Abirius’s MP says his community not part in Lakes State clashes

By Manyang Mayom

June 3, 2010 (RUMBEK) – Abiriu representative at the Lakes State assembly, Malek Macut Padai, strongly rejected statements by the SPLA speaking about fighting between the southern Sudan army and his community.

On May 29, 2010, eight people were killed and other 27 wounded in the Abirui-Payam region of Cueibet County following clashes between the SPLA and armed civilian population. The SPLA was asked to intervene after a conflict arose between people in Rumbek and people in Cueibet over cattle raids, SPLA spokesman told Sudan Tribune last week.

According to Kuol, the Commissioner of Cueibet County requested the SPLA’s intervention, but when the people of Abiriu saw the SPLA stepping down from their trucks, they immediately opened gunfire killing one SPLA officer on the spot.

However, the MP Macut Padai refuted the allegations and denied his community involvement in the incident saying that “in reference to the statement of Kuol to Sudan Tribune, I would like to say that the community of Abiriu didn’t clash with the SPLA forces and Mr. Kuol must tell the world the truth.”

He further said that “I am hereby strongly denying those allegations against the people of Abiriu Payam that I represent in the Lakes state Legislative Assembly. In fact it is not our community of Abiriu who fought the SPLA forces but I have to tell the SPLA spokesman that on 29 May 2010, a small fighting started among the people of Douny payam themselves and later on they fought with the SPLA forces.”

“Abiriu is not part of the conflict as reported,” he stressed. Adding “Abiriu was the area whereby SPLA forces came to stay so that to avoid more clashes between them and the armed civilian population of Douny payam.”

Cueibet County of Lakes state has eight payams in which Douny payams is located at the North-east part of the county.

Macut affirmed that “Abiriu Payam should not be victimized as a place of violence in Cueibet County of Lakes state.”

(ST)