Death toll hits 11 in Bor- Pibor revenge killings
The death toll from Bor-Pibor’s revenge killing has risen to 11 since the recent Bor town incident, where seven cattle traders were brutally murdered in a retaliatory attack.
Yesterday, two other people—a regular trader and a medical doctor running a local clinic— were found confirmed dead in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
The Jonglei State Police Commissioner, Joseph Mayen Akoon, confirmed that the two were killed between Gumuruk and Machabol.
“We have lost two people. Their killing was between Gumruok and Machabol…and they belong to Bor,’’ he said.
He added that the law enforcers were up to the task of maintaining security.
“We are mandated to protect the lives of innocent civilians and to investigate crimes. I hope the incident that happened here will never happen again.”
Mayen called on the citizens of Bor not to take the law into their own hands by killing innocent civilians.
“We urge our citizens that when anything happens, they should not take the law into their own hands to take the lives of innocent civilians. There are security problems in Jonglei and the government is trying its best to bring these people together so that peace prevails.”
Killings only in bushes
The Chairperson of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) steering committee, Juma Laduz, said the area’s community members were only fierce in bushes but could not kill people in towns because it is against their culture.
“There is nothing like what happened in Pibor, [our people] cannot kill, [we] are wild in the bushes, but when it comes to home, there is no need for Murle to kill somebody who is in the town. The report they are giving you is about covering the story that happened in Bor, ” said Laduz, as he rubbished some claims of retaliatory attacks.
“I would like to pass this information on that each and everyone should remain calm, and in Pibor, we have been telling them to remain calm. There is a peace delegation from the side of Pieri, from the side of Akobo who are currently here, and we need this peace to proceed. “
The Deputy Chief Administrator of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area said they were committed to pursuing peace.
“GPAA youth call on the GPAA government, and Jonglei State government to intervene in the current situation,” read a statement from GPAA youth.
NGO workers evacuated
According to the Executive Director of Intrepid South Sudan, who doubles as an activist, Bol Deng Bol, most of the aid agencies working in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area have evacuated their workers to safer places.
He said World Food Programme (WFP) had also evacuated its workers to Bor from GPAA, and other NGOs had done the same with their workers to towns they believed were safe for them.
Bol, earlier, said his organisation had recorded 20 incidences of ambushes, child abductions, cattle raids, and traces of intruders within November alone.
He said that fear was looming as it was not known which area could be attacked next and called for night patrols to beef up security.
The activist called on Chagor to answer positively to the call for peace from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area Chief Administrator, Lokole Amee.
”Please respond to the call of your counterpart, Lokole Amee, the Chief Administrator of GPAA. He believes that the resolutions of the recent peace negotiations in Jonglei can mitigate the insecurity surge between GPAA and JS,” he said.
Governor orders probe
The governor of Jonglei State, Denay Jock Chagor, last week ordered a probe into the revenge killings in Bor that claimed the lives of seven traders in Bor.
He described the revenge killings as an “inhumane, brutal, and cowardly act.” He further summoned Bor chiefs and directed them to discourage any activity that could sabotage peace between Jonglei State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA).
A group of angry youth from Anyidi Payam on Saturday killed seven traders, retaliating for the killing of two brothers who died on their way to Anyidi riding on a motorbike.
The statement read in part, “For it is an inhumane, brutal, and cowardly act. The government of Jonglei State is therefore dismayed and shocked by such a callous and unfortunate act by our youth.”
