W.E.S



Credit: Google Images
Western Equatoria State borders Central Equatoria State in the East, Western Bahr El Ghazal State in the north of Southern Sudan, Central Africa Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the South. Western Equatoria Estate are inhabited by one of the biggest tribes in South Sudan, that is the Azande tribe.

The Azande or Zande as they are know in South Sudan, are peaceful communities living in the Western Equatoria State ( W.E.S) of South Sudan. The Azande are one of the largest ethnic groups of North Central Africa. The Azande people live primarily in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in south-central and southwestern part of South Sudan, and in southeastern Central African Republic.

The whole country of Sudan has been torn apart by the long civil war that ended up by the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the Sudanese People Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Government of Sudan in 2005. Regardless, the people of Western Equatoria have not experienced the fruits of peace despite the signing of the CPA.

Western Equatoria State region has been faced with instabilities and on going insecurity issues caused by the notorious Lord Resistance Army of Uganda (LRA) Joseph Kony and his LRA militias have been terrorizing civilians along the boarders of south Sudan, DRC, Uganda, and Central Africa for the past 22 years. However, much of their activities currently in Sudan take place in the south western part since 1994.

Currently the situation has lead to increase of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and abandonment of farms by local farmers for fear of death and attacks in the fields. The LRA presence in the region is seriously causing rise of food crisis, increased health problems, and outspread of sexually transmitted diseases as such as HIV/AIDS.

As the South Sudan Referendum is approaching in January 2011 to determine the future of South Sudan, insecurity can be a major factor to constrain the process of referendum in Western Equatoria and is more likely that people will not participate fully and will not be well informed about the process. The role of the Government of Sudan and in particular the Government of South in regards to addressing the insecurity in WES is being questioned! So far, the international community and the United Nations have also failed to develop a comprehensive plan to deal with the LRA and the Nomad groups (Ambororo), as a regional threat in Central Africa, instead addressing the crisis in a piecemeal and futile way in the four different countries.

One of the main constrictions facing WES is the lack of resources to enforce security in the region; in terms of police forces, police vehicles, equipment and tools. South Sudan is a rising nation and much is in its way to reach to modern state of development. WES is more devastated as the regions faces instability. Therefore, efforts for change are always limited and hindered with the insecurity in the state.

To watch some of the atrocities committed by these LRA please visit:

https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dfst4pjh_1016ws2tbdb

You may want to support our voice to the White House and Congress to step in and take immediate actions. Therefore, please consider signing the petition at this link;

http://www.petition2congress.com/2/3567/petition-on-atrocitice-being-commited-by-lra-uganda-against-deffe/

If you feel you want to help in any way or get connected to authorities in WES, please contact us at email: azandenetworkers@gmail.com Or wesmission.america@gmail.com