Jonglei State authorities decry a worsening security situation, saying despite numerous peace initiatives, insecurity and road ambushes have continued to claim lives.
The state secretary-general Gatwech Koak Nyuon told Radio Tamazuj on Saturday that more than 30 people died last month alone.
“Despite several peace dialogues, there has been no improvement. In the month of November alone, we lost 34 civilians including three women killed in the Buong area on December 1,” he lamented.
Koak warned that the situation could escalate if there is no intervention from the neighboring Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) whose youth have been accused of being involved in the rising insecurity.
“As the state leadership, we are engaging the GPAA counterparts to resolve the issue. We do not know what is being done from their side. We know these attackers are criminals but they must do something to stop them,” he said.
Joseph Mayen Akoon, the state police commissioner, agreed that the security situation is deteriorating and called on those living in the villages to take precautionary measures.
“In the town like Bor, we are doing patrols. So the security is good. Of course, in the villages, the situation is bad. My message to our people is that they should be defensive of themselves and be vigilant because we will not be able to deploy police to all the roads in our counties,” he said.
For his part, John Abulla, the deputy GPAA chief administrator, said he is not aware of their youth’s involvement in the attacks in Jonglei state, reiterating that they are committed to restoring peace to the two restive areas.
“As we speak, our county commissioners and local chiefs are disseminating peace so that our youth will be in peace with our neighbors,” Abulla said. “Again, we plan that we will celebrate this Christmas as a government in Nanaam on our borders with Jonglei state so that we control our youth.”