UN Security Council condemns LRA
Mar 26, 2006
THE United Nations Security Council has again condemned the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels for spreading terror and violating human rights.
By Alfred Wasike
THE United Nations Security Council has again condemned the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels for spreading terror and violating human rights.
Pressure on the rebels who have abducted at least 25,000 children has grown since 2005, when the LRA leader, Joseph Kony and four of his top commanders were indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, among them the brutalisation of civilians by massacres, abduction, sexual enslavement and mutilation.
The condemnation is contained in the global security watchdog’s call for faster preparations for the African Union (AU) to hand over its peacekeeping mission in Sudan’s war-torn western Darfur region to the UN.
The 15-member body adopted a resolution on Friday that also decided to extend for at least six months, the mandate of the UN mission in south Sudan.
The UN Security Council “strongly condemned activities of militias and armed groups such as the LRA, which continue to attack civilians and commit human rights abuses in Sudan.â€
“Under pressure from Ugandan troops, LRA have fled to southern Sudan and DRC Ugandan troops have permission from Khartoum to pursue the rebels in southern Sudan,†the Council noted.
The Council also directed UN chief Kofi Annan and the AU “to expedite the necessary preparatory planning for transition†from the AU force a UN operation.
THE United Nations Security Council has again condemned the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels for spreading terror and violating human rights.
Pressure on the rebels who have abducted at least 25,000 children has grown since 2005, when the LRA leader, Joseph Kony and four of his top commanders were indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, among them the brutalisation of civilians by massacres, abduction, sexual enslavement and mutilation.
The condemnation is contained in the global security watchdog’s call for faster preparations for the African Union (AU) to hand over its peacekeeping mission in Sudan’s war-torn western Darfur region to the UN.
The 15-member body adopted a resolution on Friday that also decided to extend for at least six months, the mandate of the UN mission in south Sudan.
The UN Security Council “strongly condemned activities of militias and armed groups such as the LRA, which continue to attack civilians and commit human rights abuses in Sudan.â€
“Under pressure from Ugandan troops, LRA have fled to southern Sudan and DRC Ugandan troops have permission from Khartoum to pursue the rebels in southern Sudan,†the Council noted.
The Council also directed UN chief Kofi Annan and the AU “to expedite the necessary preparatory planning for transition†from the AU force a UN operation.