14 people killed in new tribal clashes in Jonglei
By Philip Thon Aleu
April 18, 2009 (BOR) — Murle armed men attacked seven locations in Akobo County today Saturday killing 14 people and wounding 25 others, area Member of Parliament said.
Based on a report he received from Akobo Commissioner Doyak Chol Dhol, Hon. James Ruot, told the Sudan Tribune at his home in Bor Town that Burkamal, Chiban, Chikol, Kony, Kueychar, Ubor and Wit areas came under heavy attacks from Murle tribesmen this morning.
Thirteen (13) people died in Kueychar alone and one other person wounded transferred to Kueychar health center from other areas later died. Six people are wounded in Kueychar and 19 others from the other six locations – summing wounded persons to 25.
No causalities could be confirmed from Burkamal to Wit due to inaccessibility, Hon. Ruot said. There is no information available from attackers (Murle) side. The situation is still tense “because Murle are still moving around and attacks are expected anytime”.
This contest in Akobo, a Lou-Nuer County, comes exactly a month after Lou-Nuer launched a retaliatory attack on Murle destroying Likuangule – Pibor County’s largest town. A disputed 750 people died on both sides but Lou-Nuer Youth Association officially puts the figure at 457 including 203 from their villages’ youths.
Two weeks ago, Bor and Murle rustlers contested at Mach-abol leaving nearly hundred dead. Officials from both sides, who are shy when it comes to media, have refused to disclose the real causalities in that fight. The situation is also tense.
Hon. Ruot said the South Sudan army in Akobo areas folded their arms as the clashes progress between Murle and residents there today.
“There are SPLA (Sudan People’s Liberation Army) forces in the area but they are just keeping quiet. They don’t want to respond,” he said when asked what measures authorities there has taken.
NEW DIMENSION OF CONFLICTS
Unlike previous cattle-related contests, today fighting in Akobo County happen when cattle camps are still in Toch (grazing-swampy area between rivers), Hon. Ruot said in what appears to be a new dimension of Jonglei tribal conflicts. He further said only elderly people; women and children are being slaughtered there.
“There are no cattle in that place but they (Murle) are not revenging…because this is their work. They use to abduct children,” he said adding “but the crisis will not stop with arms at the hand of local people.”
“We cannot blame the Government of Jonglei State for illegal arms possession or slow disarmament because the army is under the power of GOSS (Government of Southern Sudan),” he underscored.
He also appealed to Juba government to disarm the Murle saying “Lou-Nuer was disarmed in 2006.”
Speaker Jodi Jonglei Boyoris, who comes from Pibor county, the homeland of Murle told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday in exclusive interview that tribal clashes have already taken a new trend “because it has never happened that towns are attacked by rustlers,” he said in reference to Likuangule raid by Lou-Nuer last month. He accused intellectuals of supporting tribal conflicts without mentioning any leader in particular.
Hon. Ruot agrees: “local people told us when we visited them (in Lou areas) that helicopters land in Murle areas. Those planes come from this direction (pointing to the north) but we don’t know what they bring. This conflict will continue unless people are disarmed.”
Speaking nervously, Ruot says: “If we talk like this (in the media), Government thinks we are joking but things are good in the ground,” he warned. This also indicates that there is an external hand in Jonglei conflicts specially the sources of rounds use to feed 47RKL common in the hands of civilians, he pointed out.
Jonglei authorities are pressing hard government of Southern Sudan to allow forceful disarmament since “it is better to kill few and serve many,” Hussein Mar, the deputy governor told visiting UNICEF officials on here Thursday.
(ST)
ayuairech
14 people killed in new tribal clashes in Jonglei
Death shocking news are always heard in Jonglei state . It was two weeks ago when these notorious murle raiders clashed with Bor at Mac-abol leaving nearly hundred people dead.The cause of this heavy death was when Dinka cattle keepers rushed after their looted cattle by murle.Several attack by murle against Nuer and Dinka have been going on even before Spla/m war broke out in 1983 example AMUOMETH and ANYIDI attack in 1982, 1983.Government of Southsudan must use force to disarm civilian specially in Jonglei state starting from Murle and I do blame relief Organisation who supply them with relief foods to fill their stomach and resume their attack against their inocent neighbours.
Makeethy
14 people killed in new tribal clashes in Jonglei
Murle politicians must intervene in this conflict before it escalate. What will happen to the Murle tribe, if both the Dinka-Bor and Nuer-Lou tribes declare war on Murle tribe?
Murle tribe will completely be distroyed, and this is not what we want. Tell your people to stop stealling other people’s properties. Tell them to stop abdution as well. They are humans, and they can listen.
Mr Network
14 people killed in new tribal clashes in Jonglei
ah What hell with the Dinka to mention but someone saying this fighting is not between dinka ,but let me tell you Nuer and dinka have no difference because all of them are thesame.
let the dinka repent from their evil does and jungles live otherwise God’s punishemnet is coming upon them.Let Murle teach them language of people because you haven’t know the language of people but rather aninails and how to greet other in social way don’t cry yet.
Anyway thanks to Philip for his job of leaking us every wrong does of dinka’s inorder so that they get some lesson from us because their forefathers had not told them story how people live ,behavior,dressing,moving ,changing from one life style to other and so on……..e
Now the question is ,alway there is fighting in Jonglie state is becuase of cattle they or their misbehave to other?????????????? or what was the course rout of the problem.
But I can remember ,your wrong does always follows you and can come upon yourself……..forever.let your sin burry you in internal fire Amen……….
J.James
14 people killed in new tribal clashes in Jonglei
First!
I regret the lost of lives in Nuer land. But there are few of you include folks like Kim dDeng who have completely spoke out the edge. Yes we don’t want to see our civilians killing themselves, but this particular attack was carried out as a revenge for the war Lou Nuer brought to Murle March 8. Therefore we can not blame Murle that much this time.
Also some of you must know that, Nuer or Bor can not defeat Murle no matter what and Murle can not defeat Lou Nuer either, but we have to be very clear, those who think their tribe is stronger than the other are lying and therefore are trying to encourage more fight and destructions. Please let try to be very mindful and consistent on whatever we are trying to say regarding this kind of situation.
Truth has to be said, Murle had just complain that, they wre disarmed and Bor and Lour Nuer were not, now Lou Nuer and Bor are trying to say they (Murle) are not disarmed. I see this as exchange of games rather than solution of the problem.
Now let try to find permanent solution than monkeying around.
Lastly, this is what I said March 16 that Lou Nuer have opened wide windows to Murle youth to attack Nuer villages after Lekwangole attack. Now I think everybody have proven me right.
Anyway, let feel pity and try to bring peace to our people. matter of fact, Nuer are good people there are some mice here who deserve harsh treatment rather than Lou Nuer. But Nuer are just confused by some fake politiicans like John Luke and Bior and Nyendeng. I hope Murle and Nuer know what I know.
God bless.
The writer advice his group to stop attacking Nuer.