Four shops were broken into at Jau Market in Wau in Western Bahr el Ghazal last night in the absence of police, according to the chairman of the state chamber of commerce.
Police in Wau have been engaged in a protest since Monday over unpaid wages and two of them were killed in a firefight with SPLA when the latter were called in to crush the strike.
The military reportedly gave a shoot-to-kill order for police seen in uniform and armed. They have since withdrawn from the town.
Traders’ representative Wol Charles said not all traders have reopened their shops since the incidents involving the police. He added that four shops were burgled last night, reporting theft of some boxes of cigarettes and cloths.
“If there is no police the market will not be stable. Last two days traders are not sleeping at all. Now by the end of today we want to see whether the markets will be protected or not.”
“Today all the traders wanted to come to the office of chamber of commerce but I went and addressed them to remain in their shops because if they leave their shops, it can be stolen even during the day,” he warned.
Photo: Police personnel at a training for the emergency call centre (UNDP South Sudan)
Related:
SPLA-Juba pulls troops from Wau streets after crushing police strike (4 March)