The border town of Pochalla in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) has been gripped in fear after some members of National Security Services (NSS) and police officers indiscriminately shot into the air to protest the nonpayment of their salary arrears.
Thousands of the local residents were forced to flee to neighboring Ethiopia for safety.
The shooting started during the early hours of Saturday.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Pochalla South County Commissioner Otho Oloti said the shooting started when NSS officers broke into the armory, seized weapons and subjected the town to 10 hours of artillery barrage.
He said the angry officers attacked and intimidated him.
“At 1am, some NSS officers broke into their armory, taking weapons and ammunitions, and started shooting into the air until morning. At 10am, they came for me at the premises of the Pochalla FM, and shot between my legs three times. I asked my guards not to react to avoid any bloodshed.”
“Some members of joint operation police brought from Juba also joined in the shooting until afternoon. These shootings were intense, forcing thousands of civilians to flee to the surrounding villages,” he added,
The Commissioner condemned the attack.
Oloti said the officers said they had to shoot into the air to protest the nonpayment of their salaries as that they were going hungry.
“These acts of intimidation by security personal have been commonplace and we condemn it. The entire Pochalla County is cut off without services; not them alone. So we appeal that they should be relocated outside the county,” he said.
County Police Inspector Col Amati Ochan said an uneasy calm was returning, but that the town remained deserted.
“The shooting only involved five members of NSS and 8 from police. We were with the Commissioner when they attacked us saying that they wanted to be paid. We told them that there was nothing we could do about the issue of salaries because it rests with the National Government. Fortunately, by 12pm, they stopped the shooting. However, the situation remains precarious because the protesting officers were still holding firearms. This forced residents to flee,” he stated.
The Executive Director of INTREPID South Sudan (ISS), Bol Deng Bol, urged for restrain.
“Civil servants and members of the organized forces have not been paid for 12 months and our soldiers have been loyal. If they chose to protest, it is within their rights. In our country, one is only listened to when they speak up with of violence or hold protests,” he stated.
“However, my appeal is that these protesting officers should respect civilians and express their views in a manner which does not destroy properties or lives.”
The activist said he sympathized with the mutinying officers, saying they had endured a year of no food or school fees for their families and that the government should address their concerns.