Fighting in Southern Sudan

Thanks to two recent articles concerning southern Sudan, The Times is to be commended for helping to break down the international stone wall of silence that seems to surround that country and its suffering. Kim Murphy’s article of April 10 is one of the most comprehensive and factual I have seen in the U.S. press this year. The authenticity of William Ochan Ajjugo’s testimony (Commentary, April 26) regarding the character, resourcefulness, endurance and dreams of the people of southern Sudan confirms what I found there at the end of January during a visit to the area between Nimule and Opari.

Our 12-member peace delegation--invited there by the New Sudan Council of Churches--was greatly impressed with the resiliency, courage and hope expressed by the people in the face of the terrible suffering they have endured. Over and over, church and civilian leaders pleaded with us to tell their story and asked us, “Why hasn’t the world heard of our suffering?” Great hope was expressed in President Clinton--one leader at Aswa Camp called us “the 12 disciples of Clinton” and asked us to tell the President and the American people about their struggle.

In spite of the announced cease-fire and the preliminary peace talks in Nigeria, violence has continued unabated. Khartoum has continued to bomb civilians in the south such as the attack at Mundri witnessed by two Americans who were under the bombs; at least one battle has been fought between the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army and government forces in Equatoria between Torit and Koepeta; and SPLA factions have clashed not only in Kongor, but also in the town of Ayod and a neighboring community, which were burned to the ground.

Sadly, it is the dream--expressed so eloquently by Ajjugo and voiced by others--of an independent southern Sudan that partly fuels the factional fighting. The Garang contingent of the SPLA purportedly seeks a united secular Sudan while the Nasir faction desires a separate country.

For now it appears that perhaps the greatest enemy of independence and peace for the suffering country is those who call themselves its “liberators”--the SPLA and its many factions. There seems to be little the U.S., U.N. or anyone else can do to help bring peace (or even sufficient aid) to that stricken country as long as that kind of suicidal violence continues.

ERNEST J. BOLZ

Tonasket, Wash.