A chief from the Owiny Kibul area has blamed SPLA trainers for failing to keep discipline of new recruits at a training camp in the area where SPLA recruits clashed earlier this week with residents.
SPLA recruits clashed with residents at Owiny Kibul after a drunken soldier was stabbed in a bar fight. His fellow recruits burnt more than 100 houses and market stalls in retaliation. One recruit was killed in the clashes.
Michael Obany Duku, chief of Owiny Kibul told Radio Tamazuj today that the situation has stabilized in the area but they are now looking for a way to assist those whose houses were burnt.
He also disclosed that SPLA recruits are being transported away from the area, saying this transportation started three days ago and has continued until today.
However, the chief denied that they had demanded the recruits be removed from Owiny Kibul: “We have not asked the state and the government to remove the training camp to be taken away from here… but good enough the government have finished training and if the government needs to transport them somewhere and bringing in new recruits, it is their right and we cannot comment.”
According to the chief, the area has been used as a military training ground since a long time ago, even during the Anyanya I civil war, saying the name of the place means “you will hear through drum.”
Chief Michael said the SPLA administration should know how to maintain recruits and they have to watch the recruits more carefully and not allow them to mingle with civilians in the village.
“For example, I being a chief for the area, I was a soldier well trained at Bongo graduated from Dhaldhal One battalion since 1986 and the training was different from this training, so the trainers have to take care because we have foreigners in Owinykibul and the soldiers should not be allow to interact with civilians because they will expose the secrets of the army,” the chief cautioned.
According to Chief Michael, the local policemen are now being assisted by military police to keep order.
“I was not saying as the chief of the area to SPLA not to bring new recruits, no, and if there are new recruits coming they should have vision to defend the country,” he said.
Photo: Magwi County area