DATE=8/4/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SUDAN - CHEMICAL WEAPONS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-252470
BYLINE=ALISHA RYU
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A U-N medical team is to arrive (Wednesday) in
southern Sudan to treat victims of a possible chemical
or biological weapons attack. Rebel leaders say the
government in Khartoum used the weapons during a
bombing raid two-weeks ago. V-O-A's Alisha Ryu has
details from our East Africa bureau.
Text: The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army says a
high-altitude plane dropped 16 bombs on the town of
Lainya and another six on Kaaya on July 23rd. The
towns -- located in Western Equatoria province of
southern Sudan -- serve as relief centers for people
displaced by the country's 16-year old civil war.
Vidar Amzjom (pronounced Ahm'-Shoon) -- the Nairobi-
based coordinator for the relief agency, Norwegian
People's Aid -- says his field workers are shocked by
what they are seeing.
/// AMZJOM ACT ////
People are vomiting. Some people are vomiting
blood. They are getting diarrhea. Some animals
like cats, dogs, chickens and so on have been
dying. Pregnant women have miscarried . and
that is kind of symptoms we have seen.
/// END ACT ///
No deaths have been reported, but many people are
reportedly affected, including two workers for the U-N
World Food Program who made a brief visit to the town
of Lainya three days after the bombing. //OPT// W-F-P
says the workers were nauseous and experienced burning
sensations in their nose and eyes immediately after
the visit. They are currently being treated for
lingering "flu-like symptoms" in a Nairobi hospital.
//END OPT//
The Khartoum government denies the allegation that it
used chemical or biological weapons -- calling the
charges lies and an aggressive act against Sudan.
Dr. Sharad Sapra of the U-N group "Operation Lifeline
Sudan" says a team of doctors will be in the affected
area for the next five days to provide treatment for
the townspeople and to take medical samples for
testing.
/// SAPRA ACT ///
The purpose of the investigation is to find out
what is the cause, and provide appropriate
treatment If it is beyond what we have, then we
are going to try to see how best to address the
situation.
///END ACT ///
Dr. Sapra says rumors of chemical weapons use in
southern Sudan have surfaced before.
///SECOND SAPRA ACT ///
There are reports that this has happened some
time back in May in some areas, but clearly this
is the first time we know people are showing
these signs.
/// END ACT ///
The July 23rd bombing took place on the day peace
talks ended in Nairobi without achieving a cease-fire.
An estimated two-million people have been killed in
the civil war since it began in 1983. The mostly
Christian southern rebels are seeking autonomy and a
greater share of the country's wealth from Sudan's
central Muslim-dominated government. (Signed)
NEB/AR/PCF/KL/RAE
04-Aug-1999 07:57 AM EDT (04-Aug-1999 1157 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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