Toposa community appeals for aids
The community leaders from Greater Kapoeta, Eastern Equatoria State, are appealing for urgent support to help resettle members of the community who were displaced by violence that arose from a cattle raid.
The recent cattle raids carried out by armed youth from Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), Budi and Lafon counties, have worsened the situation in the area, the leaders said.
The Secretary-General for Toposa Community Union, Michael Lopuke Lotyam, said the ongoing attacks on Toposa cattle camps by the neighbouring communities, mostly from the Greater Pibor Administration Area and their alliance, have displaced thousands of people in the area.
He said the situation has left local communities in desperate need of humanitarian aid since they have been forced to flee their homes.
Lopuke said their food has been looted and houses have been torched to ashes by the raiders.
“The situation is continuing to worsen as hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes and the humanitarian situation is dire.”
“Those people entirely depend on cattle and farming and losing over 21,000 herds of cattle in the shortest time—which is their livelihood—is a great loss to Toposa,” Lopuke lamented.
Josephine Nakuru Ambrose, the Toposa Community Union’s women’s representative, said all the livestock had been raided, depriving people of their livelihoods and ability to support themselves.
“The assailants have placed a heavy burden on peaceful people, including the elderly, kids, and women, who just happened to be the victims, but now they have nothing to rely on and cannot provide for their families,” she said.
“I believe that an immediate humanitarian response is required.”
An estimated 280 people have lost their lives in the attack, and thousands have fled their homes.
According to the report, people and families who fled the afflicted areas had to walk for long distances to get to the safer neighbouring counties.
The group issued a strong statement on Tuesday, condemning the incident and calling for the authorities to ensure that the looted cattle are returned to Kapoeta.