Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Juba (Agenzia Fides) - "We hope to spend Christmas in serenity and peace, but there is some fear throughout the population for the possibility of attacks by LRA rebels," said to Fides His Exc. Mgr. Edaward Hiiboro Kussala, Bishop of Tombura-Yambio, southern Sudan, where for years the guerrilla movement of Ugandan origin Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), commit violence against the local population. "The LRA have not carried out any attacks in our region for at least two months and therefore the situation is calm at the moment, but the guerrillas can suddenly reappear" says Mgr. Kussala.
The LRA operates in a vast area stretching from southern Sudan to the north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Central Africa. The Ugandan army, in agreement with the authorities of these Countries, have deployed some combat units to hunt down the LRA. In their support, the U.S. government has sent hundreds of Special Forces instructors. "Some Ugandan army officers who work together with the Southern Sudan army officers in our area, have confirmed to me the presence of U.S. instructors," said Mgr.Kussala.
In Southern Sudan, independent since July 2011, there are several guerrilla movements that undermine the fragile institutions of the new State. Besides the LRA, which has foreign origin, there are groups of local origin, like the South Sudan's Democratic Movement/Army (SSDM/A), whose leader George Athor was killed on December 19 in a clash with the Southern Sudan army in the County of Morobe, in the Central Equatoria State.
A statement released by the SSDM/A, however, accuses Uganda of being responsible for Athor’s killing and for having staged his death in South Sudan with the complicity of the local government. The statement threatens to retaliate Uganda. Recently, the SSDM/A has formed a coalition with another guerrilla group, the South Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SSLM / A). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 21/12/2011)
