Grenade explosion kills 8 people in Northern Bahr el Ghazal

September 21, 2010 (MALAKAL) – At least eight people have been confirmed dead in the southern state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, following an explosion of a hand grenade at a playing ground in Aweil East County.

The explosion which occurred on Sunday 19 at night in an area called Ajoklual in Manyiel Payam has left 17 others with severe injuries, most of whom are children and innocent civilians who could not escape the tragedy. Lieutenant General Kuol Deim Kuol, official spokesman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), told Sudan Tribune from Juba on Tuesday that the grenade was held by one of the SPLA soldiers in the area who went to the playing ground with it without intention [to harm].

“Two of the SPLA soldiers in the area went to playing ground. One of them had a hand held grenade. They stood in an isolated area by the side of a playing ground as spectators, and while standing watching local dance, a group of the newly initiated young men in the area, known as Aparak in Dinka Malual Gier Nyang, passed along the area in which the two soldiers were standing and started asking who ‘smells like boys’. The soldiers politely told them there were no boys with them and added they were soldiers on a mission. We do not have boys. We are grown up adults;” General Kuol said the locals quoted the two soldiers as saying.

“But, the newly initiated young men viewed it differently and took it the traditional way which regards any male without traditional mark as boy, regardless of age. It was through such argument and exchange of unnecessary words that they came into contact with the arm [grenade]which unfortunately exploded during the struggle between the two sides,” explained General Kuol.

The senior military officer said the explosion killed six people on spot and later claimed lives of two other civilians who sustained severe injuries at the time and who were on their way to the local hospital, making the number of the deceased 8 in total.

“That means there are six deaths on civilians’ side and two from the army. These two soldiers included the owner of the grenade and his colleague who was standing with him,” he said.

He defended blames why the soldiers went to the playing ground with the grenade. “Our forces are on maximum alert. They are on standby for any eventualities and that each of the soldier; especially those at the flash points are instructed never to apart with their arms but should hold them in responsible manner while interacting with civilians,” explained the General.

“And of course one can not blame this incident on the army because it was not initiated by the soldiers. They neither threatened the youth nor did they intend to interrupt their activities, they were part of onlookers without ill intentions,” he explained.

Bona Makuac Mawien, the state minister of Information and Communications, earlier on Monday confirmed the death of 8 people and injury of 17 people to Sudan Tribune by phone from Aweil town, capital of Northern Bahr el Ghazal.

“Yes, 8 people have died and 17 others are wounded. Some of them have serious injuries. They include children. The children are now admitted at a health facility run by doctors without borders; MSF-France in Aweil town. Adults are in Aweil civil hospital, explained minister Mawien.

While the two expressed identical concerns, they condemned the youth for provoking the explosion. “People should not play with power. They need to approach it responsibly and in an orderly manner, said General Kuol,” adding, “what the youth have done is regrettable and a fact finding investigation should be conducted by the relevant authorities”.

Northern Bahr el Ghazal is one of the Southern states which has not experienced no inter-communal conflicts within her territory. It shares border with Warrap to the east, Western Bahr el Ghazal to the South east and south Darfur to the west and Southern Kordofan to the north.

(ST)