Youth from Eastern Equatoria State have given the Dinka Bor cattle herders a seven-day ultimatum to evacuate Magwi County and return to their areas in Jonglei State.
Failure to respect the call, the youth said, would force them to defend their boundaries from any external aggression
The youth alleged that the aggression was geared towards land occupation and fighting the people of EES to achieve a hidden agenda
Addressing journalists on Wednesday, the youth condemned “the continued cattle influx and the burning of houses and government institutions as well the displacement of the indigenous people from their ancestral land by the armed Dinka Bor herders.”
This week, the Chief of South Sudan Defense Forces (SSPDF), Gen Paul Nang, ordered all the herders from Jonglei, currently in Eastern Equatoria, to return to their home area.
Deputy Secretary General of Monyio-Miji in Eastern Equatoria State Ohuyoro Peter Onyang said the seven-day ultimatum was effective from the date of the press conference and must be respected.
He said Eastern Equatoria youth would not tolerate acts that paralyzed peaceful co-existence.
“All the armed Dinka Bor herders must leave EES peacefully within one week with effect from the date of this press release. The proxy war between the Dinka Bor herders and the Murle should not be transferred to the peaceful land of Eastern Equatoria State. The Dinka Bor must stop negative utterances and hate speeches against the people of Eastern Equatoria and their Government. We will no longer tolerate such acts that destabilize the social fabric and peaceful co-existence of our people. We shall protect and defend our land, the people and their lives and properties according to our traditional practices,” he said.
The Monyio-Miji (youth) chairperson, Ausilio Odume Raimondo, said Eastern Equatoria youth denounced war, and rallied for peace with neighbors.
He urged the youth to unite in protecting their land, lives and properties from any provocation.
The Dinka Bor community Secretary General, Mayan Ateny Wai, declined to comment on the telephone when reached by Radio Tamazuj.
“I don’t have any comment, thank you,” he said.
South Sudan National Youth Union Secretary for Information Marial Wrong urged the youth not to take the law into their hands but give the government chance to address the matter.
He said the youth across South Sudan were saddened by the tensions between the cattle herders and raiders in Eastern Equatoria that claimed many lives.
“The youth should not take the matter into their own hands because we have the Government and I believe they have taken notice of this matter. I call on the youth of Eastern Equatoria to make sure that this matter is left to the government,” he said.