A Statement on the LRA Attacks in Ezo, From Bishop John's Assistant Levi

The letter below, sent in august by Bishop John Zawo's assistant Levi (pictured at left with  Bishop Wolf in December of 2008), describes the current situation in the Diocese of Ezo, where attacks of Ugandan guerrillas called the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) run rampant.  These are the conditions our companions in that Diocese must worship and minister under every day. Keep this letter and the people of Ezo in mind, as Bishop John Zawo travels to our own Diocese to spend a month in our comparably safe churches and communities. 

[August 2009] I am hereby submitting this emergency need for help to people in Ezo.  Just in the last months there have been about 13 attacks on people in Ezo. People around Ezo have been squeezed to Ezo town but last week on August 12 and 13 2009 Ezo town was seriously attacked at night by a very big groups of LRA. In which three people died on spot including one of our Layreader and those who have been abducted, their number can not be established now because many people are still missing.

This attacks occurred within Ezo town where the 17 thousand internal displaced persons and refugees from Congo have been settled. Making it more worse the only hospital in Ezo town was targeted by the LRA and all the medicines and medical equipments were all taken and the remain one they could not carry were all burnt down. Three of the medical personnel’s were also taken.

During these attacks many people lost their properties more especially food items as it was the most targeted items by the LRA. The situation on the ground is terrible and need immediate attention.
The church itself have lost 2 of its Archdeanries, four Deanries and 12 parishes and four of our pastors and lay readers have been killed so far. So as church we are unable to react to people needs so we need help more especially medicine and food items so that we can be in position to react to people's needs.
Ezo has been cut off from Tambura districts which is 54 miles from Ezo and Yambio which is 100 miles from Ezo. All the movement on the way has to be by the help of military help. Now that most of those who can afford to travel have now run to those two districts through the help of military escort. But those who can not afford to travel more especially the old one are still in Ezo waiting only for when they will be killed because the LRA attacks has just become a routine act.
So as a church we can not run way leaving our Christians behind in such situation. So we need your help and all those who can be in position to respond on this serious situation.

Yours
Levi Ahamed Bona
Diocesan Development Officer
ECS Diocese of Ezo.