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| May 27, 2008 |
In perhaps the most isolated country on earth, the Haut-Mbmou province at the Sudanese/Congolese border is the most remote region in CAR. In dry weather it takes a week to drive from Bangui to Obo. It is impassible during the long months of the rainy season.
This sparsely populated southeastern area is occupied by the Zande tribe, also found in South Sudan and DRC. It is closer to Juba (capital of South Sudan) than to Bangui. The population of Obo trades with Sudan, DRC and Uganda. Diamonds and wildlife have long attracted smugglers and poachers.
I have excerpted this information from a UN investigation conducted through confidential interviews with victims and witnesses.
Between Feb 19 and March 8,2008, some 500 armed men wearing military uniforms attacked several villages, including Obo . They were heavily armed with automatic rifles, rocket propelled grenades, machetes and axes.
Although the report, written in March and updated in May, 2008, does not state this, we know that the attackers were Joseph Kony and his notoriously brutal Lords Resistance Army (LRA) They came from Uganda and were spotted moving through DRC. Now they are here.
The attacks were launched at night and lasted 3-5 hours. The assailants included young boys. They use satellite phones. Hundreds of homes were looted but not destroyed. 300 villagers, mostly children, were abducted.
The victims were tied with ropes at the hips and forced to carry heavy loads while walking barefoot over long distances at gunpoint. They were beaten with rifle butts or whipped if any stopped walking or complained. At night they were covered under large canvas sheets.
They were taken to be used as porters, labourers, soldiers or sex slaves. This information came from those who escaped or were released. The main target was children aged 6-12.
A group of released women had been gang raped for extended periods. They stated that while in the LRA camp they heard young girls screaming at night.