The governor of Yei River State David Lokonga Moses said Saturday that that those who are “drinking blood” elsewhere in South Sudan should not turn to Yei and disturb the people of Yei from their education and development.
“Some other people who are drinking blood of people have destroyed their areas, they have destroyed the facilities, they have destroy all what people used to be having in their respective areas, they have killed people, this one has caused displacement – this is not the case in Yei,” Lokonga said.
“The incident of Juba was very horrible, very bad. Lives and property of innocent people were lost but in Yei we do not want that thing to happen here,” the governor said
He said that the governors of South Sudan are concerned about the latest violence in Juba and believe that the peace agreement signed by the warring parties is the only document that will address all issues raised by tribes or groups of people in South Sudan.
He said the government has issued an amnesty to those who have taken up arms against the government adding that Brigadier General Joseph Wani Konga and one senior officer from Bahr el Ghazal has declared allegiance to the government.
But he reported some incidents of violence in his jurisdiction. “There is a violation of the cessation of hostilities or ceasefire because of the attack of Lainya county, attack of Rasol, the attack of Mitika of Lasu Payam twice and displacement of very many people.”
The governor also condemned an incident within Yei town itself which claimed the lives of four people. “Those who are involved in taking lives of the four people I ordered the security organs for their arrest. These people must be arrested and taken to custody and investigated and be taken to court and these are directives that it must be done immediately.”
Incidents in the Yei area have prompted some people to leave the city to outlying villages fearing clashes could erupt in the town.
The governor passed his condolences to the families of those who lost their dear ones during the incident.
The governor also issued several orders, which he said follow the order of the president for the cessation of hostility and the ceasefire and the amnesty. Kiir had said that opposition soldiers who surrender should not be harmed.
He ordered that the movement of the people from villages to towns, markets in Yei Town and other towns of Yei River State should operate freely without harassment of civilians.
“The movement of the people from the villages to the town must be allowed to go freely, people move freely without harassment, no checkpoints in the daytime to harass any civilians. Anybody found in the market or in the residential area with gun and uniform I direct the security organs to disarm him or else if he resists he must be shot.”
The organised forces are also directed to go back to their units. “Everybody needs to return to their units as of this afternoon,” Lokonga said
He urged people to operate freely in the markets and for schools and hospitals to open.
“Other key issues like arbitrary arrest I am ordering all the army, the security organs that arbitrary arrest must stop. Arbitrary arrest, arrest without warrant must stop, all those who are in custody I need to know the area, the reason of the arrest. I will pay visit to all the custodies in few hours to come maybe days nobody can be arrested without warrant and this is a strong warning to all the security organs operating in Yei,” the governor said.
The governor added that the people of Yei are peace-loving people and are people of God who always say despite bad things being done to them “Ngun Kata,’’ meaning God is there.
File photo