Authorities in Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria State have said locals who had fled their villages and camped in Magwi town have started returning home.
Recently, conflict erupted in Magwi County after cattle rustlers attacked Kraals belonging to herders from Jonglei State killing about 20 people including women and children. The armed herders retaliated by burning villages and killing seven people.
The Magwi County commissioner, David Otto Remson, said the general security situation in the county has returned to normal.
“The general security situation is improving and you can see people are now trying to go back to their houses,” Commissioner Otto said. “I was in Omeo, Agoro, and on Monday I was in Panyikwara and people are ferrying their relatives and friends who want to go back home using tipper lorries. Others are using small cars and other motorcycles to go back to their own homes.”
When asked if the herders had left the county, he said, “The cattle are not there. They were in Agoro and Panyikwara but in the last week they left and went towards Juba in Central Equatoria.”
Commissioner Remson, however, said there are still some big kraals in Melijo in Nimule and that the presence of cattle will disrupt farming.
However, Oryem Moses, the youth leader in Omeyo Payam, contradicted the commissioner and said people have not started going back to their homes due to fear.
“People are still scared because there are two incidents that happened where the cattle herders are said to have left and people went to confirm and these people were slaughtered,” Oryem explained. “It happened in Ayii and Lokiliri so people are scared to go back home.”
He added, “The commissioner and the government are pressing and advising people to go back to their places but they still have that fear so up to now no single person has gone back to their homes.”
Several Magwi chiefs have rejected calls for people to return home, saying the situation remains tense.
Chief Marino Olal of the Ayii-kit area said, “No, No, No. Nobody is going back. Which situation is normal? These people should tell the truth. Politicians are talking about their politics but we on the ground know what is going on.”
He added that the people have nothing to return to as their homes were burned down.
Okot Romeo, the chief of Chomoro Boma in Agoro Payam, said his community has not returned home due to fear.
“In my place, Chomboro, there is no change yet. The cattle keepers come and patrol around. On Monday they came and shot guns while grazing their cattle. So, in our place people are still not going home because the situation is still fragile,” he said.
For his part, Governor Louis Lobong said the security situation has returned to normal and urged all IDPs to return to their homes.
“Recently, we had an influx of cattle herders from Jonglei state which created insecurity in Magwi County from January to date, we have lost about 18 people, a number of houses got burned and properties destroyed,” Lobong said. “The government is handling the security situation and relief aid has been accorded by the development partners so the situation is coming to normal.”
He said people should go back home from where they will be assisted.
“We do not want IDPs in Magwi. These people can be assisted from their homes. I know there has been an exaggeration of figures because when there are free things everybody wants to go and register,” he added.
Lobong also revealed that some cattle keepers are still in areas of Mogali and Owinykibul.