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The
United Nations on Sunday voiced concern over the humanitarian
situation of some 50,000 people displaced by fighting in southern
Sudan's Upper Nile regions.
"Since early March, at least 50,000 people have been displaced by
militia attacks and clashes between government forces and Sudan
People's Liberation Army (SPLA) rebels in the area -- also known as
Shilluk Kingdom," the Office of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for
Sudan said in a statement.
Fighting in Upper Nile pits militia loyal to former rebel leader
Lam Akol, who in mid-1990s defected to the government side but
recently rejoined the SPLA, against pro-government fighters opposed
to a return to SPLA fold.
"Villages have been burnt down, while looting and rapes have gone
on, civilian infrastructures, including schools and clinics, have
been destroyed and international non-governmental organisations
(NGOs) compounds in Nyilwak have also been burnt in attacks," added
the statement released in Nairobi.
It said that UN and NGOs, grouped under Operation Lifeline Sudan
(OLS), which suspended relief operations in the region on March 30,
cannot access the war areas because of insecurity.
"The OLS, working in SPLA-held areas, has been forced to suspend
operations and relocate staff several times this year due to the
conflict," the statement said.
"Details of the humanitarian impact outside the government-held
Malakal garrison are difficult to obtain, due to a lack of
sufficient security to mount assessments," it said, pointing out
that relief operations were going on only inside Malakal.
It urged the warring sides to refrain from attacking civilian
targets in order to protect lives, property and human rights of
civilians.
Last month, the German aid group Hoffnungszeichen (Sign of Hope)
accused pro-Khartoum militias of committing atrocities against
civilians, saying the fighters "had killed people, torched homes
and stolen cattle."
Acting US Secretary of State for African Affairs Charles Snyder
also urged Khartoum and the SPLA to respect a ceasefire they signed
in January 2002 - Sapa-AFP.
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