The UN to Blame for Increased of Atrocities by LRA Rebels

By Steve Paterno

November 18, 2009 — In its extraordinary meeting this week, the 15-member UN Security Council issued a strong condemnation against “the continued and recently increasing attacks carried out by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central African Republic and Sudan.” In its press statement, the UN Security Council vows for collaborative efforts among the regional powers and bodies to stop the LRA atrocities and protect the civilians. This condemnation and a call for comprehensive strategy in dealing with the LRA by the world body, comes at the time the rebels have already proven that they are truly regional threats, since they go about, wreaking havoc on a regional scale. When the LRA rebels were manifesting themselves into such a regional menace, the UN was either mute or in some instances, inadvertently aiding and abetting the LRA to reach a successfully growth.

For example, the UN was among those organs, which blindly, supported the illusive Juba Peace Talks, supposedly between the government of Uganda and the LRA, under the mediation of South Sudan government. The UN investments for the talks are hugely wasted. It injected in millions of dollars in support of the process. If one dare to ask today, the accountability of such money is as a mystery as the whereabouts of Joseph Kony, the leader of LRA. To further demonstrate its complacency, the UN went to the extent of blessing the peace process with the designation of Joaquim Alberto Chissano, the former Mozambique’s president to be the UN point person or as the UN prefers to call him, the “Special Envoy of the Secretary-General.” From the onset of Juba Peace Talks, all the indications were showing, a process doomed to failure.

To begin with, there was no single LRA combatant involved in a direct negotiation in Juba Peace Talks. Yet, those who participated in the talks have audacity to call it Peace Talks related to LRA, though without the involvement of any LRA. The hoodwinked LRA negotiating delegation who descended into Juba were made up of imported individuals from Diaspora, most of whom with opportunistic tendencies and different motivations to promote their selfish interests. During the Juba Peace Talks, it did not come as surprises, when the so called LRA negotiating team struggled for positions and fought over allowances among themselves. Now that the said LRA negotiators are out of commissions, they spend their glorious time, mudslinging each other for the negative roles each one of them played throughout the process. Thanks to the initiation of Juba Peace Talks, most of these guys are now settled in Uganda after long years of exile and after swearing allegiance of not to return home until the ouster of Ugandan President Yuweri Museveni.

In short, the Juba Peace Talks was largely responsible for the growth of LRA, both in numbers and intensity of their attacks on civilian populations. Despite the obvious indicators of the Juba Peace Talks showing failures, the UN was not quick to reverse the course. As a result, the number of LRA combatants swelled with increased degree of attacks among their targets. Hundreds of thousands from across the region are uprooted from their homes; thousands are slaughtered; and hundreds more, among them children and women are abducted. In some cases, the UN peacekeeping in the region, the largest of its kind in the world, stand by, while all these atrocities is allowed to continue. Late last year when the LRA were stepping up systematic attacks across villages in Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the humanitarian agencies in the region, the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), blamed the UN peacekeeping for not doing enough to protect civilians and evacuate the wounded from the affected areas, despite the fact that the UN has the capacity and logistics to carry out such duties. This led President Yuweri Museveni to accuse the peacekeeping forces to be “living side by side with” the LRA terrorists.

Now that the UN embraces a comprehensive regional strategy in getting rid of the LRA, all that reminds is a plan for actions. Of recent, with mounting joint operations against the LRA by Ugandan, South Sudanese, and Congolese armed forces, the LRA is showing signs of defeats in battle fields. In spite of their continuous brutalities on civilian populations, LRA are surrendering in numbers. Among the recently surrendered LRA, is a senior commander, Charles Arop, a mastermind behind the 2008, Christmas massacre in Congo. With this signs of capitulations, there ought to be integrated efforts to encourage mass surrenders among the LRA ranks and files. The UN peacekeeping forces and other related agencies can take a lead in this endeavor by showing that there are incentives to the rebel fighters to give themselves in. The remaining handful of the fighters would then be hunted down in Special Forces unit types with coordinated intelligence as well as mobility capabilities, which has a primary objective of capturing or killing those LRA rebels. The onus is for the regional forces, the UN peacekeeping forces and related agencies to accomplish what has become the burden for innocent population to shoulder. The UN Security Council cannot just issue a press release out of New York on such important and urgent issue, and then not to follow through, especially when opportunities for actions present themselves. Let the real actions begin!

