Unidentified criminals raped two women and beat another one to a coma in the Napak area of Budi County in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State on Tuesday.
The incident happened when the three women were in the bush collecting firewood, vegetables, and wild fruits for their families.
The deputy chairperson of the Larim Community of the Buya tribe, Joseph Kamilo Napengiro, told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that the raped women were rushed to Kimotong Primary Health Care Unit for medical attention. He accused Toposa youth from Riwoto in Kapoeta North County of carrying out the attack.
According to Kamilo, the suspected criminals made off with seven head of cattle.
“The Toposa of Kapoeta North came and found these women going to cut wood, collect vegetables, and pick the fruits of a wild tree called laluk for food due to hunger,” he said. “The Toposa seriously beat the women and robbed them of bed sheets, beads, pangas and twisted one of the women’s neck. They raped two but left the older woman.”
“This was done by Toposa herders from Riwoto of Kapoeta North County who also took seven cows and we are now investigating the matter,” Kamilo added.
For his part, Emmanuel Ephone Lolimo, the commissioner of Kapoeta North County, denied that the Toposa youth raped the women but admitted that they harassed them and took their belongings.
He accused Buya youth of raiding calves which prompted the youth from Riwoto to follow their tracks to Napak and act out of anger.
“Three days ago, some calves were taken from Kapoeta North County and the youth traced the footmark up to Napak. So, on their way back, they met some women and they took their luggage,” he said. “The women were not harassed or raped but they only took their belongings according to the report I received.”
“It is the Buya youth who started this issue because they stole calves and we are dialoguing with the community to return them and then we will also trace the culprits who took the luggage of the women,” Commissioner Lolimo added.
Meanwhile, Jeff Longoria, a lawmaker in the Eastern Equatoria State Legislative Assembly, condemned the attack and called on the government to investigate and bring perpetrators to book.
“We condemn such attitudes against women and any human being. We need to combat such harmful attitudes,” he stated. “The government needs to follow up on this issue and take action. Communities should not harbor criminals and they should be handed over to the government and brought to the book.”