King Akwai Nyiguo Akwai of the Anyuak people in South Sudan has expressed disappointment over the lack of intervention by the government to address the root causes of the ongoing conflict in Pochalla County, describing it as frustrating and worrisome.
Fighting erupted between SSPDF soldiers and armed Anyuak civilians in Pochalla town on 18 September, leaving tens of people dead and thousands, mainly women and children, displaced to surrounding villages and neighboring Ethiopia, where they lack food and shelter.
The clashes were triggered by the killing of the former SSPDF commander in Pochalla, Col. Okony Okwom Othow, at his residence by fellow SSPDF soldiers.
Speaking to the media on Monday, King Akwai of Anyuak’s Gooc Royal Dynasty, said they feel betrayed and demanded that an investigation be instituted to probe the Pochalla crisis.
“When fighting erupted last month following the killing of a man called Okony, we intervened to stop the fighting. In our minds, we thought an investigation committee would be formed to come to us on the ground to hear from us. Instead, we are neglected as if we did not fight for independence, let alone our land being used as sanctuary for Anyanya 1, Anyanya 2, and the SPLA,” he lamented. “Now, some people have been armed by the Greater Pibor government and they are now in our territory to fight us. So, is distributing weapons to one side to fight the Anyuak a solution? We are disappointed and will not move anywhere else. In our lands, we shall perish.”
The Anyuak leader pointed out that the Pochalla unrest has only escalated the already dire humanitarian situation in his kingdom.
“Since 2005, our people had to seek education and health services in Ethiopia because there is no development here and now this war is being imposed on us to only cause more destruction,” he stated. “For instance, 12 bodies of the victims of airstrikes by gunships were found on Sunday in the bush. This is not what we fought Arabs for. I know President Salva Kiir. They know me because I have been in the bush with them from Anyanya 1 to SPLA.”
“As kings and chiefs, we want peace so that we can cultivate and this is achievable by having us separated from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area,” King Akwai added.
Meanwhile, Sunday Andrew Cham, the chief of Ajwara, also echoed a call for dialogue to address the Pochalla crisis.
“Never before had we fought any government throughout our history. This problem was created in Greater Pibor to create issues between our youth and a section of the SSPDF,” he explained. “However, what is shocking is that no investigation is being done. We demand that a nonpartisan committee should be sent to Pochalla to find out for themselves from all parties to this conflict.”
For his part, Charles Wello Onyony, a lawmaker representing Pochalla in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), warned of escalating violence.
“Since this problem started, we have been engaging our military leadership and the presidency to de-escalate the violence. As we speak, a combined force of about 150 Pibor youth and SSPDF soldiers have already arrived in one of our villages called Achwaa in Ajwara Payam,” he revealed. “I communicated this to the military leadership and the response was that there is nothing they can do and that we should communicate it to the president.”