Deadly clashes in Magwi ‘worries’ Governor Lobong
Eastern Equatoria State’s Governor Louis Lobong Lojore has called for urgent intervention from the national government to address the growing tensions in Magwi County.
This comes after heavily armed men believed to be cattle raiders attacked cattle camps in Magwi County on Sunday at Nyolo village in Ayii Boma. The fighting left about 27 people dead and dozens wounded.
Addressing the press yesterday in Torit, Governor Louis Lobong Lojore has warned of a full escalation of conflict if the national government fails to intervene urgently.
According to Lobong, the attack at the cattle camps at Nyoli village was carried out by unidentified cattle raiders which he said they are yet to find out who those raiders were.
“We are calling for dialogue between the host communities and the cattle keepers, as they prepare for the modalities of the short-term co-existence and immediate exit strategy. We call upon humanitarian agencies to assist the hundreds of Internally Displaced Persons in Magwi. I call upon the national government to quickly intervene before this conflict escalates out of proportion,” said Lobong.
“The Government of Eastern Equatoria State has been following with deep concern the situation between cattle keepers and cattle raiders in Magwi County until the recent incident of 27 February 2022, where lives have been lost on both sides,” he added.
Lobong said if the situation is not urgently addressed, the presence of the herders may disrupt farming activities.
Governor Lobong called on the leaders of the pastoral groups to talk to their people to desist from violence and take their cattle back to avoid further conflicts.
He condemns the acts of violence, the destruction of farms and displacement of the natives of the area and calls for respect for the communities and their lifestyles.
“We believe that if the situation is not urgently addressed, this may completely disrupt farming activities this year. Furthermore, it has already discouraged the return process of our people from the refugee camps. As a matter of urgency, the Government of Eastern Equatoria State calls on the leaders of those communities who came with cattle to Magwi to talk to their people to desist from acts of violence and to take their cattle back to avoid further conflicts,” he stated.
“As a government, we strongly condemn the acts of violence, the destruction of farms and the displacement of the native population. We call for respect of the communities, their homes, their farms and their cultures,” Governor Lobong said.
An estimated 4,945 people have been displaced from Agoro and Omeo to Magwi town and other areas within Magwi County.
Following the reports about the large influx of cattle into Magwi County, the Government of Eastern Equatoria State on February 16, 2022, dispatched a Fact-Finding Committee to the areas of Nyolo, Ayii, Moli, Kerepi, Pageri, Loa, Patibi and Opari, to establish the situation on the ground.
The Committee had noted earlier that the presence of heavily armed men with their cattle in Magwi is already a source of insecurity.
The state government said the Sunday conflict between the unidentified cattle raiders and cattle keepers at Nyoli village of Magwi County has interrupted the planned meeting between the host communities and cattle keepers that aimed at determining the future of the cattle in the area.
