Sudanese army instigates attacks on civilians – Jonglei Governor
Oct 5, 2006 (MALAKAL) — A southern Sudan militia is waging attacks on civilian population in Jonglei State, said a senior southern Sudan official. He further accused the Sudanese army of instigating these militia attacks in the region.
Hundreds of inhabitants from Jonglei State are displaced to Malakal, Upper Nile State, by the conflicts led by Maj-Gen Tang Ginya, a military leader allied with the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), accused the Governor of Jonglei State Philip Thon Leek.
“SAF is still destabilising the lives of civilians in Jonglei, as the governor of the state, I urge the government of national unity (GNU) to stop SAF from persuading the militias to attack some places in my state. People are still suffering because of the presence of SAF in Jonglei, we the inhabitants of Jonglei made an inter-tribal conference which included the whole tribes of Jonglei and in that conference we pledged not to fight each other.”
According to the Juba Post, the governor adds that during the inter-tribal conference Murle tribal leaders pledged to end the abduction of children from neighbouring tribes. However, reports from the local administration and NGOs warn the attacks by the Murle tribe occur in Akobo by the end of this month. The disarmament in the area has further compounded the situation thus leaving locals defenceless and vulnerable.
As such, many would-be returnees are still hesitating due to reports of insecurity, Philip Thon says, “but now because of the conferences we made with representatives from all counties the state is under peaceful coexistence among the tribes. Had it not been the presence of SAF, Jonglei will be one of the peaceful states in southern Sudan,” continued the governor.
Thon Leek says they have trained police forces to be deployed in all counties with common borders with other states of South Sudan such as Eastern Equatoria, Upper Nile, Unity, Central Equatoria as well as the Gambella region bordering Ethiopia.
In addition, a peace conference held between Central Equatoria and Jonglei States was conducted to mark the end of the differences among tribes in Bor. Peace delegates have also been sent to Ethiopia to quell tensions between Anuaks from Sudan and Ethiopia.
(Juba Post/ST)