Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
By Julius N. Uma
January 11, 2011 (JUBA) – At least 10 southern Sudanese travelling to the south were killed and 18 seriously wounded in ambush on Monday allegedly carried out by armed Messeriya militias at the border between north and south Sudan, an official said Tuesday.
Chaung said that 30 buses and seven trailers carrying southerners to south Sudan from Khartoum were ambushed. Among those killed, he said, was a driver of one of the buses.
On Sunday southern Sudan began a week-long referendum to decide whether the oil-producing region will split from the north. Voting began on Sunday but was marred by clashes between the militia from the Misseriya ethnic group and police in the contested region of Abyei.
Reuters news agency have reported that 36 have died in the clashes, while Sudanese Arabic newspaper Al-Sahafah has put the figure at 49. Sudan Tribune has been told by officials in the area that the number of dead on the side of the southern security services is between 28 and 38 – not including Misseriya casulties.
There have been conflicting reasons given for sudden spike in violence but more than two Abyei officials have indicated that said the Misseriya attacked because they heard false rumors that the Dinka Ngok tribe, were going to unilaterally announce that Abyei was going to join the south.
The speaker of the regions assembly, Charles Abyei, told Reuters on Monday: “A large number of Misseriya attacked Maker village yesterday (Sunday), backed by government militia … The first day one person died, the second day nine, yesterday 13 … It will continue.”
The Misseriya, who accuse the southerners of starting the fighting, told Reuters that 13 of their men had died in Sunday’s clashes.
Abyei was supposed to hold a simultaneous vote to the southern referendum independence, to decide whether it would remain in the north or join, what is likely to be, a newly independent south. However, the referendum fell apart with the Khartoum government insisted the Misseriya, who enter the region with their cattle for a few months of the year, be given full voting rights.
The semi-autonomous southern government has rejected this saying that only the Dinka Ngok are eligible to vote.
Southern-Interior-Minister-Chuang, described the continued violence on Monday as inopportune as it occured on the second day of voting in the southern plebscite.
“This is a very unfortunate incident happening on innocent civilians of the south especially at the time when our people are busy with the long-awaited referendum,” the Internal Affairs Minister told a press conference in Juba, the regional state capital.
Chuang, who was flanked by Acuil Tito Madut, the south’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), said the southern government has informed the UN and other stakeholders of the north-south border incident.
Tito said, “All efforts are underway to address the incident with the relevant authorities and somebody, if found guilty shall be held responsible.”
The Minister reiterated earlier calls, by the south, for deployment of UN peacekeeping forces along the north-south border, saying such a move would help avert constant attacks on innocent civilians along these areas.
Expressing fears of a possible increase in the number of casualties involved in the incident, Chuang told journalists that all efforts are underway to ensure that security returns to the area.
(ST)
Ezekiel Dau
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
OOOO my God what is wrong with these jalaba? where is socall UN you have seen and hear. where are you Kiir? how come that our people are ding like a dog and no respone to you why? we are going to respone on this soon if they repeat it again .may God rest thier soul in peace.
Nhomlawda
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
May the lives of those innocent people killed by those barbaric inhumane thugs rest in eternal peace.
This barbaric act against innocent people should not go unpunished and government of South Sudan should work hard to make sure those culprits are severely punished.
Garang Ngong
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
Where is International commuinty to investigate this atrocity of killing innocent people, who are returning to their homeland died for no reason.
all southerners know what Omer is doing,to back up killing of southerners.
May the souls of brothers and sisters rest in peace.
Peter Elia Kuzee
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
Killing those southerns is not the solution NCP,the vote is still going on and the election will be going peaceful till the last day.
After that if you wants troubles,no signle man can be kill.
Wait, we are still busy.There is no fear please.
To southerns, let us go ahead with our voting peacefuly till the last day,we are sure, we have gone through,separation oyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Mading
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
Eternal peace grant to them oh lord and may perpetual light shine up on them. He who claims the life of the innocents, his life will will be in the same way claimed.
