1.
LV REBELS MARCHING CARRYING GUNS (3 SHOTS)
0.44


LV REBELS CARRYING SACKS OF SUPPLIES (3 SHOTS)


2.
PAN DOWN TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE
1.20


SCU SOLDIER ON GUARD INT SHOT-PRESIDENT SEATED



CU PRESIDENT SEATED



GV PRESIDENT PAN TO CABINET MINISTERS



MV GOVERNMENT HOUSE


3.
MV PRESIDENT AND CABINET OUT OF HUT
1.28

4.
MV INTERVIEW WITH LAN
2.51

5.
MV COLONEL NHIAL
3.40


MV FLAG RAISING CEREMONY (NATURAL SOUND) ZOOM INTO FLAG


6.
SCU PRESIDENT STANDING
3.45


SCU FLAG


7.
CU PRESIDENT SPEAKING
4.38

8.
SCU GROUPS LOOKING
5.15


MV PRESIDENT INSPECTING GUARD OF HONOUR (3 SHOTS)



CU PRESIDENT INSPECTING PAN DOWN TO COLLAPSED SOLDIER



TRANSCRIPT: SOF STARTS: "WELL OF COURSE THERE ARE. ......"



SOF ENDS: "...INDEPENDENCE MORE EASILY".



SOF STARTS: "THE REASON OF THE NEW FLAG........"



SOF ENDS: "...BUT NILEANS".




Initials RJ/VS/BHH/PS RJ/VS/BHH/MH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: BUNGU IS COLLECTION OF SMALL THATCHED HUTS SCATTERED ABOUT A CLEARING HACKED OUT OF THE JUNGLE OF CENTRAL AFRICA. UNTIL RECENTLY IT WAS NO DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER VILLAGE IN THE AREA. THE INHABITANTS RAISED ENOUGH LIVESTOCK AND CULTIVATED ENOUGH FOOD TO KEEP THEM SELF-SUFFICIENT, BUT IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS THE ATMOSPHERE HAS CHANGED. A MOTLEY,BUT WELL ARMED BAND OF SOLDIERS PARADE DAILY IN THE CENTRE OF THE VILLAGE AND THEIR BATTLE CRIES BREAK THE SILENCE OF THE JUNGLE. FOR BUNGU HAS BECOME THE "CAPITAL" OF SELF PROCLAIMED NILE STATE, THE NAME GIVEN BY ITS LEADERS TO A SMALL REGION OF SOUTHERN SUDAN NEAR THE BORDER WITH THE CONGO.

THERE ARE THREE MILLION PEOPLE IN SOUTHER SUDAN. FOR THE LAST FOURTEEN YEARS THEY HAVE WAGED WAR AGAINST EVERY GOVERNMENT TO COME TO POWER IN SUDAN.

MOST OF THE BLACK AFRICANS IN THE SOUTHERN REGIONS ARE PAGANS, BUT THEY ALSO INCLUDE SEVERAL THOUSAND CHRISTIANS. THEY HAVE BANDED INTO A NUMBER OF SMALL GROUPS TO FIGHT THE KHARTOUM GOVERNMENT BE CAUSE THEY WANT INDEPENDENCE AND DON'T WANT TO BE RULED BY THE ARAB MUSLIMS.

ONE OF THE BEST ORGANISED OF THE GUERRILLA GROUPS IS THE ANYANYA WHICH HAS SET UP ITS HEADQUARTERS IN BUNGU. THE REBELS CLAIM TO BE THE MORE INTELLECTUAL OF THE GUERRILLA ORGANISATION....AND TO PROVE IT THEY HAVE ELECTED THEIR OWN PRESIDENT AND CABINET. MR. CORDON MAYEN WAS GIVEN THE TOP POST. HE LOST NO TIME ANNOUNCING THE FORMATION OF THE NILE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT AND SENT AN APPEAL TO THE ORGANISATION OF AFRICAN UNITY SEEKING SUPPORT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE SUDANESE ARMY. THEIR WAS NO REPLY.

THE CIVIL WAR BETWEEN THE BLACK AFRICANS AND ARAB MOSLEMS HAS BEEN THE LONGEST IN AFRICA'S HISTORY.... AND THE MOST FORGOTTEN. MISSIONARIES WHO HAVE VISITED THE AREA SAY IT SURPASSES IN BLOODSHED AND SUFFERING THE BETTER PUBLICISED WAR JUST ENDED IN NIGERIA. AN ESTIMATED THREE QUARTERS OF MILLION PEOPLE HAVE DIED EITHER FROM MILITARY ACTION OR STARVATION AND STILL THERE IS NO END IN SIGHT.

THE SELF STYLED GOVERNMENT KNOWS THAT THE WAR IS HAVING ITS ILL-EFFECTS, BUT IT BELIEVES, THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE NILE STATE ARE BEHIND IT AND THE HARD TIMES WILL LEAD TO A STRENGTHENING OF THE NATIONALISTIC SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE. FOOD AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES ARE SCARCE. THE NILE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN AIRSTRIP, SIMILAR TO THAT AT ULI IN BIAFRA, HACKED OUT OF THE JUNGLE TO ALLOW RELIEF TO BE FLOWN INTO THE REGION.

ON THE MILITARY SIDE, PRESIDENT MAYEN BELIEVES THAT HIS MEN HOLD THE UPPER HAND IN SOUTHERN SUDAN. HE SAYS THE ARABS HOLD THE TOWNS AND THE ANYANYANS THE BUSH. THE GOVERNMENT TROOPS CAN NOT MOVE OUT OF THEIR FORTIFIED TOWNS WITHOUT THE RISK OF AMBUSH.

BUT ITS THE TYPE OF WAR WHICH HAS BECOME ALL TO FAMILIAR. THE GUERRILLAS ARE POORLY EQUIPPED, HAVE FEW MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND ARE SMALL IN NUMBER. THE GOVERNMENT TROOPS HAVE MEN, SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT, BUT SHORT OF WHOLESALE GENOCIDE CAN DO NOTHING TO TOTALLY PUT DOWN THE REBELS.