Fighting between armed youth from the Gak and Nielniel clans of the Pakam section of Rumbek North County ended in the death of three people and injury of nine others at the Kect cattle camp in Lakes State’s Rumbek Central County on Monday afternoon.
The police spokesperson in Lakes State, Major Elijah Mabor Makuac told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday that the fighting erupted after a young man was shot and wounded while walking his bull back to a cattle camp.
“According to unconfirmed reports, we just learned that the issue was connected to the norms and cultures of the people of Rumbek North County. Sometimes, when some people want a young man who has some bulls to marry their daughter, they come and take some of his bulls and then the owner will follow after which they hold discussions. If he agrees to court the lady, then he will leave the bulls behind with his future in-laws and be given a girl to marry,” he explained. “So, we learned that the bulls of a young man from the Gak clan were taken a few days ago by people from the Nielniel clan as a sign of love to marry him a girl. After the young followed his bull, they held discussions, and the bulls were released. When he was returning to his cattle camp with his bulls, he was attacked by two armed youths he did not know who shot and wounded him.”
“The victim managed to pull himself up to another cattle camp where well-wishers managed to help him and his cattle reach his camp where his kin immediately suspected that the Nielniel clan orchestrated the attack,” Maj. Mabor added.
He said the Gak immediately launched an attack against the Nielniel clan yet the victim clearly said he was not sure who shot and injured him.
“In the meantime, we received a report that three people have been killed and 6 wounded but we are still investigating to find out more details about the casualties of the incident,” Mabor said. “It is not good to take the law in your hands. You better report to relevant authorities such that somebody who offended you can be brought to book and your case is solved peacefully. They always rush to take the law into their hands.”
According to Maj. Mabor, the security forces managed to contain the fighting and the situation had returned to normal by Tuesday. He said security forces personnel are monitoring the security situation very closely to ensure that there are no revenge attacks.
The police mouthpiece also said investigations are slow because the injured do not like going to hospital for fear of being apprehended.
Meanwhile, Doctor Terran Madit Terran, the medical director at Rumbek State Hospital, said they received eight patients who sustained minor injuries during the clashes.
“Most of them sustained minor gunshot injuries in the upper and lower limbs and there were no cases of abdomen and chest wounds. Our team carried out first aid and we were going to work on them the following day since they were not emergency cases. Unfortunately, when came in the next morning, we found all of them had left the hospital,” he narrated. “I do not know the exact reason but when I asked my staff in the department, they told me that all the gunshot patients left in the night.”
“One new patient with gunshot wounds related to the same incident came the next morning,” Dr. Madit added.
He lamented that it is very unfortunate that gunshot cases were appearing again yet the hospital had almost forgotten about them and appealed to the communities to live peaceably.