Juba — ABOUT 40 per cent of war victims in southern Sudan have developed chronic lower abdominal pain and genital related problems that require surgical attention, a 2006 research report has revealed.

"Over 40 per cent having been beaten throughout the course of the war, while a significant number of them had bayonet, gunshot and severe tying injuries, which is locally known as rabutusa (Kandoya) inflicted on them by government soldiers," the report reads in parts.

The report indicates that the human rights of women were greatly violated by the war situations without regarding the effects on their lives. "The human rights violations demand deliberate programmes to correct the damages exposed to women such as sexual violence that developed into critical reproductive health problems," the report reads in part.

The research findings on women's war experience during armed conflict in the Southern part of the war ravaged country were compiled by Isis Women's International Cross Cultural Exchange (Isis-WICCE) which was released at a two-day workshop in Juba, South Sudan on September 26.

Isis WICCE is an organisation that promotes Justice and empowerment of women globally through documenting violations of women's rights and facilitating the exchange of information and skills, to strengthen women's capacities, potential, and visibility as well as documenting women's human rights experiences in situations of armed conflict.

Although the southern region of Sudan has experienced war since 1956, the documentation exercise covers the period of conflict between 1983 and 2005.

The research was carried out during the months of October and November 2006 in Juba, the capital city of South Sudan.

The study showed significant cases of sexual abuse and gender based violence that were committed during the war on the population and particularly meted out on women by all warring factions. These included the national army and police, Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and different militias.

According to the report, classical tortures are common to war situations to the majority of women with marks of physical torture. The report indicates that the majority of women were exposed to war trauma as 75 per cent had lost close relatives and over 56 per cent witnessed other women being raped during the war.

"Over 46 percent of the women had slept in the bush and 30 percent had been detained by the national army at certain times during the war," the report reads in part.

Ruth Ochieng, the Director of Isis WICCE said; "Many suffered from numerous mental and psychological complications, hence making them victims of psychological torture from interference with their basic human rights"

Ms Ochieng said detained women were always subjected to all forms of torture including tying a plastic bag half filled with pepper around their head.

Members of Parliament, Senior Government officials, Women leaders and the local community who attended the workshop confirmed that the experiences captured in the report were true stories.

"The human rights abuses of women and girls were still occurring. However, we are happy that the report will open the way forward to a meaningful intervention in the lives of the victims," Harriet Baka, a woman leader said.

Ms Baka said they would use the statistics as crucial pacesetters to plan for the central and state governments and bridge the gap between the government and the local community.

She added that the researchwould enable the Southern Sudan government easy intervention to address the problems that were highlighted.