Peace march against LRA in South Sudan

From Sudan Radio Service Friday 23 October 2009:
Peace March in Tombura County

(Tombura) - Tombura county has organized a one day multi-denominational march in the county in a bid to call for peace and stability in Western Equatoria state following attacks from the Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army.

Speaking to Sudan Radio Service from Tombura, the county commissioner, Pauda Baabe Renzi, explains the aim of the march.

[Pauda Baabe Renzi]: “We have inter-Church prayers today, we started walking from the county headquarters and now we are going to the grave of the king of Tombura where people will pray for peace and also to drive out the evils which the LRA are doing, in particular in Western Equatoria, in Yambio, Ezo and Tombura. This is the aim of our prayer march.”

More than three thousand people from Ezo and Nagero county are participating in Friday’s march in order to pray for peace and stability for the local community.

South Sudan: 13th Aug LRA attack in Bereamburu, Western Equatoria

From UN News Centre, Friday, 21 August 2009:
Ugandan rebels drive thousands from their homes in southern Sudan

Fresh attacks carried out by a notorious Ugandan rebel group have uprooted thousands of people and spreading panic in southern Sudan, forcing the United Nations to suspend its humanitarian work in the area, the world body's refugee arm said today.

The 12 August attacks by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in Ezo district, in the remote Western Equatoria region near Sudan's border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), reportedly killed two people and injured three others.

The rebels also abducted 10 girls from a local church, and they pillaged and torched homes, stealing food.

The following day, the LRA struck again in Bereamburu village, burning down the local church and health centre, as well as looting medical supplies.

“On 13 August, as a result of the intensifying LRA attacks, the UN was forced to suspend all humanitarian activities in the area, and 29 humanitarian workers, including seven UNHCR staff, were evacuated by helicopter,”Andrej Mahecic, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told reporters today in Geneva.

The recent LRA attacks have triggered widespread panic and fear in the area bordering the DRC and the Central African Republic (CAR), he said. Most of those on the run have already been uprooted by earlier LRA incursions.

“UNCHR condemns the continued LRA attacks on the civilian population and is deeply concerned about the fate of the large number of refugees and IDPs caught in the latest attacks in several villages along the borders of the three countries,” Mr. Mahecic said.

Thousands of refugees from the DRC and the CAR, along with internally displaced Sudanese persons (IDPs) are now without protection or assistance, he added.

Since October 2008, the LRA, which is said to be behind many attacks and atrocities, has “extended its deadly reach into the DRC, Sudan and the CAR, terrorizing the civilian population and causing chaos and mayhem,” the spokesperson said.

Some 360,000 Congolese people have been forced to flee in successive LRA attacks in northeast DRC, while some 20,000 others have fled to Sudan and CAR, according to UN estimates.

In a related development, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced today that it plans to boost its food assistance to southern Sudan this year by 25 per cent due to the surge in the number of people facing severe food shortages to 1.3 million.

Driving the deteriorating food situation are conflict, poor rainfall and high food prices, the agency said.

“We need to act now to assist the increasing number of people facing serious hunger in southern Sudan,” said WFP Sudan Representative Kenro Oshidari.

The agency's move was prompted by the results of the recently-completed mid-year assessment of the region's needs carried out by the Government of Southern Sudan and with the support of WFP and other UN bodies.

Half of WFP's assistance will go to Akobo, an area in Jonglei state that has been hit hard by inter-tribal clashes which have killed hundreds and uprooted thousands of others. Nearly half of the people in Akobo are said to be food insecure, according to the review.

The agency has been airlifting food into Akobo since a mid-June attack on boats ferrying its aid down the Soba River.

Click on labels here below for related reports and updates.

South Sudan: 12th Aug - 3 killed, 40 missing after LRA attack in Ezo county, Western Equatoria

Note these puzzling details in the following report from Sudan Radio Service:

"The forces that came were heavily armed LRA and probably did not face much resistance because they came in between the Ugandan Armed forces on one side and the Sudan armed forces on the other. So when they went towards the house of the commissioner they could not fire because of the Ugandan Army forces.