Steve Paterno is the author of The Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, A Romain Catholic Priest Turned Rebel. He can be reached at stevepaterno@yahoo.com

10 Forum messages

The UN to Blame for Increased of Atrocities by LRA Rebels 19 November 2009 09:51, by Ajongtar

Dr. Riak Machar where is Mr. Joseph kony the LRA leader for Ugandans rebels?

Otherwise the LRA who are in Southern Sudan particularly western Equotoria State are not the really LRA.

Those called DinkaLRA, these are those Dinka who are scattered in greater W.E.S when they are asked to live and go back to their respective States.

FYI UN Security Council.

The UN to Blame for Increased of Atrocities by LRA Rebels 19 November 2009 10:49, by pata mike

It must be noted that there are many Dinka in the LRA. One needs to recognize the followin points: many Dinkas joined LRA voluntarily when they were in Acol Pii refugee camp in Northern Uganda in the late 1990s; There was a major recruitment in sountern Sudan during the early part of 2000; A section of the SPLA joined LRA in the 21st century and these were mainly Dinka. Then the LRA became divided into the southern Sudan Brigades while the ones in Uganda remained in sania unit under the command of a Dinka who had aslo led raids into Sacred heart Girls School for several years. The LRA Dinka in S Sudan is a reality not a myth and if one was allowed to bet on this the probability would be clear
- The UN to Blame for Increased of Atrocities by LRA Rebels 19 November 2009 11:11, by Michael Madit Magot
  
  Ajongtar & Pata mike,
  
  Your comments should have been answered if they had make sense. I sometime wonder why some of our youth like you waste their time commenting outside the point.
  
  Please try to value your time and stop being put astray.
  
  "Time is money",isn’t it?
  - The UN to Blame for Increased of Atrocities by LRA Rebels 19 November 2009 13:40, by Hou Akot
    
    Dear columinist of this article(Paterno)
    
    Just to add a point on your points,the LRAs were evicted to leave south Sudan by SPLA or Ugandan ARmy,just that.Otherwise UN has done its work.
    
    I am Hou.
    - The UN to Blame for Increased of Atrocities by LRA Rebels 19 November 2009 13:47, by Gatwech
      
      Who is that Arop that bears the Dinka name and defected from the LRA? Is he a Dinka LRA? When did he join the LRA?
      - The UN to Blame for Increased of Atrocities by LRA Rebels 19 November 2009 17:41, by pata mike
        
        Arop joined LRA from an area near Acol Pii. He is Dinka but lived in Northern Uganda and joined LRA during the refugee days

The UN to Blame for Increased of Atrocities by LRA Rebels 19 November 2009 14:30, by Gatwech

Khent and Likes,

I know you are ashamed to read the Famous Rumbek Meeting of 2004 on archive page on southsudannation.com website which exposed John Garang as incompetent and a traitor of the South. That was a vote of no confidence on him.

You can run, Khent but you cannot hide. A blind man running can fall into a bottomless pit. A deaf who doesn’t hear can fall into a trap!

Read this beautiful warning of Salva Kiir to John Garang in Rumbek, 2004. Read carefully the marked words in the quotation:

"Those who are misleading you (Garang) and giving you false security information about others will ’suffer’ with you together or ’leave’ with you. The government, which is going to be led by you must include all. Without unity, the agreement will be a source of our disunity. We are ’not’ organized in all aspects, and as such will be exploited by other political parties that are more organized. The ’lack’ in our structures and political guidance will lead us to a ’very serious’ political defeat."

Khent if you have the guts read again and again that warning above by Salva Kiir. Did Garang listen to the warning? I also warn you the disciples of the dark angel to listen and not run blindly until you fall into the bottomless pit.

