yourself how LRA is getting their funding and support without no one knowing the sources? it is this foreigners, we need to open our eyes or we will continue pay big price if we blindly trust this foriegners who work in our country, peop-le will continuye to die and no body knows who is killing them or why, but it is those people foreign companies and churches who we trust who are doing this behind our backs.
The Jungle fire
World urged to protect Southern Sudanese civilian from LRA attacks
Goood job, savegard that is what we call selfdefence, if u waite for the solider to come then you will be death cuz soldier keep their gun to peotect them but not civilians hehe,when I was in da camp north Uganda,LRA managed to kill sudanese refugee in a large number, its was July the 14 sønday 1996, 300 sudanese refugee was been killed by the LRA while UPDF soldier were just a half Km from the Massacer scene and UPDF didn,t even shot any single bullet.
Arrow boys keep its up otherwise no one can protect your love one from LRA activites.
when they cross da road looking for food, just gun them with your arrows and God knows why u are fighting for.