The inhabitants of Juba County’s Lobonok Payam in Central Equatoria State have called on authorities to withdraw the army brigade deployed in their area.
They fault elements of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) deployed in their area for killing civilians.
Addressing a press conference at the Bari Community Center in Juba on Wednesday afternoon, Noel Matayo, the chairperson of the Lobonok Youth Association, said there has been a surge in killings and injuries of civilians in Lobonok Payam by soldiers.
The call follows an incident on Tuesday evening in which the head chief of the Lobonok area, Mathew Kenyi Jale, was attacked at his home, shot, and injured by an SSPDF private only identified as Dut.
Lobonok, the home village of Vice President James Wani Igga, is located about 30 kilometres south of the capital Juba on the east bank of the Nile.
Chief Kenyi, who sustained gunshot wounds, was taken to Juba and is currently receiving treatment at the Freedom International Hospital.
Matayo stressed that there have been a series of shooting incidents in the payam perpetrated by SSPDF soldiers and personnel of the National Security Service (NSS) against civilians, with one of the recent ones being on 29 July at Nyarabanga village in Kit Boma.
“A citizen named Milla Saverio Modi was shot dead by SSPDF ground forces based in Paya and later they attempted to assassinate Chief Loku Solomon of Karpeto Boma whose house they looted,” he narrated. “This was followed by the raping of two women in Luwala and Karpeto Boma.”
“Besides these occurrences, there are cases of defilement of underage girls by NSS personnel stationed in Morsak Boma in Lobonok Payam,” Matayo added.
He stressed that the people of Lobonok believe that the army is supposed to protect the lives and property of the citizens but that they are doing the opposite in Lobonok and even displacing the people.
“It is important to highlight that the communities in Lobonok are paralyzed in their socio-economic activities and no longer have any hope for the future due to these uncalled, uncivilized, and barbaric acts committed by some wrong elements within the SSPDF,” Matayo charged. “Failure to take action will lead to further escalation.”
The Lobonok Youth chairperson recommended that the suspects be arrested and brought to book and that the military unit which has been deployed in Lobonok Payam for the last five years be removed and replaced by the police.
Matayo also suggested that humanitarian organizations be granted access to the area and demanded that UNMISS peacekeepers establish a temporary base in Lobonok Payam.
When reached by Radio Tamazuj for reaction and comment, SSPDF Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang said the army’s administration was still gathering information about the chief’s shooting and would make a statement.