Killings In Upper Nile State

July 14, 2010 (MALAKAL) –– The people of Fashoda county in Upper Nile state are accusing the SPLA of attacking villages in the area.

Witnesses accuse the SPLA of killing people they suspect are members of an alleged SPLM-DC militia in the region.

An eyewitness from area, who preferred to remain anonymous, told SRS that the SPLA has carried out several assaults on their villages since last week.

[Voice 1]; “A boat came from Malakal and this boat was raided by militia, then some soldiers and police went there and fought with this militia. After that, the soldiers attacked the civilians, burned down houses and killed seven civilians. All the civilians’ property was taken and the civilians have fled to Malakal. Right now there is nobody in our area at all. These things have never happened since the war when people were in the bush. There is no need for our own SPLA to do these things because these things are really bad and now I am sure that civilians will support the north.”

Another civilian who lost her three children following the attack said that SPLA is deliberately targeting the civilian population.

[Voice 2]: “I am from Patom in Lul payam. What actually happened is that the SPLA forces went to Islands where people ran to hide and they killed the people who they found there. They also killed people who were left in the villages. They are also raping women, even breastfeeding mothers, even old women, they raped them all. Me, who is talking to you now, I have lost all my three children, I am left with a three-month daughter, all my other three children are dead.”

SPLA spokesperson major-general Kuol Deim Kuol denied claims that his forces have killed civilians. He said that the SPLA 17 infantry division had attacked two hideouts of the SPLM-DC militia on Friday killing seven people.

[Kuol Deim Kuol]: “The 24th of June, they ambushed a river boat, a river boat which was taking salary from Malakal to government officials. They ambushed it between Malut and Kodok and they raided 97 thousand pounds and killed a policeman. Another boat was coming from Malut taking cargo to Malakal again they ambushed and they killed some of the people. So we in the SPLA general headquarters here, we ordered the SPLA’s 17 infantry division to hunt for these people and arrest them because they were ordered by Dr. Lam Akol to close the river traffic that is coming to southern Sudan and we cannot allow that.”

However, he denied claims that his forces have been targeting civilians.

[Kuol Deim Kuol]: “No, we did not kill any civilians in that fight. There were no civilians killed. we killed seven militia members. You see the problem of Lam Akol’s militia is that they are hiding among the civilians. This is a war crime for somebody who is armed to come and use civilians as human shields. So we are doing our level best to avoid civilian casualties. Many people have started going back to their places. About 200 cattle were left behind by the people, we have protected them and yesterday the ministerial committee from Malakal went to visit these areas and a committee was formed to hand back these cattle to the owners.”

Responding to the allegations, the SPLM-DC denied allegations made by the SPLA that it has killed a number of militiamen belonging to the SPLM-DC in Upper Nile state.

The deputy chairman of the SPLM-DC, Charles Kisanga spoke to SRS in Khartoum on Wednesday.

[Charles Kisanga]: “How could they have a militia? When you register as a political party you are not supposed to have any army affiliated to your party and we abide by this. And by the way the SPLA and the SPLM control everything in southern Sudan as you know. How many of our people are being arrested daily and so on, where on earth could SPLM-DC be able to put up an army? We are not in control of southern Sudan. These are tribal things which the SPLA could do better to control.”

Charles Kisanga, SPLM-DC deputy chairperson was speaking to SRS on Wednesday in Khartoum.