South Sudan army wound 7 civilians, beat Lakes deputy speaker
By Manyang Mayom
September 9, 2008 (RUMBEK) — Rumbek town had an unnatural air on Monday as civilians stayed indoors in fear of harassment from soldiers charged with carrying out a disarmament campaign.
As evening approached, SPLA soldiers started firing in the market, wounding seven people. The day’s casualties included two children aged 9 and 15, one woman, three men shot and one man wounded on his forearm by a spear.
Nanga said that the soldiers “came into my house earlier around 6 a.m. and they started beating up everyone at my house and I came out from my sleeping bed and asked soldiers what is going on.
“They immediately start beating me with my wife and scaring my children with guns by cocking their guns with live bullets. So I told one senior officer among the soldiers to take the gun of my bodyguard instead of beating everyone and my bodyguard had been officially given to me by Lakes state police to protect me.”
“The gun belonging to my especial bodyguard has been taken away by soldiers despite that all constitutional post holders were given two bodyguards armed with guns by state police as well as gun number licenses that remain in police record,” added Nanga.
Local businesses were hit by soldiers who undertook to loot valuables. “This is just harassment only and it is not disarmament at all,” he accused.
Lakes’ Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement Agencies Awan Guol Riak had advised Rumbek community over local radio station FM-98 that “SPLA soldiers are carrying out today the disarmament and all community must stay indoor until 1 p.m., and everyone must to cooperate with soldiers. Open your door and let them check your house whether there are guns inside or not.”
In his radio address Riak urged SPLA soldiers not to hinder the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) or other non-governmental organizations, saying that UN vehicles were not required to stop at checkpoints.
The Lakes State Legislative Assembly supports the disarmament of civilians, and passed a provisional disarmament order last year. Implementation has not gone as planned, however. The military intends to disarm prison staff, police, and wildlife agents, whereas the Assembly sees these as organized forces essential for governing the state.
Speaker of the Assembly Isaiah Alier Mashinkok said, “it is a great surprise to me — the soldiers are looting houses, shops, and even they are beating school children who have no relationship with guns.” He added that staff salaries were carried off when the Ministry of Agriculture was looted.
Speaking with Sudan Tribune after the turbulent events, the head of the main police in Lakes State, Lt. Col. Johnson Maker, described the disarmament as taking place in an
“unlawful manner.”
Maker regretted that his forces had not been informed of the disarmament by state authorities. “This second disarmament has been carried out in a crazy manner — even our police soldiers were ordered by SPLA soldiers to surrender their guns to them by force.”
The state police, prison, wildlife service and fire brigade were not involved during the current disarmament, according to Maker.
“Our immunity as honorable members of Lakes State Legislative Assembly is not respected; my deputy speaker has now become a victim,” said Speaker Mashinkok.
The governor of Lakes State, Daniel Awet Akot, argued that the disarmament campaign was necessary because 183 people have been reported killed by gunshots in just the period since January. Critics speculate that inter-clan fighting is in need of resolution before violence can be reduced, but Akot maintained that disarmament is the solution to avoid killings.
(ST)
Editing by Daniel Van Oudenaren
Kim Deng
South Sudan army kill 7 civilians, beat Lakes deputy speaker
The so called disarmament must go ahead as planed a cross South Sudan and those civilians who may refuse to give their gun peacefully should be responsible of their action/refusal afterward.
martin simon wani
South Sudan army kill 7 civilians, beat Lakes deputy speaker
Disarmament must continue, but should be done in orderly manner with due respect to the other security organs and the government officials. In fact the police force should be involved in this exercise.I know it is not going to be easy, but this is the only way to reduce the level of violence in Southern Sudan.
Luala
South Sudan army kill 7 civilians, beat Lakes deputy speaker
Disarmament is compulsory in southern Sudan despite what it takes to remove guns from civilians and even disorganized Police forces. Job well done governor of lakes state. The guys responsible for killing are not ordinary civilians! Retired policemen, disorganized police forces, body guards and thieves are the ones responsible for those killings in your state.
