March 23, 2007: The commander of Uganda's African
Union-sponsored peacekeeping force in Somalia said that Somalia needs more
peacekeepers and needs them quickly. The Ugandan peacekeepers have their
headquarters at the international
airport outside Mogadishu. At the moment Uganda has 1500 troops in Somalia.
That number may increase slightly. Burundi has promised 1700 peacekeepers but
that force may be weeks from deploying (because of equipment shortages).
March 21, 2007: Sudan reported that "a suspected
LRA attack" took place in Eastern Equatoria. One person was killed. However,
2000 to 3000 people fled the area because of the violence. The South Sudan
government is still trying to encourage negotiations between Uganda and the
LRA. However, LRA gangs ? and that is what they are?continue to launch attacks.
The LRA groups are probably after food and supplies, but that thought doesn't
help the south Sudanese who are victims of the violence. The LRA contends that
its fighters aren't safe in Sudan.
March 16, 2007:
LRA negotiators said they would send representatives back to peace talks
in Juba, Sudan, if the Sudanese government provides "increased security." The
LRA contends that Sudan allowed Ugandan military forces to approach "assembly
areas" (safe zones) where LRA fighters were collecting.
