FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THREE ABDUCTEES KILLED IN GOVERNMENT OF SUDAN CAPTIVITY, US STATE DEPARTMENT LEARNS WHERE ABDUCTEES ARE HELD, REFUSES TO EXERT PRESSURE FOR RELEASE

US-led investigators use testimony of Pastor’s wife while prisoner and under duress to challenge statements by surviving villagers; the US-led Civilian Protection Monitoring Team facilitates a cover-up of atrocities which continue while Christian girls and women remain prisoners

Seattle, Washington & Eastern Upper Nile, South Sudan, June 11, 2003 — On Sunday, June 8, word reached Servant’s Heart that three young boys, only four and six years old, were murdered by the Government of Sudan and its allied militia forces while held as prisoners (“abductees”). These young boys included two sons of the murdered Presbyterian Pastor Jacob Manyal. Seven young girls and six women remain prisoners of the Government of Sudan. (See press release of June 3, 2003 for background details.)

Bittersweet word was also received by Servant’s Heart that Pastor Jacob Manyal’s wife, who was first reported as killed in our press release of June 3, somehow survived and was in fact abducted by the Government of Sudan forces. The word is bittersweet because the information was received in the form of testimony given to the US-led Civilian Protection Monitoring Team (CPMT) while Mrs. Manyal was a prisoner of the Government of Sudan military forces. Her testimony, and presumably other abductees’ testimony as well, is reportedly being used by the US-led Civilian Protection Monitoring Team to “prove” that the attack on Longochok and nine surrounding villages either did not happen or was insignificant. Ultimate responsibility for this investigative failure belongs to the US State Department and President George Bush.

All thirteen surviving young girls and woman “abductees” are now reported held at the Government of Sudan regional military headquarters next to the Adar Yel oilfields in Eastern Upper Nile. Unless something is done soon to gain their release, the women will be forcibly “married” to Islamic military officers and forcibly converted to Islam. The children will be “sold” or “bartered” to Government military officers or other wealthy Sudanese Arabs to be used as household slaves or worse.

Dennis Bennett, Executive Director of Servant’s Heart, said today “There are three things which are intensely distressing about these recent events: first, the attack and murder of unarmed civilians and the abduction of 16 women and children the very day when US Secretary of State is meeting with Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa; second, the murder of three innocent young boys while in custody of the Government of Sudan military forces; and third, the failure to investigate these events fully and demand the immediate release of the prisoners. Ultimately, this last amounts to an expedient cover-up of these atrocities by the US State Department and the US-led Civilian Protection Monitoring Team.”

“We have information that all 13 surviving abductees are reportedly being held in Government of Sudan military control in or around the regional military headquarters at Adar Yel. We gave that information privately to the US State Department on Monday, June 9, 2003,” Mr. Bennett said. “But instead of Secretary of State Colin Powell or his spokesman Richard Boucher publicly calling for the release of the captives, the US State Department and US-led Civilian Protection Monitoring Team have remained silent. By their silence, Secretary Powell and the US State Department are acquiescing in the continued captivity and possible murders of these surviving thirteen prisoners.”

Apparently, the US State Department believes that nothing, including the deaths of (now) 62 innocent civilians and the abduction and likely enforced slavery of 13 girls and women, should interfere with Administration plans for “peace” in Sudan. As US State Department Richard Boucher said the day the atrocities were committed, “We think there is a real prospect to reach a just and lasting conclusion to the [Sudanese] civil war.”

Servant’s Heart was in fact told the same privately, during what can only be called a hostile interrogation by the US-led Civilian Protection Monitoring Team. The US-led team of three “investigators” visited one of Servant’s Heart’s operational bases in Eastern Upper Nile on Saturday, June 7th. Instead of conducting an impartial and neutral investigation, the Arab woman who was leader of the team began the hostile interrogation by waving the June 3rd press release in the air, calling it a pack of lies, and demanding the Servant’s Heart field staff recant their statements.

