A legislator the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly (R-TNLA) on Monday decried the killing of civilians by South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) elements in Ombasi Boma in Yei River County, Central Equatoria State.
Speaking during the House’s regular sitting chaired by Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba, Peter Lomude Francis, a South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) MP representing Yei River County, said a father and his two sons were killed while another son was injured by the SSPDF mobile force on Saturday.
“I would like to inform the August House about the ongoing situation in Yei County, particularly in the Boma of Ombasi,” he said. “On Saturday, one of the mobile forces of the SSDPF that is operating in Yei went to a village called Lata in Ombasi and killed a father plus his two sons, and a third son was wounded and is receiving treatment at Yei Civil Hospital.”
According to Lomude, before the latest incident on Saturday, a paramount chief was killed in the same Boma after attending a dialogue.
“Three weeks ago, we lost a paramount chief and two other people in that Boma after they attended a dialogue. What is going on in the Ombasi area is that civilians are told to leave the areas of their livelihood and move to the headquarters of the boma,” the lawmaker said. “This is a contravention of the peace agreement because Chapter Two of the agreement requires that forces of the parties to the agreement should vacate places of livelihood.”
“So, I would like to inform this August House that since the signing of the agreement, the people of Yei have not had peace and there is no reason for any of them to come from (refugee) camps,” Lomude added.
When contacted about the matter, SSPDF Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang said he was not aware of the incident and promised to revert after contacting the area commander.