A group of civil society activists in Western Bahr el Ghazal State has condemned Monday’s deadly attack in Tharkueng payam of Jur River County.
Armed youths believed to have come from the neighbouring Gogrial East County of Warrap State attacked Tharkueng payam over a land dispute. More than 20 people were reported killed, several others wounded, and houses burnt down.
Speaking to the press in Wau town on Tuesday, Stephen Robo Musa, the State Coordinator for Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), said the killings were an act of atrocity and needed to be investigated immediately by the state governments of Warrap and Western Bhar el Ghazel in collaboration with the national government to avoid further recurrence.
“As civil society groups, we condemn this in the strongest terms possible. This amounts to a crime against humanity; it is not an incident that could be taken lightly; it is purely the responsibility of the two governors of Bahr el Ghazal states, particularly the government of Warrap state,” said Musa.
Musa blamed authorities from the two states for failing to stop the perennial violence.
“These incidents have been happening repeatedly between the two states because of slow response from the two governors in addressing the matter. There was a directive from the national government (Presidential Order), but we are seeing a slow response to enforce it,” Musa said.
He added that the two governors need to come up with a clear milestone to resolve the conflict between neighbouring communities in their states.
“The President has given out his word, and his word should be enforced, and this enforcement should be implemented by the two governors. They should hold those behind this violence accountable,” he said.
Alfred Angok Uling, the state Executive Director for Alliance for Land Right South Sudan, a local organisation, described the incident as a “state lawlessness.”
“There is no point of the other community attacking their neighbours from a different state, killing them, burning houses and circulating hate leaflets threatening them to leave their homes,” he said.
“The national government has to intervene to control the situation,” he stressed.
“Communities should respect the 1956 boundaries, and the Independent Boundaries Commission (IBC) is also clear that South Sudanese should respect the 1965 boundaries,” he added.