Four Gov’t officials detained over Twic– Abyei clashes

At least four government officials were on Tuesday detained in connection with the deadly clashes between Twic and Ngok communities.

Those arrested include Abyei Special Administrative Area (ASAA) Minister of Infrastructure, Mayot Kunit Miyen, Twic County Commissioner – Warrap State, Deng Tong Goch, and two Commissioners from ASAA, Chol Pur Chol of Rumamer County, and Akuei Akoon Wel of Alal County.

They are accused of allegedly fueling the renewed inter-communal fight that claimed a dozen of innocent lives and displaced a hundred others in the bordering area between the oil-rich Abyei region and Warrap State.

According to a document by the Twic – Ngok Inter-Communal Clashes Investigation Committee led by the Vice President of Service Cluster, Hussein Abdalbagi, the officials will be confined in Juba until the matter is resolved.

“The committee notices with dismay that state’s government officials in both ASAA and Twic County, in Warrap State, are involved in the mobilization of youth that led to the resumption of the conflict instead of implementing the CoHA in their capacity as local government authorities.

“Because of these reasons, the committee decided to temporarily confine the following leaders in Juba to contain the fighting and rescue the lives and properties of innocent civilians,” partly read the document signed by Dr. Dhieu Mathok Diing, Minister of Investment who doubles as the Secretary of the Committee.

The fighting between the warring neighbouring communities erupted a few days ahead of the fact-finding committee’s deadline for the submission of their report on the previous clashes that claimed dozens of lives and displaced thousands in February.

Recently, Community Empowerment for Progress Organization noted with concern, how the feuding groups planned jeopardise peace at the disputed oil-rich, Abyei.

Abyei is contested by both Sudan and South Sudan.