Rights body accuses SPLA, rebels of Upper Nile killings

April 20, 2011 (JUBA) – Both the southern army and rebels fighting the southern government should be held accountable for the gross human rights violations in Upper Nile last month, a US-based human rights body says in its latest report.

Over 60 ethnic Shilluk people, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW) were killed in fierce clashes that took place between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) soldiers and a rebel group led by Johnson Olony on 6 and 7 March in Owachi: an area located near the north-south Sudan border.

The 19 April report was the outcome of a research mission HRW conducted in the first half of April in Upper Nile state. In their findings, they allege that southern soldiers “fired indiscriminately at civilians and burned and looted homes.”

“If the Southern Sudan government wants a sustainable peace when it becomes fully independent in July, it should demonstrate its commitment now with a prompt and thorough investigation into human rights violations in Upper Nile,” Daniel Bekele, HRW’s Africa director says.

He adds, “Southern Sudan’s government should show no tolerance for crimes against civilians by either side.”

The organisation appeals to the southern government to institute an investigation into the incident and ensure that those responsible are prosecuted while the innocent, who are still in detention, are released.

Nearly 7,000 people, says HRW, have been displaced while the actual number of casualties from the impromptu clashes reportedly remain unknown. The organisation, quoting a local leader, say the area still remains inaccessible by UN and humanitarian agencies allegedly due to “the large presence of SPLA soldiers throughout the area.”

“Neither the armed forces nor the rebels took sufficient precautions to protect civilians from the conflict, despite clear signs that the fighting was imminent,” Bekele said, adding that, “The government should send a strong and clear message that it will not allow soldiers to abuse civilians or fail to protect them during clashes.”

Reacting to the HRW report, Phillip Aguer, the SPLA spokesperson dismissed the findings of the report, saying it was based on “rumors and unfounded allegations” against the southern army.

“Much as I have not seen the Human Right Watch report, I don’t think their findings truly reflect the situation on the ground. The SPLA is mandated to protect the southern people against any form of aggression and not to harm innocent civilians. How can we kill people we have been fighting for years to liberate?” Aguer told Sudan Tribune by phone.

The army spokesperson also denied accusations that his forces, carried out a “mop-up” operation, which allegedly involved arresting and detaining scores of Shilluk men suspected of links to Olony’s rebels and to Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Democratic Change (SPLM-DC), the political party led by a Shilluk politician, Lam Akol.

Peter Lam Both, the Upper Nile information and broadcasting minister remained cagey on the allegations made in the report especially where the southern government was allegedly involved.

“After the clashes, we all know that the government launched an investigation into the matter. Let’s wait for the findings to be made public,” he said.

HRW appealed to the southern government to not only remain accountable to the population, but to seek remedies to the underlying grievances fuelling the conflict in Upper Nile, including land disputes.

“These steps would put the southern government on the right track as it prepares for the declaration of its independence,” says the HRW report.

The semi-autonomous region is Southern Sudan is set to declare independence on 9 July, following an overwhelming vote for self-determination in a January referendum. The vote was key part of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended over 20 years of civil war in Sudan.

(ST)