Dozens of people were reported to have been wounded during inter-clan clashes two days ago over a land dispute between the two communities of Rek and Luanyjang in Tonj East County of Warrap State.
The two clans clashed during the weekend over ownership of a small area named Lolelith, which is located at the border between the two communities. Abraham Gum, Deputy Governor for Warrap State said the two clans clashed for at least two days with each claiming Lolelith.
The senior official reported that at least 94 people were wounded but he declined to mentioned the death toll. He said the fighting had stopped on the third day when thet state government intervened.
“Yes, there are causalities but we do not understand their numbers, they used to take their people to their villages and we together with the medical team we told them to gather near any primary health clinic where they can receive treatment,” he said.
Asked how the fighting had erupted, Gum said, “What happened was that those two clans have a small area known as Lolelith where each claimed ownership of the area but when the new commissioner came, they conducted a meeting with two chiefs where they disagreed, which immediately led to the fighting with heavy causalities.”
“The figure we got was for the wounded people, yesterday the figure we collected was 94 for the wounded but we are still collecting death lists and the commissioner is yet to collect the real number.”
Among the dead is reportedly a driver of the caretaker governor Akech Tong who was killed when he was traveling to Romic, capital of Tonj East from Kuacjok.
The deputy governor denied that the fighting was related to the new policy of creating new states, blaming the local youths of transferring quarrels from cattle camps to the communities.
He also revealed that there was also a problem between the Lou and Apuk Padoc of Tonj North but downplayed it. He said the governor visited the area and returned to Kuacjok after meeting chiefs and MPs in the area.
He finally called on the two warring communities to stop fighting and wait for the government to send a committee that will verify the community borders.