The Chief of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), Gen. Paul Nang, has ordered all cattle herders from Jonglei State, currently in Eastern Equatoria State, to return to their home area.
The order follows an attack on the herders who were grazing their cattle in Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria State on 31 January that resulted in the death of at least 41 people and the rustling of an unspecified number of cattle.
The raid resulted in the displacement of villagers in Ayii, Kit, and Agoro villages after the angered pastoralists threatened locals, burned their houses, and destroyed crops.
Speaking at a press conference at the SSPDF Headquarters in Bilpam, Juba, Army Spokesperson Maj. Gen Lul Ruai Koang said his boss ordered all cattle in Eastern Equatoria to leave the area with immediate effect.
“This document that I have here, and that is the report from the Chief of Defense Forces, says that the SSPDF leadership made a total order for the evacuation of cattle herders from Eastern Equatoria State to their places of origin in Jonglei,” he said. “We have the Brigade 2 and 3 of Division 7 that have been ordered to escort back the cattle herders to Jonglei. Let me hope this is going to be the last time for them to be escorted back and that they will never come back again.”
According to Gen. Ruai, the army has been escorting the Jonglei pastoralists from Eastern Equatoria State, and they always return, causing problems for farmers.
“We have been escorting them, in some situations, the vulnerable groups are even put on boats to take them back to Jonglei,” he stated. “So, sometimes it is good to appreciate, even the cattle herders know this.”