Thursday, September 3, 2009

Sudanese Archbishop Says Anti-Peace Forces Behind Killings in South


From Voice of America-

The archbishop of the Episcopal Church in Sudan says some of the tribal killings in South Sudan are not from cattle raids as reported, but are well-organized attacks against villagers. The archbishop says he fears the militias are being funded by outsiders who wish to to see the South's independence referendum fail.

Juba-based Archbishop Daniel Deng told VOA some of the recent attacks have been executed by well-trained, uniformed militias carrying automatic weapons.

He accuses enemies of Sudan's peace agreement of being behind the killings.

"This is not a tribal fight. It is somebody somewhere organizing these people to disturb the [Comprehensive Peace Agreement]. Those not interested in peace are the ones doing this," he said.

The archbishop warns the peace agreement signed between the North and South could be in danger if the attacks continue escalating. The peace deal calls for national elections to be held next year, followed by a Southern independence referendum in January 2011.

"It is a way of telling the people, 'Well, there is insecurity in the country, so we can not go for elections,'" he added.

A U.N. official in South Sudan says inter-tribal violence had killed 1,200 and displaced 250,000 since January.

Archbishop Deng specifically pointed to a raid late last week in the Wernyol town in Jonglei state in which 40 people were killed, including a church official who was shot at the altar during a morning service.

The rest is here-

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-09-02-voa43.cfm

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