At least two juveniles identified as Lokiritya Angeruin, 7, and his sister, Lomor Angeruin, 4, were abducted last Wednesday after their mother was stabbed by suspected Murle youths in Lopogez Boma, Kapoeta North County in Eastern Equatoria State.
The incident occurred when a mother and her three children were returning from their garden and came across the abductors who stabbed the woman in the stomach and hands, forcefully took two of the children, and left a one-year-old child after the mother put up resistance.
According to local authorities, the stabbed woman identified as Namongin Angeruin was rushed to Kapoeta Civil Hospital for treatment.
Eliaz Ikoo Lotede, a youth leader in Kapoeta North County, faulted Murle tribesmen for attack and abductions.
“A woman was coming with her three children from the garden and on their way home suspected Murle criminals attacked the woman and abducted two of her children. When they also tried to abduct a child the one-year-old child she was carrying, the woman screamed for help while protecting the infant and they stabbed her three times in both hands and the stomach, he said. “The youth tried to track and follow the footmarks of the criminals but did not succeed in finding them.”
For his part, Emmanuel Ephone Lolimo, the commissioner of Kapoeta North County, confirmed the incident, saying the local youth were on the ground following the footmarks of the abductors.
“There are children who have been abducted in Mohobu Payam, Lopogez Boma. They were coming from the garden and the Murle took two children identified as Lokiritya Angeruin, 7, and his sister Lomor Angeruin, 4. Their mother was stabbed in the stomach and was rushed to the hospital,” he explained. “This incident occurred on Wednesday at 5 p.m. and the youth are still following the footmarks of these criminals. They have to follow until these children are returned. Till today, there is no information yet because the place does not have a telephone network.”
“We are calling on the Murle to respect peoples’ children, end child abductions and we should co-exist peacefully,”
Meanwhile, Abraham Killang, the information minister in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), denied the allegation that Murle tribesmen carried out the abductions, describing it as a baseless accusation.
“The allegation that some children were abducted is baseless information without facts. The youth of GPAA are not involved in any abductions and the Pibor administration does not condone the abduction of children,” he said. “However, in case some children were abducted, the GPAA government will investigate and return the abducted children when confirmed. In case it is not true, we will also inform the Government of Eastern Equatoria State.”
“When such criminal acts happen, the two governments should join efforts in addressing the issue,” the minister added.
Early last month, two abducted children identified as Lojore Lokanyim, 3, and Natede Lokanyim, 8, were recovered and reunited with their parents in Wokobu Village of Kapoeta North County.
On 28 April, the governments of Eastern Equatoria State and GPAA convened a conference that brought together the Buya, Didinga, Teneth, Murle, and Toposa, to discuss issues of child abduction and cattle raiding
The conference resolved that communities should end cattle raiding and child abduction and the abducted children should be returned to their families.