Local authorities in Eastern Equatoria State’s Kapoeta East County have said that at least nine people were critically injured in Lopua and 11,000 others have been displaced from the Bunno area as a result of clashes between two Toposa communities over a watering point for their cattle.
The tension between the Bunno and Nyianginyang communities who have sharing grazing land and water and coexisting peacefully for the last few years started on Monday but no deaths have been reported.
Kapoeta East County Commissioner Angelo Abdalla Lokeno told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday that the two communities have been stoning and beating each other using sticks. He said there is an unconfirmed report that one person was killed but that the authorities are investigating.
“There is a problem on this side and pastoralists are stoning and beating each other using sticks. The Toposa of Buno and those of Nyianginyang are beating each other and 11 people have been injured, 11,000 displaced from Lopua and there is a rumor that one person was killed,” he said. The fighting is over a water point. They are fighting over the ownership of a Lokisele Lopua water point which is claimed by both the Nganginyiang and Bunno people.”
Peter Lokeng Lotone, the Eastern Equatoria State Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement Agencies, confirmed the clashes but said the state government has intervened.
“I am aware of this tension and right now I am in Kapoeta East County. These people have tension over water points where cattle drink. One community demanded to share the water point and the other refused and said that they dug the river,” he explained. “They beat each other using sticks but nobody has died and we urge the two communities to dialogue because this water point belongs to everyone.”
“The government is now calling the boma chiefs from the two areas to reach a peaceful solution,” Minister Lokeng added.
Meanwhile, Juma Tikol, a civil society activist, condemned the clashes and called on the government to quickly intervene by addressing the issue of water scarcity.
“The issue of water should not be something that communities fight over but rather share,” he said. “The government should dig boreholes or dams so that the communities have enough water for consumption and for watering their cattle.”