Luala
Akolde Nhiak Jinub
South Sudan army kill 7 civilians, beat Lakes deputy speaker
AN OPEN LETTER TO GOSS PRESIDENT GEN. SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT
Your Excellency,
REF: CIVILIANS DISARMAMENT OPERATION DECREE 22ND MAY 2008: EFFECTIVE JUNE 1ST 2008 IN ALL TEN STATES OF SOUTH SUDAN.
On behalf of entire Lakes State community, I, Akolde Nhiak Jinub write to strongly denounce the disarmament Operations going on in the Lakes State and of Rumbek Vicinity.
If this is how this disarmament will proceed, then we would rather call it off, because it is causing and will cause more harm than anticipated of good.
In April 2008, there was an alleged accusation that Gelweng of Gun cattle camp of Rumbek will attack an SPLA battalion that was stationed in Kuoc cattle camp, and before scrutinizing this crude information, this same battalion was dispatched to the camp and ordered to shoot the whole camp, in which over one hundred head of cattle got killed, two hundred and more wounded, under age girl and a child got killed in what is so called a strayed bullets. All these went unaccounted for by the perpetuators till today.
Again the 8th September 2008, it turns out to be other incredible disarmament operations, which began in the State capital of Rumbek. The events that accompanied this operation were as follows:
1. Rampant looting occurred of different kinds and forms of money and clothes in shops and in houses, in which hundred of shops have been broken into just because they were closed by owners on the announcement that people have to stay in their homes to give into whatever a form of arms or when requested to open your house for check.
2. Random beatings have been done to citizens in excessive force. Beatings, use of AKM 47 knifing and slapping of people with any sort of clubs.
3. Intimidation, harassment of drowning of people, even ladies in terrible drainage water along road sides.
4. Closure of all businesses (market, work) and going as far as blocking and beating UN personnel from accessing (or confined into) their residents and offices in Rumbek.
5. Breaking into both Government institutions and private buildings of Judiciary, Ministries and companies.
From the views of the few soldiers that people have talked to, they said that they have been ordered to deal with any resistance that they may meet, meaning they have to shoot any body altering a word or so.
What has this community done that they deserve this dare and unbearable treatment?
During the liberation struggle, this community has never lost sight of the liberation vision or has made any turn that they can be quoted in. This community had one focus of liberating marginalized Sudanese people from successive regimes in Khartoum as of the first day of 16th May 1983 as SPLM/A intends and back in 1960s of the Anyanya one movement.
This disarmament operation of 8th September 2008 has reminded the citizens of the bleak days of the liberation struggle. And many say that even during the liberation struggle days, soldiers were disciplined.
The accusations that Agar Community is hostile and aggressive are baseless lies, unfounded and unfortunate.
Looking at what is going on in South Sudan today, the problem is not only about Agar community or Lakes state as such, here is the situation that has vandalized the whole Sudan. Inter-clans fighting should be considered as major issue facing Sudan in Darfur and South Sudan in particular; it is Murle fighting Dinka Bor, Bor fighting itself, Mundari fighting Bor, Lokhuta fighting Didinga and Taposa, Dinka Agar fighting Nuer, Nuer itself of Lou, Gok of Cueibet with Agar and itself, Luanyjang of Warrap state with Dinka Agar Pakam of Lakes state, Dinka Aliab of Lakes state with Mundari of Central Equatoria state, Apuk and Aguok of Warrap state themselves, in which over two hundred people were reported killed two months ago to the extend that Warrap state Governor Deng Tor had to take his head to Juba for fear of being haunted on inter-clans fight.
This madness of our people has nothing to do with one community being called or termed as the worse of all. It is a national issue that should be addressed with open hearts and mind of saving lives rather than acting contrary as portrayed in Rumbek yesterday.
More lives were wounded yesterday in Rumbek with the following names: 1. Peter Lahat Wany 13years old, 2.Yel Deng 15yrs, 3. Makor Atheer 35years old, 4. Mayot Chol 29years old, 5. Nyitur Chuor 38years old, 6. Monyping Malai 9years and many more still unidentified.
“The only way forward, can be and will be” is to set up Special Judicial Committee including SPLA Marshall Court personnel of Lawyers to look at where are guns coming from to civilians of Gelweng, given full powers to promptly look at all those cases pending for executions of murderers that bring on and forth the communities inter-can fights.
I warn this Special Judicial Committee of bribery being done by our people to the current Judiciary System in South Sudan, because those doing these are guilty.
