Cattle rustlers battle in Yirol, killing 13 and wounding 9

By Manyang Mayom

April 15, 2009 (RUMBEK) – Raiders from the Apaak Dinka clan in Lakes state unexpectedly clashed with a clan which had only recently reconciled with them, resulting in 13 dead and nine wounded on Wednesday.

The inter-county cattle raid between Yirol West and Yirol East County broke out early Wednesday at 4:00 a.m. when youth of Apaak of Yirol West looted cows belonging to Yirol East County youth of Chiec clan, said the Yirol West Commissioner Agok Manyiel Dhieu.

The fight started at a place called Tokngot along the Jau river in Yirol East then continued to a place called Amaak, said the official.

According to some police sources in Lakes State, the dwellers in the cattle camp were sleeping when the assault began.

“People were woken by gunshots from all directions. The assailants have killed a huge number of people including women and children and made away with thousand heads of cattle,” said Maciech Manyiel from Yirol.

Commisioner Dhieu, who is an Apaak, noted that this is the first time clashes between Chiec (Ciec) and Apaak have led to a significant number of deaths, saying there has been a simple misunderstanding.

He affirmed that police have been sent to the conflict area of the toch (a grazing area) to restore peace there.

This attack came as a surprise to the Ciec Community of Yirol East, since peace between the two communities was brokered recently in an initiative led by a Government of Southern Sudan Minister who hails from Apaak community.

“Members of Ciec community wonders as to what the minister could have told his community, which he did not tell the other side. The common belief among the people of Yirol east is that the reconciliation which was hurriedly and clandestinely brokered by the said minister was a ploy to make to make others relax while his community prepares for such a surprise attack,” said Manyiel.

Manyiel also blamed “Governor Daniel Awet and his crew” for doing nothing, saying that organized forces should be deployed to intercept cattle raiders, return looted cattle and bring culprits to justice.

Last week a group of 34 state legislators objected to a troop withdrawal from a different county in the state, Wulu, saying that 250 police should be deployed in the county for at least six months. The state council of ministers had resolved in a security meeting April 3 to withdraw troops from the county.

(ST)