She then proceeded to wave testimony given by Mrs. Manyal while a prisoner of the Government of Sudan forces to supposedly refute what Servant’s Heart reported. She stated “your report will not derail the peace process in Sudan. We, [the US-led CPMT] won’t let your lies ruin this peace. We will do whatever it takes to bury this report and continue to move forward with the peace agreement.” [note – These statements were witnessed by non-Servant’s Heart NGO workers who were visiting the village at the time].

After the hostility exhibited by the US-led Civilian Protection Monitoring Team and their stated desire to “bury” the reports, it is no wonder that those responsible for the US-led investigation are privately calling reaction to the Longochok killings and abductions “overblown.”

Mr. Bennett said “if the killing of 59 unarmed villagers including a Presbyterian Pastor, the murder of 3 young boys while prisoners, and the continued holding of 13 girls and women is ‘overblown,’ then what numbers of innocent civilian lives warrant ‘reaction’ from the US State Department?” This attack and the continued abduction of these 13 girls and women violates the current “cease fire” between the Government of Sudan and the mainly Christian and animist Sudan People’s Liberation Army, as well as violates the Senator Danforth-sponsored agreement by the Government of Sudan to not attack civilians and non-combatants. Apparently the US State Department is willing to accept these lives as “collateral damage” in their search for peace with Sudan, no matter what the cost in Southern Sudanese lives.

“Concerned Christians should contact the President Bush directly at the White House, as well as Secretary of State Colin Powell, and insist that the US State Department do whatever it takes to secure the immediate, safe release of the surviving prisoners held by Government of Sudan forces, reportedly held at the regional military command center in Adar Yel oilfields, Eastern Upper Nile,” Mr. Bennett added.

“To date, the US State Department appears willing to trade the lives of the surviving 13 girls and women, including Presbyterian Pastor Manyal’s widow, for peace in Sudan.” Mr. Bennett said. “Is the world Christian community willing the US State Department continue their policy of appeasement and deception, calling reports from Longochok “overblown” and insignificant?”

Mr. Bennett finished by saying “Right now, this should be an “Amber Alert” for the safe return of these prisoners held by the Government of Sudan forces. Every day, every hour, which goes by, makes it that much harder to get the release of these surviving girls and women. Please pray and do whatever you can to help rescue these innocent victims before they are lost forever.”

List of Surviving Abductees:

1) Nyanop Liech Tiek girl, 8 years old 2) Nyaluak Liech Tiek girl, 6 years old 3) Nyabuay Liech Tiek girl, 5 years old 4) Nyanpal Liech Tiek girl, 2 years old 5) Reported killed while prisoner 6) Reported killed while prisoner 7) Nyanot Lul Nyuot girl, 8 years old 8) Nyanpal Lul Nyuot girl, 5 years old 9) Nyabiel Lul Nyuot girl, 2 years old 10) Reported killed while prisoner 11) Nyadeng Dew Yak woman, 35 years old 12) Nyator Gay Buok woman, 31 years old 13) Nyanhial Gadet Bor woman, 30 years old 14) Nyaduar Deang Jany woman, 38 years old 15) Nyaboth Thokier Nguoy woman, 29 years old 16) Nyamuol Chuol Nhial woman, 62 years old

List of young boys reported murdered while prisoners of Sudanese Government forces:

1) Ruon Gadet Manyal boy, 6 years old 2) Reath Gadet Manyal boy, 4 years old 3) Duoth Chuol Kuon boy, 4 years old

Servant’s Heart is a faith-based, non-denominational relief organization, which provides medical, educational, physical infrastructure and spiritual assistance to five primarily Christian tribes in the Eastern Upper Nile and Southern Blue Nile regions of Southern Blue Nile, without regard to race, tribe or religious affiliation. Although personally a Christian and westerner, Mr. Bennett has been and remains an honorary member of the 99% Islamic Berta tribe for the past four years, a singular distinction and honor rarely granted to non-Berta, non-Islamic, westerners.

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