DATE=1/31/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-226141
TITLE=SUDAN / FIGHTING (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=SONYA LAURENCE GREEN
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: HEAVY FIGHTING WAS REPORTED SATURDAY BETWEEN REBELS AND
SUDAN'S ARMY FOR CONTROL OF THE STRATEGIC SOUTHERN TOWN OF WAU.
REBELS LAUNCHED A MAJOR ASSAULT ON WAU LAST THURSDAY AND SAID
THEY HAD GAINED CONTROL OF SIX MAJOR POINTS IN THE TOWN. SONYA
LAURENCE GREEN HAS MORE.
TEXT: A REBEL SPOKESMAN SAID SUDAN'S ARMY WAS USING HEAVY
ARTILLERY IN ITS ATTEMPT TO RECAPTURE THE AIRPORT IN THE SOUTHERN
TOWN OF WAU. JUSTIN YAAC, REBEL SPOKESMAN FOR THE SUDAN PEOPLES
LIBERATION ARMY -- THE S-P-L-A -- SAID THE FIGHTING FOR WAU WAS
INTENSE.
REBELS SAID LAST THURSDAY THEY HAD CAPTURED WAU, INCLUDING ITS
AIRPORT AND RAILWAY. BUT SUDAN'S GOVERNMENT COUNTERED THAT IT
HAD SUCCEEDED IN REPULSING THE REBEL ATTACK AND IT CONTROLLED
WAU. THOUGH THE FIGHT FOR WAU CONTINUES, MR. YAAC SAID THE
REBELS CONTROL ALL THE VILLAGES AROUND THE TOWN.
WAU IS THE MAIN TOWN IN SOUTHERN SUDAN'S BAHR-AL-GHAZAL REGION,
AND THE SECOND LARGEST TOWN IN THE SOUTH AFTER JUBA. IT IS
STRATEGICALLY LOCATED ON A MAJOR TRIBUTARY OF THE NILE RIVER, IT
LIES AT THE INTERSECTION OF FIVE REGIONAL ROADS, AND HAS THE
RAILHEAD LINKING SOUTHERN SUDAN TO THE NORTHERN CAPITAL,
KHARTOUM.
THE REBEL FORCES ARE BEING LED BY COMMANDER KARUBINO KWANYIN BOL.
COMMANDER KARUBINO DEFECTED TO THE GOVERNMENT SIDE LAST APRIL AND
WAS STATIONED IN WAU. BUT HE SECRETLY REJOINED THE REBELS AND
LED THIS WEEK'S REBEL ATTACK ON WAU FROM INSIDE THE TOWN.
THE FIGHTING COMES AHEAD OF PEACE TALKS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT APRIL,
AIMED AT ENDING THE 14-YEAR-OLD CIVIL WAR IN SUDAN. S-P-L-A
REBELS TOOK UP ARMS IN 1983 AGAINST THE NORTHERN ISLAMIC
GOVERNMENT, DEMANDING MORE POLITICAL AUTONOMY AND RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM FOR SOUTHERN SUDAN.
EARLIER PEACE TALKS HAVE BROKEN DOWN OVER THE QUESTION OF
SELF-DETERMINATION. SUDAN'S GOVERNMENT SAYS IT IS WILLING TO
CONSIDER A FEDERAL SYSTEM LINKING THE NORTH AND SOUTH, BUT THE
S-P-L-A SAYS IT WANTS A REFERENDUM ON SELF-DETERMINATION WITHIN
TWO YEARS. (SIGNED)
NEB/SLG/RRM
31-Jan-98 9:41 AM EST (1441 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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