Should come with strong briefing from you as the President of this nation, those with no tribal back minded, to work for the better future of South Sudan, not wanting to be wealthy overnight thus, be corrupted.
From my own view of analysis of this unprecedented situation, there are two institutions that have a loophole, Judiciary system of South Sudan and SPLA.
In referring to these institutions, allow me Mr. President to question them; why cases of murder go unpunished? Why are murder and inter-related cases taking so long to be settled? Where are these new AKM 47 guns coming from and into the hands of civilians of Gelweng?
Sir Governor of Lakes state and his Deputy have witnessed what has gone wrong here.
Disarmament is in the interest of everyone who wishes that lives can not continue to be lost after so much has been sacrificed for national liberation.
SPLA soldiers need a proper discipline as a national army. They act contrary to the directives given to them by their seniors. Or they were told that Agar community of Rumbek will shoot you on arrival.
In relation to this situation, what happened in Torit should have been the last thing done to our people by SPLA soldiers.
Mr. President, this disarmament needs almost the same period spent of over twenty years of struggle (1983 —- 2005) 2005……2015 for our people to realize total peace and tranquility. Civil war has affected our environment and the environment has affected our people in return.
Disarmament should be a process and not an overnight action as witness now.
Governor Awet Akot has nothing to improve the security in this state any more. Take him to Juba as a law maker. Many things that he has failed since his inauguration in September 2006 have proved that he has not anything to deliver or change this state for better, but from bad to worse.
Akolde Nhiak Jinub,
Rumbek, SOUTH SUDAN
E-mail: [email protected]
Saaid Nafe
South Sudan army kill 7 civilians, beat Lakes deputy speaker
Main is advice to the leaders of S.P.L.M and S.P.L.A. If you are not carefull to handle those pepol who stand behind you for 21 years,make sure that you may lost them and one day to gaine them back will be too hard.Please plan good policy of disarmament by moblizing the Chifs ,subchifs and the goldleaders to understand your policy and then applay it for them .As you have given them the Guns you suppose to know how to take from them not harasing them. You gave them peacefuly and also you should take from them peacefully as I mention before in a good policy atherwise you lost them and they will go to support anather party which they don;t trust because of your harasment.
Gatdelha
South Sudan army wound 7 civilians, beat Lakes deputy speaker
I think we as southern Sudanese need to form the southern sudanese armed forces, not to relay on the party armed wing like SPLA! or else, let us reform SPLA to respect human rights and role of law in the country!
I can’t blame those soldiers, as what they do is indeed out of ignorancy, they think they are still in the bush where they were educated to rob and rape and do whatever immoral in the name of scaring their foes! it is the respossibility of the SPLM leaders to reform the army and educate them to respect the human right of their ordinary citizens!
Gatdelha
South Sudan army wound 7 civilians, beat Lakes deputy speaker
correction!!!!!!!!!
I think we as southern Sudanese need to form the southern sudanese armed forces, not to relay on the party armed wing like SPLA! or else, let us reform SPLA to respect human rights and rule of law in the country!
I can’t blame those soldiers, as what they do is indeed out of ignorancy, they think they are still in the bush where they were educated to rob and rape and do whatever immoral in the name of scaring their foes! it is the respossibility of the SPLM leaders to reform the army and educate them to respect the human right of their ordinary citizen
Tariel
South Sudan army wound 7 civilians, beat Lakes deputy speaker
Akolde,Bor has never fought its self upto this moment so your comparision between that conflict-some society with greater Bor is absolutely wrong,the Bor only response when attacked by Murle and Nuer.By the way,I can not blame the SPLA for the acts towards people of lakes state during the disarmament because considering the nature of Agaar community,the Rumbek people applied force to prevent their arms from being lawfully taken.The blame for brutal acts as stated by Akolde goes to lakes state leaders who did not mind about massive uncivilised population as this community first need to be educated about disarmament,its objectives as well as the benefits afterwards.
Akolde,there is no need for calling off the exercise,let the SPLA keep the ball rolling and Akotdit preaching the meaning of the exercise through media,public rallies and after atleast a week,you will see civilisation,peace prevail in this Agaar community with other already peaceful sub-tribes of lakes state.