DATE=8/4/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SUDAN - CHEMICAL WEAPONS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-252470
BYLINE=ALISHA RYU
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO:  A U-N medical team is to arrive (Wednesday) in 
southern Sudan to treat victims of a possible chemical 
or biological weapons attack.  Rebel leaders say the 
government in Khartoum used the weapons during a 
bombing raid two-weeks ago.  V-O-A's Alisha Ryu has 
details from our East Africa bureau.

Text:  The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army says a 
high-altitude plane dropped 16 bombs on the town of 
Lainya and another six on Kaaya on July 23rd.  The 
towns -- located in Western Equatoria province of 
southern Sudan -- serve as relief centers for people 
displaced by the country's 16-year old civil war.

Vidar Amzjom (pronounced Ahm'-Shoon) -- the Nairobi-
based coordinator for the relief agency, Norwegian 
People's Aid -- says his field workers are shocked by 
what they are seeing.

            /// AMZJOM ACT ////

      People are vomiting. Some people are vomiting 
      blood.  They are getting diarrhea.  Some animals 
      like cats, dogs, chickens and so on have been 
      dying.  Pregnant women have miscarried . and
      that is kind of symptoms we have seen.

            /// END ACT ///

No deaths have been reported, but many people are 
reportedly affected, including two workers for the U-N 
World Food Program who made a brief visit to the town 
of Lainya three days after the bombing.  //OPT// W-F-P 
says the workers were nauseous and experienced burning 
sensations in their nose and eyes immediately after 
the visit.  They are currently being treated for 
lingering "flu-like symptoms" in a Nairobi hospital.  
//END OPT//

The Khartoum government denies the allegation that it 
used chemical or biological weapons -- calling the 
charges lies and an aggressive act against Sudan.

Dr. Sharad Sapra of the U-N group "Operation Lifeline 
Sudan" says a team of doctors will be in the affected 
area for the next five days to provide treatment for 
the townspeople and to take medical samples for 
testing.

            /// SAPRA ACT ///

      The purpose of the investigation is to find out 
      what is the cause, and provide appropriate 
      treatment  If it is beyond what we have, then we 
      are going to try to see how best to address the 
      situation.

            ///END ACT ///

Dr. Sapra says rumors of chemical weapons use in 
southern Sudan have surfaced before.

            ///SECOND SAPRA ACT /// 

      There are reports that this has happened some 
      time back in May in some areas, but clearly this 
      is the first time we know people are showing 
      these signs.

            /// END ACT ///

The July 23rd bombing took place on the day peace 
talks ended in Nairobi without achieving a cease-fire.

An estimated two-million people have been killed in 
the civil war since it began in 1983.  The mostly 
Christian southern rebels are seeking autonomy and a 
greater share of the country's wealth from Sudan's 
central Muslim-dominated government.   (Signed)

NEB/AR/PCF/KL/RAE 



04-Aug-1999 07:57 AM EDT (04-Aug-1999 1157 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.