Hundreds flee renewed attacks by LRA rebels in WES

By Richard Ruati

August 2, 2010 (NZARA) — Fresh attacks by the Ugandan rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Sangua Payam of Nzara County, Western Equatoria state, have forced hundreds of people to flee their homes and created a worrying spike in humanitarian needs, state government officials and aid local chief have warned.

The rebels appear to have timed their raid on Sunday afternoon, looting food items, and burning houses. “The recent attacks have triggered widespread panic and fear in Sangua and other villages around Nzara County,” said Tartizio James Banzimi, a local chief.

The LRA has been fighting and committing the kinds of atrocities throughout the Western Equatoria state at acquiring food items and bolstering its movement. It appears to be a cult of violence with thousands of adherents or forced converts, and has killed or violated tens of thousands of civilians in its campaign against the Ugandan government. It seeks a control of any territory it inhabits or feeds from, through terror and fear.

John Arika who escaped LRA raids said, “The entire population of Basukamgbii payam, 15 miles away west of Nzara County and Sangua payam, nine miles away from Nzara, has empted to Nzara town seeking protection and food.”

Local authority in Nzara is battling to settle the IDPs; vast lands behind county administrative buildings are being distributed to the IDPs. Many of those fleeing had already been forced from their homes by previous LRA attacks, according to Banzimi.

“They are too scared to return to the rural areas, so they are unable to cultivate their fields, or to even send their children to school because they fear the LRA will attack,” Banzimi added.

Ugandan troops led a US-backed military operation in December 2008 against remote rebel bases after LRA leader Joseph Kony again failed to appear for a scheduled peace accord-signing ceremony mediated by the Government of Southern Sudan. After the botched operation, the LRA mounted a wave of reprisal attacks, killing hundreds of civilians in Southern Sudan, DRC and CAR.

The state government in a statement said it “is deeply concerned about the fate of the IDPs caught in the latest attacks in several villages along the borders of the three countries”.
“A contingency of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) forces has been dispatched to the region and jointly with the Ugandan People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) pursued the vicious militants,” said Sapana Abui, WES’s Deputy Governor.

The attacks have created worrying humanitarian situation to the state government. “We have asked the State Director of Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Western Equatoria to take initiative on how best the IDPs can have access to humanitarian assistance,” Sapana added.
In a separate attack last Thursday, 30th July 2010 evening at around 6:30PM, LRA ambushed a Toyata land-cruiser which belonged to Payii Road Construction Company, a local firm rehabilitating Diabio to Ezo trunk road. Four people were wounded and the vehicle was burnt to ashes. The wounded were evacuated to Juba where they are getting medical attention.

The vehicle had left Yambio for Naandi with six passengers going to Payii base at Naandi payam. The fatal car ambush took place at 51km away from Yambio town, the state capital.

To protect themselves, residents of Western Equatoria state have formed self-defense forces in dozens of villages. The ad hoc commandos call themselves “Arrow Boys” after their most popular weapon — arrows dipped in poison.

Following car ambush attacks, Arrow Boys immediately arrived at the scenes, to see only the footmarks of LRA rebels, admittedly Arrow Boys clashed with vicious rebel group, and there are reports of dead LRA rebels. It was also reported that the LRA fighters were many in number. One Arrow Boy described the scenes as “gruesome”

Arrow Boys are proud of their efforts. But the regular Southern Sudan Army isn’t as comfortable with locals taking matters into their own hands.

The LRA, which was born in Uganda 20 years ago, has spent the past several years ravaging the forest communities of Western Equatoria. The United Nations says they have killed thousands and displaced nearly 100,000 in Southern Sudan alone. Although pursued by the Ugandan army, LRA’s fighters continue to target civilians.

(ST)