Tensions remain high at Sudan-Kenya border
By James Gatdet Dak
August 25, 2009 (JUBA) – Tensions are reported to remain high at the Kenyan-Southern Sudan border town of Lokichokio following the killing of three people on Sunday in an attack on a convoy.
According to the Sudan Radio Service report, the local people on the Kenyan side of the border alleged that the convoy was ambushed by a combined force of SPLA soldiers and civilians.
The men who died were part of the security convoy sent to rescue people wounded in a cattle raid which took place one day earlier on Saturday by attackers “who are believed to be Sudanese from the neighboring Toposa community.”
Alex Losikiria, an eye witness who works as the local coordinator for a non-governmental organization which promotes peace between the Kenyan Turkana and the Sudanese Toposa communities reportedly said that the first Saturday attack looked incidental but the second Sunday attack appeared to be an organized one.
“The first incident involved four pastoralists’ three men and a lady; they were actually watering the animals in the well. Four people were wounded in that incident on Saturday,” he said.
Alex, who was explaining the situation on Monday from Lokichokio, said two of his staff were killed and two others wounded in the second Sunday attack as they were going to the scene to verify the incident and to bring the wounded to hospital.
He said the attack on the convoy was organized by the cattle raiders.
“It is not theft, this was an organized raid. In fact, you are even able to see that the members of the SPLA were involved in this,” he alleged.
“So everybody is afraid because when they killed the local people and took the animals and then you are told the forces were involved, and then they also ambushed the vehicle, it is very unusual, it is not normal,” Alex explained.
He added that his colleagues were attacked within the Kenyan territory in an area called Locor Akope.
“My driver and an administration officer were killed and a councilor was wounded when they went to verify the incident and to bring the wounded to hospital. Locor Akope is in Kenya, not in between, it’s within Kenya, within Lokichokio Division,” he added.
However, the top Sudanese diplomat in Kenya refuted the allegations implicating the SPLA, but confirmed the violent incident involving the two communities on the two sides of the border.
The Sudanese ambassador to Kenya, Majok Guandong said the incident involving the two neighboring communities of Turkana and Toposa was unfortunate and that he was discussing the matter with the Kenyan authority to resolve the issue.
“Yes, it is true; the Toposa came and raided Turkana cattle on Saturday, on the 22nd August 2009, and according to Kenyan government officials, took a thousand heads of cattle. They killed 4 civilians from Turkana and injured another four,” he explained.
“On Sunday, when the Kenyan police were trying to follow the trail of the cattle, they fell into an ambush by Toposa tribesmen and a policeman was killed, as well as the driver of the vehicle and a councilor from Turkana north county council,” he further said.
Ambassador Guandong added that following the discussions between him and the Kenyan minister of Foreign Affairs, a meeting will be held at the Sudan-Kenya border next month between the governments of Southern Sudan and Kenya to resolve the issue and reconcile the two communities.
The semi-autonomous Government of Southern Sudan this month dispatched to Kenya both the minister for Regional Cooperation, General Oyai Deng Ajak and the Internal Affairs minister, Gier Chuang Aluong, to thrush out some misunderstandings following a series of insecurity incidents at the common border of the two sisterly countries.
(ST)
oshay
Tensions remain high at Sudan-Kenya border
Another embarrassment for the cowardly SPLM not being able to control its territory. It’s the law of the jungle in the South!!
Kuer
Tensions remain high at Sudan-Kenya border
Unless he (Alex) provides clear and specific details, this incident should not and cannot, in anyway, be attributed to have involved the SPLA gallant force personel. In a nutshell, such incidents are not new and should not be astounding to anybody including the so-called Alex, the witness if he really lives in that part of Kenya as he claimed. If anything, these raids almost happen on a regular basis, and even the Turkana themselves know this.
It is against the interest of the two neighboring countries for any one country to vilify or demonize the other. Alex and others who may like to jump on conclusions without clear and specific evident must know allegations that involved security (such as this) concerns must be thoroughly investigated and their perpetuators must be brought to justice including ill witnesses.
Kuer
Oduck Bol
Tensions remain high at Sudan-Kenya border
Just I can say that if Alex his eye witness is true,it’s means that South is already in civil war. As I said last time that if SPLM failed or could not bring security to its citizens in south Sudan,then those who are SPLM/A members whom their families were killed,will revenge by themselves because SPLM/GOSS failed to secured their families. The solution would be to electe new people so that people could rest from these violences that occures to the civilians everyday.
Oduck Bol
Tensions remain high at Sudan-Kenya border
Just I can say that if Alex’s eye witness is true,it’s means that south Sudan is already in civil war. As I said last time that if SPLM failed to secure its citizens or could not bring security to them,then those SPLM/A members whom their families wrere kill are going to revenge because SPLM could not secure their families. The solution for that is to elect new people either from the same party or other,so that civilians could get rest from violences that occures to them everyday. It is wise a thing to tell people fact that “I could not lead” then pretending and people losing lives everyday.
BUSTA 2
Tensions remain high at Sudan-Kenya border
Junglesians has spoiled South Sudan!!
I can’t believe my ears to read that fake SPLA soldiers have ambushed convoy and killed people. This is what we from EQs have been surfering of and now they have taken their babric and sadist act to Kenya forgetting how Kenya host them during the civil war.
Shame on the Government of Kiir with his boys who are embarasing Sudanese name in any places they go to.
What is happening now under Kiir government surely show that in 2011 if we go for seperation, Junglesian or whatever I can call them will have no where in South Sudan to stay unless otherwise they go to their dry homeland which I cant mention you know better than me.
Brother in Christ,
Busta 2
Toposa Boy Southerner
Tensions remain high at Sudan-Kenya border
Dinkas have NO justification to disarm My people Toposa
Go to Bor or awil or abyei and disarm your useless stupid people there
By the I will be going to kapoeta soon
The discussion will be getting Dinkas out of our land
GO BACK TO BOR AND GO BACK HOME
chol awek wek
Tensions remain high at Sudan-Kenya border
I think kenyan nowaday don,t want any sudanese in their soil,thank to kenyan goverment for allowing us to conduct the CPA in their soil,though cattle raider wanted to interfered with the relationship with facilitator from khartoum i don,t think whether Kibaki goverment will allow that to happen.