Sudan’s Greater Equatoria conference discusses security, LRA
By Isaac Vuni
Feb 28, 2007 (TORIT) — The second day of the Greater Equatoria conference has been dominated by Security reports in the three Equatoria states. How to deal with the Ugandan rebels, and the organization of the police, the SPLA, and the militia in the region.
UGANDAN REBELS
The host Governor of Eastern Equatorial Ojetuk calling upon the GoSS military to intervene in evicting the remnants of LRA from southern Sudan territory, describing LRA as foreign and international criminals fugitives.
The governor of Western Equatoria State, Lt. General Samuel Abujohn Kabashi said Ugandan rebels LRA has finally left Riikwba on February 8th and crossed into neighboring Central Africa Republic.
Speaking at the Greater Equatoria governors and commissioners’ forum conference, Governor Kabashi says one of the LRA has surrendered to him and now being taken care of by Commissioner of Maridi. Meanwhile the Commissioner of Maridi said some of the LRA rebels are heading towards Western Bhar el Ghazal state.
Responding to complain raised against LRA atrocities on civilians in Greater Equatoria states, Major General Peter Bol Koang of SPLA Second Division Commander in Greater Eqatoria said some Equatorian tribes who are along the borders with Uganda are collaborating and hiding LRA in their houses without disclosing them to the authority. In this regard, how do you expect SPLA to fight LRA if some of you continue to hiding and protecting LRA? He asks.
Major General Koang appeals to southern Sudanese inside Ugandan refugees’ camps to return back to their respective homes to enable SPLA plan on how to deal with LRA.
He assured the participants that whatever recommendations, they come up with on LRA would be sent to SPLA general headquarter for analysis and possible implementation.
POLICE EQUIPMENT AND ORGANIZATION
The Governor of Eastern Equatorial said, “When we took over governance of EES, there was no police but we managed to train 490 police forces now helping in restoring laws and orders despite lacks of vital equipments for their operation”.
Adding that, although SPLA Battalion No.4 of papa 91 has been deployed at Polataka, they lack mobility for quick respond. Therefore, he appeals for a collective responsibility in addressing LRA issues in southern Sudan territory. The LRA are not our friends but enemy therefore they must be fought, remarks the governors.
Governor Ojetuk observed that border police at Nadapal, Nimule and Kaya are dominated by one ethnic tribe who are illiterate to handle border point at international standard hence giving shame and bad image of GoSS within and outside the boundary of South Sudan.
Major General Mathiang Aluong, Assistant Inspector General of Police Orientation and Services, said police administration headquarter had recruited 40 people from within Equatorian to be trained as police officers but later, General Isaac Obutu Manur Mete demanded for them to join SPLA army, hence many of them deserted. Therefore, the Dinka Bor took over their places of policing the borders.
However, Major General Aluong concurred with governors sentiments that Greater Equatoria states police are poorly equip. Nevertheless, he say, “we are aware that Dinka Bor are dominating borders of equatoria but I would like to assured participants that it will soon be rectified”, he remarks.
Major General Mathiang Aluong, revealed to participants the criteria of recruiting police forces at state level that; the big states like Juba, Wau and Malakal would consist of 150 police officers each along with 1000 police men/women while small states to have 100 officers along with 800 men/women. However, he said the states are not allowed to fully fill the stated numbers until the six year interim period ends in year 2011.
Irregular payment of salary to SPLA soldiers creates insecurity in Yei County and other parts of greater equatorial state “I have seen boxes of money brought from Juba for payment of SPLA salary got lost in the house of SPLA Divisional commander in Yei now under investigation “says David Lokonga, Commissioner of Yei County
He went on saying that the Judiciary received the second and but their ruling by the first class judges are undermined by SPLA Lt Col. Garang Yor who ordered his soldiers to surround office of the judge? Is this the way how we are going to cooperate with our judiciary in delivering services to our people, asked commissioner David Konga?
MILITIAS
The Governor of Eastern Equatorial Ojetuk disclosed that there was another group of militia called Agoro action traders, the demobilized SPLA soldiers now engaged in cattle trade business and are heavily armed with BK and RGB deadly weapons, compared to his state organized forces who are poorly equip.
Major General Koang, the official representative of SPLA in the conference challenged Governors of Central Equatoria state, Clement Wani to, first refrain from maintaining his Mundari militia as an auxiliary force after him being integrated into SPLM/A system.
He also revealed that the Chief of staff of SPLA, Lt. General Paulino Matip is still harboring some of his militia in Juba and Upper Nile areas as an auxiliary force against his own government of southern Sudan. Major General Koang wondered why senior officers already integrated into SPLM/A system should maintain a separate forces!
AMBOROR KILLING
Meanwhile the Commissioner of Mundri County, Samuel Rizik, today, denied an allegation by Vice President Riek Machar that Mudri people had killed 91 innocent Amboror pastoralists with 16 missing. Contrary, the Amboror pastoralists had killed six indigenous who later retaliated by killing 57 Amboror pastoralists. He disclosed that there are three missing children of Amboror pastoralists now under their custody waiting to be collected by UNICEF official at any time.
Vice President Riek Machar is on record that the Amboror pastoralists who penetrated into Mudri county, though are accused of creating insecurity, we found out that they have no a single gun. “To me, those Amboror who were killed in the process are innocent people”.
The VP said the first group of Amboror pastoralists has now moved to unity state to rejoin with their fellow Amboror in the state.
CENTRAL EQUATORIA DIFFERENCE WITH INTERIOR MINISTER
Governor of Central Equatoria State, Clement Wani Konga said he has located a premises for ministry of Interior in Juba but the ministry is abusing his generous decision by maintaining its headquarter in Yei. Besides the ministry collects money from Kajokeji, Morobo and Yei counties which they claimed for supporting children of southern Sudanese martyrs who are said to be in Uganda. Yet this money should have been collected by the state that interns render services to the people, remarks Konga.
But if this money goes to the pockets of individuals, what services we are giving to the people we are governing, ask Konga.
Governor Konga went on saying, “I think President Salva Kiir was wrong to have only fired the directors general of ministry of finance. He should have included the ministry of Interior whose personnel are open encouraging nepotism and corruption in GoSS government”.
The Southern Sudan ministry of interior has allocated to Central Equatoria State 800 police forces but said there is no budget for their training yet the same ministry allocated itself 100 cars.
How could I policy my border with people who only know how to kill than protecting people, ask Konga.
(ST)