A group of unidentified criminals set several houses on fire, leaving four family members homeless in Mingkaman Town in Awerial County on Wednesday.
The four families whose houses were set on fire by yet-to-be-identified arsonists in the Tomrok area of Mingkaman Internally Displace People’s site lost all their belongings and food and are now exposed to the elements.
Some of the victims who spoke to Radio Tamazuj said that the torching incidents usually occur at midnight while people are asleep.
Rebecca Akur Goi, a mother of nine, said she lost everything, including SSP 400,000, food items, and all her property to the fire.
“My children cried for help, and the neighbors rescued them, and I am thankful to God who saved them from death,” she narrated. “I lost everything, including money, many household items, and food. I am now suffering from this stressful situation these unknown people caused me.”
Another survivor from an earlier arson attack last Friday night, Deng Kuir Ayual, 70, who lives with his children in the camp, said the arsonists locked his house from outside while he was sleeping before setting it ablaze. He was rescued by neighbors.
“The first house that they tried to burn was rescued, and they tried to burn another tukul (hut), which was also saved. We are all neighbors in the same area, and the criminals came again to the house of a woman called Akur and then to my house,” he explained. “Everything, money, food items, and properties were burnt inside these houses, and we are left with nothing. We now have no shelter.”
Awerial County authorities said the police are investigating three fire incidents in Mingkaman.
During a peace dialogue between sections of the Aliap Community of Awerial County on Tuesday, Lakes State Governor Rin Tueny Mabor urged the host communities to coexist peacefully with the Bor Community who were displaced by floods in Jonglei State.