MANAS JAMES OKONY
Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The Anya-Nya Civil War, which lasted from 1955 to 1972, was a conflict between the Sudanese government and the Anya-Nya rebels, who were fighting for greater autonomy and political representation in the southern region of Sudan.
This conflict primarily unfolded in the Upper Nile province, a strategically important area due to its being an oil-rich region of Sudan. The fighting mainly involved the Anya-Nya rebel fighters and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) soldiers, but it is important to note that the civilian population suffered greatly as well. The conflict resulted in the displacement of millions of people and widespread human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and rape.
One particularly gruesome incident took place on 27 March 1964, where SAF soldiers led by Abubakr al-Wagia raided the village of Arini in the Akobo District of the Upper Nile Province. The soldiers were searching for a chief suspected of collaborating with the rebels and believed he was hiding in Arini.
In an act of brutal violence, the soldiers tied the hands of over fifty unarmed Anyuak men behind their backs and systematically shot them dead. The men were innocent and had been rounded up while daubing and plastering a hut.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the brutality of war and the toll it takes on innocent civilians. The fact that the victims were tied up and shot in cold blood is particularly chilling and underscores the dehumanizing nature of the conflict. It is also significant to note that incidents like this were not isolated occurrences during the Anya-Nya rebellion and subsequent civil wars, as similar atrocities were committed against civilians by SAF in areas such as Awajwok, Bor, and Wau.
Here are the names of some of those massacred in Arini village in Akobo District on 27 March 1964:
Agwa Ngori Ojwok and his son Omotbeet were the sole survivors of the massacre.
The author, Manas James Okony, is a journalist and writer. He can be reached via [email protected]
Source: Radio Tamazuj
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