Normal life again - former LRA abductees return to Western Equatoria
In Nzara, Western Equatoria State, 6 children, who were former victims of abduction by the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), are returning to their home communities. The Executive Director of Nzara County, Mr. Bodie Michael on Monday 1st Feb 2010 received six abductees 1 girl and 5 boys who were rescued by the Ugandan People Defense Forces (UPDF). The children are mostly teenagers of 12-14 years of age who suffered brutal life between the year 2008 and 2009 in Western Equatoria State from the atrocities of LRA rebels. The reunion program is part of an ongoing program organized by UPDF, to help the children return to normal life after their experiences at the hands of the LRA.
For more than two decades, the LRA has waged a guerrilla war from bases in northern Uganda and southern Sudan, abducting an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 boys and girls who are forced from their homes to become soldiers, porters, and sex slaves for senior LRA commanders. Children who were abducted in Western Equatoria were forced to march to camps in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic, where many thousands are thought to have died from disease or starvation on the way. As part of their initiation into rebel life, they are made to participate in brutal acts of violence, often being forced to beat or hack to death fellow child captives who have attempted to escape. Very few manage to flee to safety. Those who do survive are forced to take part in combat against the Ugandan army and the Sudan People's Liberation Army.
The children who are joining the current reunion were released after fighting between Ugandan troops and the LRA. All have spent anywhere between a few days to several months in reception centers, where they received medical and psychosocial counseling support.
Sudanvotes managed to interact with former abductees:
- Tabu Betty aged 18 years, who was abducted in 2008, a born of Lanya to Matayo Lojong
- Janet Kikol. Hellen Adega aged 6 months daughter to Brig Kidega Digidigi (LRA)
- Tabu Betty (former LRA captive). Tabu pictured above mothered her child while in the bush.
- Mary Anthony aged 14 years was abducted in November 2008 at Sakure Payam in Nzara County, a born of Anthony Khemis and Maria Kaja.
- Manaci America aged 14 years abducted in May 2009 a born of Maridi County to late Khemis and Joice Manduru.
- Cicilia Lione aged 13 years was abducted in August 2009, a born of Ezo County to Lione and Mary Seferino, and
- Aniadue John aged 12 years was abducted in August 2009 a born of Ezo County to John Kumbo and Veroonica Naumba.
The 6 children travel from Yambio to their homes in the respective place they were captured.“I was arrested at night in Sakure together with my father who later escaped,” says Mary Anthony.“I witnessed human slaughter, carried out by my fellow young male abductees by the orders of LRA rebels,” she added.Mary traveled ten days in bush before reaching residential villages near Nzara town. Tabu says, she is happy to be united with her family, “I am happy to see my family members and live human life, I was forced to carry heavy goods and fed on looted food items.”
One after the armies of Uganda, Southern Sudan and DRC launched military assault on Joseph Kony and his vicious men, the activities of LRA have scaled down with consequence of thousands of IDPs who are getting less help. In the course of this war, Kony's army has abducted children; even today about 90% of the LRA are abducted as children. These attacks caused people to be fearful. This notoriously vicious rebels group wreaked havoc—since the end of 2008 alone, the LRA has displaced close to 70000 southern Sudanese in Western and Central Equatoria states and led to an influx of some 18000 refugees from DRC.