The Uganda armed forces were also thinking if they opened fire, they might kill some Sudanese Armed forces. So the result is they managed get out with being attacked, but at least 3 people are reported to have been killed.”

Here is a copy of the report by Sudan Radio Service, Friday, 14 August 2009:
USSF Leader Describes LRA Attack on Ezo

(Yambio) – Three people were killed and 40 others are missing after an attack by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Ezo county in Western Equatoria state on Wednesday 12th.

Speaking to Sudan Radio Service producer David Sanango, the leader of United South Sudan Party, Clement Mbugoniwia, described what happened.

[Clement Mbuniwia]: “What we know so far is that the day before yesterday, a group of LRA were able to enter Ezo from the Catholic church side, so they penetrated the town and they were able to launch a series of attacks within the town itself after which almost 40 people are reported missing and at least over 40,000 people are now displaced in Ezo county. Among them are 5000 refuges from Congo who were already there. 

The forces that came were heavily armed LRA and probably did not face much resistance because they came in between the Ugandan Armed forces on one side and the Sudan armed forces on the other.  So when they went towards the house of the commissioner they could not fire because of the Ugandan Army forces. 

The Uganda armed forces were also thinking if they opened fire, they might kill some Sudanese Armed forces. So the result is they managed get out with being attacked, but at least 3 people are reported to have been killed.”

[Sanango]: Can you describe the situation at the moment?

[Clement Mbuniwia]: “It happened from 5 up to 9 o’clock pm. They were roaming around the town. At least last night people slept well, but I was in contact with the commissioner this morning and he said the situation is bad, especially on the humanitarian aid side, as far as food, water and medical supplies are concerned. All the NGOs that were in Ezo were evacuated last evening so the situation is a little bit less tense.”

[Sanango]: Can you estimate the number of people who have been injured in the attacks?

[Clement Mbuniwia]: Around 30 to 40 people were seriously injured; some of them were actually cut with machetes, not necessarily gun shots.

Clement Mbugoniwia was speaking to Sudan Radio Service from Yambio.

Click on 'Jonglei' label in footnote here below for related reports and updates.

LRA rebels will not return to Uganda despite fresh attacks in DR Congo -Uganda
Uganda Watch, Friday, August 14, 2009.

Southern Sudan : Food crisis warning

Global Arab Network - English News - Adam Turner - ‎Aug 12, 2009‎

In Yambio, some of the 73000 displaced people who had been living in surplus crop-producing areas, including Ezo, Maridi, Yei and Mundri, ...

Ugandan rebels 'launch new raids'

BBC News - ‎Aug 2, 2009‎

The south Sudanese town of Ezo was also attacked recently by the LRA, which has a history of rape and killings. The LRA uses its base in the Democratic ...

S. Sudan town of Ezo attacked recently by the LRA

From BBC News at 21:58 GMT, Sunday, 02 August 2009 22:58 UK:
Ugandan rebels 'launch new raids'

Civilians in both the Central African Republic (CAR) and south Sudan have come under from the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), aid agencies have said.

The Ugandan rebel group is said to have killed people in several CAR towns, forcing survivors to flee.

The south Sudanese town of Ezo was also attacked recently by the LRA, which has a history of rape and killings.

The LRA uses its base in the Democratic Republic of Congo to launch incursions across poorly defended borders.

A number of people died in the latest attacks, according to United Nations workers and local aid agencies.

It is also being reported that some LRA members were killed as CAR townspeople tried to defend themselves.

The World Food Programme has already provided food aid to 60,000 people fleeing LRA attacks this year.

The rebel group's leaders, notorious for capturing children and using them as fighters, are wanted by the International Criminal Court.

Earlier in 2009 Ugandan troops carried out an operation to pursue the Lord's Resistance Army into north-east Democratic Republic of Congo, intending to put a stop to attacks into neighbouring countries.

But the landscape of dense jungle and swamps has made the group very hard to pin down.