41 dead in massacres in South Sudan

Following the violent deaths of 41 civilians in massacres by armed Ugandans in south Sudan the Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) warned on Friday that the peace talks for northern Uganda might collapse. The GfbV appealed once more with emphasis to the European Union (EU) to work more actively for a permanent peace for northern Uganda. "If the international community is not prepared to do more there is little chance for the peace process in northern Uganda”, warned the human rights organisation in a letter to the Finnish Foreign Minister and EU President, Erkki Tuomioja. Following the massacres there are now doubts as to whether Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni, who was to take part in the peace talks this weekend, will in fact come. Museveni wanted to emphasise by his presence the wish for peace on the part of his government.

A few hours ago the corpses of 41 civilians were found near the south Sudanese city of Juba. Their cars were caught in ambushes by armed Ugandans on two main roads according to newspaper reports from Uganda. 15 people were injured in the attacks. Eye-witnesses hold the Ugandan rebel movement Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), which is operating in Sudan, responsible for the massacres. This is however stoutly denied. Since in the past three years hundreds of south Sudanese have been killed in attacks by the LRA the regional government of the south Sudan is doing its best to help put an end to the civil war in neighbouring Uganda, which has lasted for 20 years.

The LRA and the Ugandan government have since 14th July 2006 with the mediation of south Sudan been discussing the possibility of a permanent peace for northern Uganda. On 10th October 2006 an independent commission charged both the LRA and the Ugandan army with repeated breaches of the cease-fire agreed in August. So the negotiations have constantly been in danger.

"Europe must make it clear to the conflict parties that there is no alternative to peace negotiations”, said the GfbV Africa expert, Ulrich Delius. The strength of the desire of the people in northern Uganda for peace can be seen from the fact that since the beginning of the peace process more than 300,000 internally displaced persons in northern Uganda have left the refugee camps and have returned home.