Potential ethnic cleansing looms in Magwi, warns activist
The Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani, has warned of a potential bloodbath in Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria State, alleging that pastoralists and farmers are arming themselves for confrontation.
He said the early warning from Magwi indicates that there is inevitable violence in the area if security is not beefed up soon.
According to the video clip circulating on social media, a large number of armed men, some in military uniforms, were seen entering Agoro Payam in Magwi County yesterday.
Yakani called on President Salva Kiir to intervene in the removal of cattle from Magwi County to avoid a looming disaster.
He noted that the level of hate speech between the pastoralists and the farmers in the area had increased as the two communities had started arming themselves.
“The commissioner, the RRC and the governor have already sounded the alarm over the situation in Magwi. The level of hate speech among the pastoralists and farmers is on the increase, “Yakani said.
The activist said there are reports of training grounds being opened in the area and that the two groups were arming themselves.
Yakani said this is a recipe for disaster and termed it as potential ethnic cleansing.
Meanwhile, CEPO appreciated the positive response of the leaders to making a concrete decision on the political process for transitioning the country from violence to peace.
Yakani hailed the Sudanese leaders for the influential role they played in ensuring a successful political transition in South Sudan from violence to peace. Sudan is a key guarantor of the R-ARCSS.
Yakani stressed that the role played by Sudan was remarkable and it is expected to be a regular one.
“Without proper and genuine transitional security arrangements, the political transition in South Sudan will be below expectations in terms of securing a sustainable political solution to the country’s political crisis, he said.
The activist said South Sudanese leaders must take primary responsibility for making peace without the pressure of other leaders from the region.
“These attitudes of South Sudanese leaders that always need external pressure for making a genuine decision for the political transition process from violence to peace should be stopped. It is discouraging and demonstrates that the deficit in trust and confidence among our leaders is still high and pose threat to successful political transition from violence to peace,” Mr Yakani stressed
CEPO urged the leaders to take serious steps for the better implementation of R-ARCSS, saying the massive population is leaving in fear of possible country return to violence if the political transition is not genuinely managed by the leadership of the country.
Yakani reiterated that Joint Defense Board and Joint Transitional Security Arrangements need to be supported for genuine action on the unification of the forces.
He said the African Union Peace and Security Council team expected to visit the country should meet with various stakeholders to gain a balanced assessment of the situation in the country.
On Wednesday, the presidency resolved to graduate over 50,000 unified forces.
This was resolved in a meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir and attended by his five deputies, including First Vice President Dr Riek Machar and the other four vice presidents.
In his remarks, Cabinet Affairs Minister, Dr Elia Lumoro said, the Joint Defence Board has so far screened 50,000 joined forces from the different parties.
