Authorities in the Jonglei state capital, Bor town, have accused suspected armed youth from Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) of attacking ARC workers constructing the Gadiang-Akobo road and the torching of two bulldozers.
The state information minister, John Samuel Manyuon, in a statement extended to Radio Tamazuj Tuesday, said road construction work is being sabotaged and called on the national government to come to their aid.
“The government of Jonglei State would like to inform the national government and the public that national project road development is under threat from mobilized criminals from GPAA who have positioned themselves along the road to kill, loot, and destroy the construction equipment such that the road development doesn’t go through,” he said.
In January, after officiating over the completion of the Juba-Bor road, President Kiir announced that construction works would begin on roads that would link Bor to Malakal, Gadiang, and Pibor, among other towns in the Upper Nile region. Bor-Gadiang road is 185 km long.
“Therefore, we called on the support of the national government to deploy security forces to protect the road workers, construction equipment, passengers, and their properties moving along this road.”
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Elia Costa Faustino, the state police commissioner, said the incident was being investigated.
“As we speak, investigations are ongoing into the incident. We have yet to establish reasons for the attack because no arrest was made. Our bushes are filled with criminals, so, we don’t know the identity of the attackers for now,” he said.
For his part, Abraham Kelang, the GPAA information minister, said the Gadiang attack was staged and that no Pibor youth was involved.
“Our youth have no reason to attack road workers. The statement from my counterpart could have made sense if the attack was on a cattle camp. What we know is that there is a plan in Jonglei State to sabotage roads from reaching places like Pibor, Akobo, and Pochalla as announced by the president when he was in Bor. Also, Gadiang is a military area, how would our youth attack on the watch of security forces?” he questioned.