Jonglei: angry soldiers block roads over delayed payments

August 23, 2013 (BOR) – Angry soldiers attached to Brigade 47 in Panpandir division headquarters of Jonglei state on Thursday blocked roads to the capital, Bor, citing delays in payments over a six-month period.

“We have not been paid for six months now. We have borrowed more than we can pay from these shops. Some went for firewood business, but no success due to poor market here. That was the reason why we decided to block the road”, Simon Mathung, one of the soldiers, explained.

Car, motorbikes and bicycles remained stranded from Thursday till Friday. They were only let off on Friday after the soldiers received their pay.

Minimal clashes, eyewitnesses told Sudan Tribune, also occurred among soldiers at the division headquarters during the protest.

One of the soldiers, who sustained a broken arm, said he was beaten an angry colleague, after he attempted to dismantle the staged road block on Thursday.

Soldiers from brigade 47 were mainly involved in fighting against David Yau Yau rebels in Pibor County, but while some escaped without permission, others remained at the headquarters before they were deployed three months back.

Sudan Tribune was unable to reach the army spokesperson over the matter.

(ST).