Military

DATE= 04/19/02

TYPE= CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-288909

TITLE= SUDAN ATTACK (L-O)

BYLINE= KATY SALMON

DATELINE= NAIROBI

CONTENT=

VOICED AT=

INTRO: The rebel Sudan Peoples Liberation Army has accused the Sudanese government of bombing civilians near oil-producing areas in southern Sudan. Katy Salmon reports that the government denies this charge.

TEXT: S-P-L-A spokesman, Samson Kwaje, says the government of Sudan is bombing three villages in Western Upper Nile (province) causing, quote, unwarranted destruction of human lives.

Mr. Kwaje says the attacks are aimed at driving the local population out of the area so that oil companies can move in and begin prospecting.

///ACT KWAJE///

There has been some fighting. This has been provoked by the Government of Sudan. This is the middle [of the] dry season in that area and the government would like to do some clear up. They want to push S-P-L-A forces as well as the local population away from the oil fields. So they have resorted to heavy bombardment both by the Antinov and

also helicopter gunships. It started 10 April, 9 April to date.

///END ACT///

This alleged attack would be in violation of a recent pledge by both warring parties to stop bombing and shelling civilians. That agreement was brokered by former U-S Senator John Danforth.

Mohamed Dirdeiry, a senior official at the Sudanese Embassy in Nairobi, says Mr. Kwajes allegations are false.

He says the S-P-L-A want are portraying Western Upper Nile as unstable so as to link a cessation of hostilities which the Government of Sudan has been calling for, with a cessation of oil-drilling which the rebels want.

The S-P-L-A and human rights groups accuse the Sudanese government of forcing tens of thousands of villagers to flee the oil region and of using oil revenue to pursue the war.

The Government of Sudan denies this.

Mr. Dirdeiry says it is in fact the S-P-L-A who have been violating the agreement to protect civilians.

/// ACT DIRDEIRY ///

This is a figment of someone's imagination and it is an attempt by the S-P-L-A to cover up what it did in Wau last week. It in fact last week started shelling the town of Wau and it killed many civilians as a result of that. And the government of Sudan had even recorded that in video tapes and right now some of those video tapes have been

handed over to the Americans.

///END ACT///

Mr. Kwaje says the S-P-L-A have not shelled Wau. He says the nearest rebel forces are 27 miles away, in a town called Kuajina.

Mr. Kwaje charges, quote, this is a system that depends on lies.

Both the rebels and the Government of Sudan say they look forward to the arrival of international monitors -- part of the Danforth agreement -- to verify such claims and counter-claims. (Signed)

NEB/KS/RH