Conflict erupts between pastoralist youth of Warrap and Lakes states
By Manyang Mayom
March 30, 2009 (RUMBEK) — Inter-state conflict erupted again between Cueibet county pastoralists’ youth of Lakes state and Warrap state pastoralists’ youth on Sunday early morning, when youth of the Cueibet Gok clan launched a flashpoint assault into Warrap territories to a place called Kolkou and Manyang-yic.
Although only two wounded persons were admitted at Cueibet local hospital on Sunday afternoon, everyone in Cueibet town is crying seeking to see his son, since mixed up reports indicate that more are missing in action. Again on Monday, an unconfirmed report said that 13 other people were brought wounded to Cueibet local hospital, according to Hon. Mario Deng Bol, Cueibet’s representative in the Lakes state parliament and chairperson of the financial committee.
There are mixed reactions among local inhabitants of Cueibet community. “If truth be told, we launched the assault to Warrap state because their youth day by day took away our cows and also the killing of pregnant women has become common and our commissioner usually is forced to loot back the cows to their owners and yet our cows are not completely returned back to us, so we are not happy, we have to used our powers to return our cows,” said a resident who did not wish to be named.
One wounded man asserted that they had launched the operation to Warrap state at 3 o’clock at night but were met defiantly by youth already prepared. Even so, they managed to run away with a small number of domestic animals, but later they got scared and actually left all the cows nowhere in the bushes, he said. “First we had to defend ourselves,” he said.
According to a cattle keeper youth member of Cueibet county, Mathiang Maker, last month Jalwau youth of Warrap state attacked Gok-Panyar youth of Cueibet county and that attack at Tiaptiap payam resulted in the killing of four pregnant women and more properties were looted and as well a herd of cattle was taken with the attacking youth. So this attack was organized by Gok youth in retribution for the first attack done by Warrap youth, he argued.
On March 20, 2009, members of parliaments from each of the two states held a meeting at the Cueibet County premises that resulted in the signing of a framework for peace for two the states but both youth groups dishonored the peace framework.
Cueibet county is located in the western part of Rumbek Central County at a distance of just 50 km from the state capital. It is served by eight Payams that include: Tiaptiap, Mayath, Pagor, Abiriu, Duong, Chietcok, Malou-pec and Gap.
However, the Lakes state government has purchased the help of National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) to assist local police. The sector of operations seems to be quelled down since the tension between Warrap state pastoralists’ youth of Jalwau and Cueibet county pastoralists’ youth of Lakes state.
Furthermore, robbers and cattle thieves are reported in the western part of Lakes state everywhere but particularly at a place called “Aber” just at a distance of 10 km from Rumbek central county. Also Mvolo road has robbers meanwhile new robbers are discovered on the road to greater Yirol counties. One road to Rumbek North County (Maper) is safe for a quick journey but the poor road conditions on the way to Maper threaten passengers.
Cueibet County one of the eight counties of Lakes state and the home area of Lakes State Governor Lieutenant General Daniel Awet Akot, who hails from at small village of Mayath payam at just a distance of 43 km from the state capital.
In a separate incident, an attack on Mvolo road Saturday, a famous bus well known as “Nationdit” was hijacked and looted while two people are reported killed, according to a source.
According to Captian Makok Mathian, who serves as an officer with Lakes state correctional prisons services and spoke on the way from Cueibet to Rumbek, six robbers are locked up in Lakes state correctional prisons services custody charges for pickpocket and murders.
Captain Mathiang said that those who hijack buses on roads are deserters who break away from their units.
During the dry season like now in South Sudan, water points are flashpoints for inter-clan or inter-state hostility, whereas the rainy season is known as a peaceful period despite fears of any revenge within the society.
On September 5, 2006, the former governor, John Lat Zechariah, was removed from power by South Sudan president Salva Kiir Mayardit charging him of failing to quell down insecurity. The current governor took his position after being downgraded from the post of GOSS Minister of Interior Affairs, making a promise to streamline Lakes state once again into a state of rule of law.
(ST)