The local authorities in Warrap State’s Gogrial East County and the neighboring Jur River County of Western Bahr El Ghazal State on Wednesday said relations between the communities of the two counties remain tense after one person was killed last week and another on Monday.
The inhabitants of the two counties have been feuding over the ownership of some areas along their common border.
According to Maluach Lueth, the commissioner of Gogrial East County, Manyang Payam belongs to his jurisdiction but hosts communities from Jur River County.
He says one youth from his area was killed on Monday in Kurchok village by policemen deployed in Jur River County.
“You already know there is a problem in Acongcong village, especially in the area of Manyang. In the last week of August, there was tension in Manyang because it belongs to Gogrial East County, and the local authorities in Jur River County desire to take the land administratively and they deployed police there who began to cause havoc,” he explained. “Several attempts were made to end the conflict so a committee was set up and after their findings, some armed men attacked Acongcong and killed one person, wounded another, and burned houses and local shops, forcing people to flee towards Luony-Aker.”
According to Commissioner Lueth, the governors of Warrap and Western Bahr El Ghazal states managed to form a committee tasked with ending the conflict between the communities of the two neighboring counties but armed youth from Jur River are still hostile to travelers using the road.
“The armed youth from Jur River County robbed vehicles and caused panic among travelers. A vehicle belonging to General Mading Duor was taken by armed youth alleged to belong to the Ganayo group,” he reported. “On Monday, policemen from Jur River County killed a youth from Gogrial East at a place called Kurchok and tension is high. I was promised that these policemen would be arrested but this has not happened yet.”
For his part, Jur River County Commissioner James Ernest Makuei confirmed the incidents his counterpart referred to but said the committee is investigating the killing of the young man from Gogrial East.
“The high committee which has members from both states is working on the issue of Manyang and we were together with my counterpart from Gogrial East and indeed the suspects who were involved in the killing of the little boy have been named,” he said. “So, the security people are working hard now to trace the suspects who also allegedly burned the market. The security situation is calm only that civilians are living in fear.”