South Sudan MPs confirm cattle raiding deaths in Unity state

By Bonifacio Taban Kuich

September 26, 2011 (BENTIU) – A reconciliation team of MPs visiting Unity state sent by the South Sudan Legislative Assembly in Juba said Friday it was satisfied that an attack from neighbouring Warrap state had killed 46 and injured 13 in Mayiandit county.

Mathew Mathiang Deng the reconciliation teams facilitator said: “We as the people [of the] peace [and] reconciliation [team] came to study the truth of what happen so that we can make a good recommendation to the government.”

Now South Sudan is a new nation, “we should protect the dignity of our people” Mathiang said. South Sudan became independent in July as part of a 2005 peace deal.

He urged international organisations to provide humanitarian assistance to the 5,000 people he said he been displaced by the attack.

Citizens on the volatile borders between Lakes, Unity and Warrap states say that promises of an increased security presence to counteract cattle raiders and bandits have never been fulfilled, accusing the government of inaction and silence as innocent people are killed.

Insecurity in newly independent South Sudan is caused by lack of infrastructure, especially roads, the commissioner for Payinjiar county in Unity State, Peter Gai Joak said Friday.

Joak, speaking in Payinjiar county as the reconciliation team visited Unity state said that employment and lack of opportunities in South Sudan had forced many young men into banditry and cattle raiding. An increased effort from both federal and state government was needed to create jobs and address the issue according to Joak.

Preventing crime would be easier with better infrastructure he said:

“If all neighboring counties are linked with roads and police forces are deployed at all junctions, these thieves movement[‘s] could be eradicated within a short period of time”.

Lack of communication equipment among the security services also hinder responses and poor network access means commissioners cannot communicate and warn neighbouring communities of attacks.

Cattle raiding has damaged relations between communities and increased tribal divisions, Joak said.

The government, Joak said, need to campaigns for peaceful dialogues at a national level. All MPs across the ten states of South Sudan need to spend more time on the ground in their constituencies he said.

“We cannot say there is peace,” Joak said, while MPs remain in Juba or in state capitals and do not visit their communities while people are being killed.

“What kind of peace are we talking about, when there are no actions”, said Joak.

(ST)