The UN to Blame for Increased of Atrocities by LRA Rebels 19 November 2009 23:12, by Aduol Liet

Ajongtar and Pata Mike.

Your lies will not help us in Southern Sudan. All Equatoria Regions were been captured by SPLA Dinkas since 1978, up to the time of peace agreement arrived 2005. There was no enemies in Western Equatoria 100% because the SPLA Dinkas clear out all enemies in Western at that time I think you will belief me on that, but Riak Machar Teny was the one who welcome those LRA Rebels to settle in Western Equatoria so that they can wait their peace agreement in Southern Sudan, because Joseph Kony was a friend of him before that. There were about 100 of thousands Dinkas been killed by Uganda LRA in Equatoria displacement Camps therefore, there is no need for we Dinkas people to make a friendship with these bad people that will be a fool thing.

Your blames should have actual go directed to this Achoil people of Equatoria why this is very simply, because we Dinka people we don’t really know who is Achoil of Sudan and who is belong to Uganda, both Achoilans they speak same language and they shared things together in Northern Uganda border and they are the one who knows more about Sudan bordering than Uganda Achoil.

About Dinkas problems with Western Equatoria citizens, we Dinka were very surprised at that time when the Western Equatorian people discriminated Dinkas claiming that, they do not want Dinka to have settle in her State which send a big signal to all Dinkas people that, our bravers SPLA Dinkas were deying and liberating Western Equatorians for nothing. This question is still need to be answering by Western Equatorians people in time to come after when we have a good time but not now.

Finally, your accusation to Dinka involvement to LRA is absolutely baseless and it is perhaps, unperofound because the hearts of all Dinkas about fighting for Southern Sudan Land issue is not something Dinka put their politics like Neur Riak Machar Teny traitor and some from Equatorian politicians like Joseph Lagu who was been bribers with fully million dollars by Mohammed Jaafar al Nimiery and many others. Dinka want every one in Sudan to be free to do his/ her business in your own way without fear, Dinka want you to learn in School as long as you wanted and live for free rather than living fearful. Also you need to defend your communities because Southern Sudan SPLA can not cover all areas of all Equatoria Regions and I will be appreciated if you can read and understand it.
The UN to Blame for Increased of Atrocities by LRA Rebels 20 November 2009 12:55, by Khent

Gatwech:

Your tortured attempts to misconstrue and even reverse the dynamics of Riek’s collaboration with the enemy is perhaps the most laughable exercise in self delusion.

Dr. John Garang (unlike Riek) is NOT a traitor!

No one believes this or thinks this other than you.

Though I doubt that you actually believe it, because, well.... it’s just dumb. Full props to you for your imaginative piece of fluff rhetoric.

The main problem Riek had in establising his political credibility was his collaboration with the government. Riek’s reliance on the government for military hardware at crucial times throughout 1993-4 had a subsequent obvious effect on the course of inter-factional fighting.

This accelerated disillusionment and disintegration as more and more of the rank-and-file of the movement began to realize the extent of Riek’s dependence on government support.

By the end of 1995 Riek was the leader of a virtual movement, lacking any real substance or coherence. Publicly he still hoped for external backing which could provide his ‘movement’ with some credibility, and early in 1996 he travelled to Ethiopia in an attempt to join the NDA.

His previous military collaboration with the government undermined his claim to head an anti-Khartoum, pro-independence Southern movement.

Riek failed in his bid and was ordered out of the country by the Ethiopian government. By the year 2000, Riek NO longer had access to government ammunition and supplies.. he was now without a movement.

He tried to regain the initiative by leaving Khartoum in December 1999 and resigning from the government two months later. But lacking any real support in his home area he moved to Nairobi, where he tried to maintain the appearance of a leader of a viable political movement.

Those sympathetic to Riek claim that he was genuine in his desire to disentangle himself from Khartoum and saw acceptance by the NDA as his last chance to obtain alternative sources of arms, which alone would free him from dependence from Khartoum.

