A group of students hailing from the Apuk Community in Warrap State studying in the Western Bahr el Ghazal State capital, Wau, have faulted youth from Marial-Wau of attacking them while they conducted a meeting on Sunday afternoon.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Sunday via telephone from Dier-Akok within Wau Town, Bak Chan, a leader of the Apuk students’ association, said they were surprised by the sudden attack by youth from the Wan-bai Community in which two people, including a young girl, sustained minor injuries.
“One of the girls who sustained injuries is called Nyigeng Deng and she was hurt on her head, back, and face. The attack is related to a communal conflict since the beginning of this year,” he narrated. “We were surprised on Sunday afternoon when we were holding our students meeting in Dier-Akok and a group of Marial-Wau youth came and attacked our people and beat up some young boys and girls. They also broke up chairs, computers and sound systems were damaged.”
According to Chan, they were targeted by the youth from Marial-Wau because the latter did not want them to stay in Wau.
“They were saying that they do not need the Apuk students to hold a meeting and we are not supposed to be in Wau but go back to our area,” he stated. “I talked to the deputy governor of Western Bahr el Ghazal State regarding the issue and the police were sent and they left after the situation was contained.”
The Apuk community from Warrap State and Marial-Wau Western Bahr el Ghazal State have been feuding since January and several peace dialogues have failed to address the conflict.
On her part, Wan-Bai youth leader Ajok Anyar said she was not aware of the incident and vowed to investigate the matter. She urged both sides to refrain from tribal engagements since the conflict between Apuk and Wan-Bai is a national issue over land disputes.
“I do not have information about their meeting but I was surprised to see broken chairs on social media on Sunday. This is a town and a town can unite all the people. We are staying in the town and we do not have a problem with anyone because the issue that had happened between us was outside there,” she said. “We do not have the power to go and attack anyone and this is an accusation but I did not get clear information that these people were attacked by my side or another side. This issue might be because we were having a problem with them in the village but the problem did not reach the town.”
“My message is that they are all youth staying in the town and if am leading Marial-Wau youth, this means I am responsible for all the youths residing in this area, so, let there be no problem,” Anyar added.
The youth leader promised to investigate the matter.