Facts Check
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
Sorry to hear this unfortunately it is the cost of freedom. God will be kind to those who were killed and give them peace in heaven. The miseriya really need to behave themselves otherwise we will show them why dogs got tails!
kaci-banno
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
Where is Bankimoon? What is the purpose of UN mission in Sudan? May God rest them in Peace. Please Geir Chuang talking too much is nonsense and seems like you are weak to handle the security situation, action need to be taken otherwise our will suffer a lot. Where are the people of Abyie? They should fight Messeriya instead of waiting.
By: Kac-ma-banno
Joseph Malath Makorou
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
Wow 10 killed and 18 seriously injured ho lord May almighty god rest their soul in the Eternal peace.
Ongoing clashes between Militias & SPLA forces along south –north border since last year was well planned and organized by dictator Omer Hassan El basher, all youths, should put their internal differences aside and prepare themselves to confront any attack from SAF .Later on border will be mark with fire even if Omer is out or still in power .
Paul Ongee
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
The day of using militias and proxy wars is closing. Khartoum knows that pretty well. Killing and negative attitude of Khartoum will not be the order of the day. It’s apparent that SPLM is coming in and NCP is walking out from the democratic transformation of the country. May Almighty God rest the souls of those innocently killed in eternal peace.
Stephen kuach
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
It’s a very sadful news especially when it happened to be the innocent civilians who are still being kill prequently and the united nation,african union are not takening any action against the khartoum government,we as southerners should protect our civilians,and we will if the malitia are keep attacking the Abyei people. if the North want peace and the long lasting relationship with the south,then they should act respectedly.
please brothers and sisters from the south,let us keep our heads ups highly and please pray to the Lord to make the souls of our late brothers and sisters REST peacefully. and don’t forget to vote.
Marco A. Wek
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
Time will come when these miseriahs will regret what they did. May the Almighty God put the souls of our lost brothers and sisters in peace? Dogs will pay back. This is the plan B NCP was talking about but this will not stop our people from the independent. Dogs will pay back for these killings.
makuei
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
Bashir the dictator is applying his most naive and cheap politics to derail our Referendum vote. He has deployed his troops along the North-South border to kill our Southern brethren returning back home. My heart weeps, but he won’t get away with it.We will separate at all cost.
Raphael Makuei
Cholmaduk
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
I pay my attribute to all fallen brothers and sisters, may God rest their lives in his right hand, and guiding all the victims’ families in a sadness of a lost of the loved one. We Southern sudanese should not rely on UN.The UN always soft on Bashir’s government ,and the Arabs like the way UN secretary general approach them. They are pretenders and lies. The Khartoum government have listen when they face tough threat like when George Bush asked the inttelligence of Bashir Government to coopreate with his intelligence in term of terriorists,The Khartoum refused to do so, but George Bush give them two choices only either to cooperate or facce consequence of not doing so.There is nothing called Messeriya militias. It is Bashir’s troops.They are pretenders. The Arabs are totally confused by pushing or using Messseriyans as a tool of violents. The Arabs and messeriyans were agreed and exicted when the international court delievered rules on the contested area of abyei that some oil field belong to them,and the main oil field plus Abyei area to dinka ngok. They accepted as they accepted the right of dinka ngok when the CPA was signed,but now they are trying very hard to violate all these two kinds of agreement in front of international community. The arabs donot want Southern Sudan to enjoy their independent.
ayor
Ten southern returnees killed, 18 injured in north-south border ambush
My condolences goes to victims families and may almighty father in heaven rest thier souls in peace.
Hope the “Goss” deal with this incident tactically to avoid getting drag back to war, it’s pretty much obvious that “NCP” is behind this armbush since it’s desperately striving hard to keep the country united as usual.
They had tried all ways to hinder the referendum from being implemented by aerial bombarding currently on southern sudan territory as well as an incitation of militias groups in assualting Spla positions but unfortunately very unsuccesful on meeting their evil-wishes.
So basically, i think that’s their final resorting to dishonor the vote by instigating the messeriyah tribe men and mallitias to armbush and kill innocent southern-civillians such that Spla would be impatient to retaliate and that what they are craving for to get us back to ground zero!
All in all they are just bunch of day-dreamers….their evil intentions won’t make any impact on us, from achieving our end, we are already destined to go no matter how harder they try to obstruct it.
By Ayor Sodit.