If this was true, it is consistent with the confused, almost schizophrenic attitude towards liberation and collaboration, which he displayed from the beginning of the Nasir failed coup attempt in August 1991 to his resignation from the government in February 2000.

Riek’s lasting legacy is the fomenting of civil war among the Nuer, and handing the oil-fields over to the government.

Riek’s commanders from both the Jikany and Lou Nuer approached the government in Malakal seeking arms ostensibly with which to fight Dr. John Garang’s forces. These were given freely.

Throughout the early part of 1994 there were clashes between the Lou of Waat and the Jikany of Nasir, leading to the destruction of Ulang and Nasir itself and the death of some 1200 people.

Riek was so incompetant that he concoted a fake military assault on Malakal, with the employed services of a "Nuer prophet" to raise this force.

Gatkek Wutnyang had been led to believe that the force was intended to take Malakal. Gatkek Wutnyang subsequently launched the unsuccesful assault on the town, little knowing that the Nasir commanders had NEVER seriously meant to attack it.

When this fact was revealed, Riek’s commanders then relapsed into an embarrassed silence.

Oil exploitation had been made possible by clearing the oil-fields of their civilian population through the activities of the Sudanese armed forces and Baqqara militias from southern Southern Kordofan, and then by the securing of areas through the alliance with the Nuer break-away factions.

Once installed, the Sudanese military used the oil company roads and airfields to attack civilian settlements within a widening security radius.

Now, if you can’t understand how Riek’s collaboration make him a TRAITOR, there is possibly a problem of basic intelligence which I cannot help you with.

When are you going to characterize Riek’s collaboration with the enemy as an act of betrayal? When is that going to happen?

You don’t like the truth and prefer to make up reasons for believing in nonsense, so you continuously pretend not to understand a word I say.

Riek was an incompetant hypocrite, an un-convincing liar, a capricious figure- prone to collaborating with the enemy, unscrupolous and a TRAITOR.

He laughably dismissed Dr. Lam Akol from their pseudo ’movement’ for get this, collaborating with the government. Reacting against his dismissal, Dr. Akol issued and circulated a document in which he demonstrated that he was not alone in cooperation with the enemy.

In the document, Dr. Akol was very euphemistic when he remarked: "Who could be more royal in the king’s court than the King himself!". A clear reference to the fact that Riek, as the chairman of Nasir was fully aware on their ’movement’s collaboration with the government.

There was NO crime too great for Nasir to commit, no deception too base for them to practice, no disguise too difficult for them to assume. Enjoy the fruits of our labour, the peace of our negotiations and be grateful!

You’re just a desperate defeated dunce, playing dumb because you have no other recourse.

There’s no longer any burden of proof on you.

Do you know why?

Because your case is dismissed.

Without Dr. John Garang’s forgiveness, Riek would be irrelevant within the political environment. Don’t’ be bitter. Be thankful!
The UN to Blame for Increased of Atrocities by LRA Rebels 20 November 2009 13:02, by Khent

Gatwech:

I am not at all ashamed. That’s your delusion. I just can’t stop laughing at the level of idiocy being displayed.

Your tortured attempts to misconstrue and even reverse the dynamics of Riek’s collaboration with the enemy is perhaps the most laughable exercise in self delusion.

Dr. John Garang organized the Rumbek meeting of 2004 and was censured on a range of issues and questions. These were all serious and legitimate questions, but aside from taking them up personally with Garang, there were previously no institutionalized ways in which they could be raised, openly debated and resolved.

Whatever the cosmetic or purely theoretical aspects of SPLA administration, it can be contrasted with Nasir, where there were NO similar civil administrative structures or forums, and where much of what was announced in the form of internal organization, existed on paper only.

Dr. John Garang is to be congratulated for implementing the political objectives and dispositions of our populace.

Readers:

I cannot too much impress upon the minds of you all that historical revisionists, by their very calling, by the very essence of their institution, are bound to seek, by every means, the destruction of our movement, and the belittlement of our sacrifices. They are motivated by tribal hatred.

This is the condition of their existence, the duty they must fulfill, or they cease to be historical revisionists.