• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=        AUGUST 8, 1998
TYPE=        EDITORIAL
NUMBER=      0-07904
TITLE=       EDITORIAL:  UGANDA TERRORISTS BACKED BY SUDAN
CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST 
AUGUST 8, 1998.
ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE 
VARIETY OF ISSUES.  NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
VOICE:
    THE GOVERNMENT OF SUDAN IS A PRIMARY FORCE BEHIND THE 
GUERRILLA MOVEMENT KNOWN AS THE LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY, OR L-R-A,
WHICH HAS BEEN TERRORIZING THE NORTHERN PART OF UGANDA.  THE 
L-R-A  MURDERS, TORTURES, RAPES, KIDNAPS AND FORCIBLY CONSCRIPTS 
THE CIVILIAN POPULATION OF NORTHERN UGANDA.  ITS FAVORITE TARGETS
FOR KIDNAPPING ARE CHILDREN.
    KIDNAPPED GIRLS ARE FORCED TO BECOME SEXUAL SLAVES TO L-R-A 
COMMANDERS, WHILE THE BOYS ARE FORCED TO FIGHT.  ALL CAN BE 
SUBJECT TO VICIOUS CORPORAL PUNISHMENT AND MURDER ON THE WHIM OF 
A COMMANDER.  THOSE WHO ESCAPE OR ARE FREED CARRY WITH THEM DEEP 
PSYCHOLOGICAL SCARS.
    SUDAN PROVIDES THE L-R-A WITH SAFE-HAVENS DEEP WITHIN ITS 
TERRITORY AND SUPPLIES IT WITH MILITARY EQUIPMENT, FOOD AND OTHER
MATERIALS.  IN THE WORDS OF U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR
AFRICAN AFFAIRS SUSAN RICE, "THE SITUATION IN UGANDA IS STARK 
EVIDENCE THAT SUDAN'S DISREGARD FOR HUMAN RIGHTS EXTENDS WELL 
BEYOND ITS OWN BORDERS."
    THE UNITED STATES IS COMMITTED TO HELPING UGANDA, AND WILL 
CONTINUE TO FOCUS INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION ON THE L-R-A'S CRIMES 
AND SUDAN'S COMPLICITY IN THEM.  AS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE 
RICE SAID, "SUDAN'S REGIONAL AGGRESSION IS COSTING UGANDA AND 
MANY OTHERS A GREAT DEAL, AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO WORK TO CONTAIN
IT."
    THE U.S. RECENTLY STRENGTHENED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST 
SUDAN.  THE U.S. IS ALSO HELPING UGANDA TO COPE WITH THE CRISIS 
BY SUPPLYING NON-LETHAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP THE UGANDAN MILITARY 
DEFEND ITS NORTHERN BORDER.  AT THE SAME TIME, THE U.S. IS 
PROVIDING HUMANITARIAN AID TO THE REGION.
    THE UNITED STATES CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT OF SUDAN TO STOP 
SUPPORTING THE L-R-A'S CAMPAIGN OF ABDUCTION, KILLING, TORTURE, 
AND SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN.  AND THE U.S. CALLS ON THE L-R-A TO
IMMEDIATELY RELEASE ALL CHILDREN IN CAPTIVITY.
ANNCR:
    THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S. 
GOVERNMENT.  IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, 
V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A.  YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT 
WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR  FAX US AT (202) 
619-1043.
07-Aug-98 10:21 AM EDT (1421 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.