Two soldiers have been arrested in connection with unauthorized celebratory gunfire on the night of Christmas Eve in Yei town, the local police boss said.
Major General Yuasa Lujang Kamba, the former Yei River State police commissioner, condemned the shooting saying the two soldiers from the joint operation unit who shot bullets in the air will be punished.
“During the night of 24th December we got some challenges from some of our soldiers doing patrols who violated instructions and decided to shoot in the air and that caused panic among the civil population but good enough two of them have been apprehended and are now in the jail at the military barracks and they will be charged militarily so that they don’t repeat the same mistakes,” Gen. Lujang told Radio Tamazuj Wednesday.
In the evening hours of Christmas Eve, several residents in Yei town told Radio Tamazuj that they were left in panic by the sporadic gunfire by some members of the security unit entrusted with the protection of civilians during the festivities.
“I was not happy to hear gunshots on Thursday night last week. Some soldiers on the street decided to release live bullets into the air and we were worried that another fight was going to start on Christmas Day,” Dokolo James, a resident of the Guava area, said.
Deng Peter, another resident of Lomuku One area, called on the government to maintain law and order and discipline soldiers who break the law.
“We expected the soldiers to be responsible and protect civilians because we need peace in South Sudan, we don’t want sounds of gunshots in towns like Yei where people experienced too much suffering because of the long years of conflict and it is time to be in peace and stability,” he added.
Lujang assured the local civilian population in Yei of a peaceful New Year’s celebration. Lujang further cautioned the military against sporadic gunshots during the New Year’s celebrations.
“We are approaching the New Year and we are reminding our soldiers who are holding guns not to shoot them or cause any insecurity in Yei because we need the people to reach the New Year in peace and we have given a warning that any person who shoots guns will be arrested and detained up to the 5th of next month,” Gen. Lujang warned.