The executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO) has condemned the recent deadly cattle raiding attacks on pastoralists from Bor which occurred in Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria State, and urged to government to avert revenge attacks.
Edmond Yakani told Radio Tamazuj that statements issued by Governor Louis Lobong and the Bor community were contradictory and warned of a looming revenge attack by the pastoralists from Bor.
Last week, assailants attacked a cattle camp in the Nimule area rustling thousands of cattle and leaving over 20 people dead.
“As CEPO, we would like to call on the national government to intervene urgently in preventing any revenge because we are aware that possible deadly revenge is imminent and before it happens,” Yakani said. “We want to see a coordination of prevention (of revenge attacks) by the state government of Eastern Equatoria and the national government.”
He warned that revenge attacks may lead to gross human rights abuses and loss of lives.
“We are now getting contradicting information about the perpetrators because the statement issued by the Bor community says it was the youth from Eastern Equatoria who were mobilized by politicians who were involved in carrying out the deadly cattle raiding, while the statement issued by the governor of Eastern Equatoria says Murle tribesmen raided the cattle,” Yakani said.