Human rights body condemns Jonglei killings, calls for urgent action
By Julius N. Uma
February 13, 2011 (JUBA) – Alarmed by recent attacks in South Sudan’s Jonglei state, a human rights body has condemned recent clashes between the southern army and forces loyal to rebel George Athor.
By Friday, at least 105 people are believed to have been killed after fighting broke out between the South Sudan army, the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA), and Athor’s forces in Fangak County, in Jonglei. The majority of those killed were women and children, the southern army has said.
On Sunday, the Southern Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy (SSHURSA) condemned last week’s killings, urging the southern government to take urgent action against all forms of human rights violations.
“We are deeply saddened by the indiscriminate killings of innocent civilians in Fangak County of Jonglei state. It is in this regard that we call upon the Government of Southern Sudan and the SPLA to immediately intervene and bring these two conflicting parties to the negotiating table,” Boutros Rwai Biel, SSHURSA’s executive director said.
Athor, a former deputy chief of general staff in the SPLA, began his rebellion after losing the gubernatorial seat for Jonglei, to his main rival, incumbent governor Kuol Manyang Juuk, after contesting last year’s general elections as an independent candidate. He accused the South’s ruling party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), of intimidation and vote rigging and has refused to recognize the results.
In April 2010, the government of South Sudan, accused Athor of staging an attack on the SPLA base adjacent to his home village of Khorfulus, located north-west of Jonglei capital, Bor. Athor denied the accusations, claiming that his rebellion occurred when soldiers in the southern army under his control refused orders to arrest him.
Since his rebellion Athor’s forces, predominantly members of his ethnic group and members of the surrounding communities, have clashed several times with SPLA forces. In October, South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, issued a presidential decree pardoning him and his forces.
In early January, Athor’s negotiating team and the government of South Sudan with the SPLA, signed a cessation of hostilities agreement, which charted a way forward for a final agreement after integration of his forces by the end of January 2011. This has not taken place mainly due to the condition of the amnesty; that Athor’s forces disarm before they rejoin the SPLA. This has proved a stumbling block and Athor has requested that Kiir review this condition.
In a recent communiqué the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, called for the immediate implementation of the January ceasefire agreement. He urged the South Sudan leadership to protect the lives of innocent civilians.
“The Secretary-General expresses his concern over the renewed fighting in Southern Sudan between the Southern People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the rebel forces of General [George] Athor, which reportedly resulted in at least 100 civilian casualties,” according to Ban’s February 11 statement.
Started in 2007 by legal professionals, SSHURSA, which operates in Jonglei, Unity and Central Equatoria states, closely works with legislators, local government authorities, civil society organizations, women, youth and children to protect fundamental human rights in society.
(ST)
Ito
Human rights body condemns Jonglei killings, calls for urgent action
Brother Biel,
Thank you so much for further alerting and reiterating the deteriorating situation and the lost of innocent lives as a result of Athor’s rebellion. This situation is a very serious one and should be handle amicably before the said numbers are inflated. This gross violation of human rights should be dealt with until the culprits are brought to justice in one way or the other.
I urge your agency to closely monitor the situation and to continue alerting the world and pressing for actions as you have just did today. Your braveness and nationalistic way of doing things have put light in my eyes and I am proud that you will influence whoever is in power to not be inconsiderate about this serious crimes being committed against our innocent civilians. May God rest their precious souls in peace.
Thanks
Bol Deng
Human rights body condemns Jonglei killings, calls for urgent action
Dear Biel,
We do not like innocent civilians to be killed for nothing because they are not the cause of the problem always.
The people of Fangak are the one to be blame because they keep supporting George Athor at the time he rebel.
You are wrong the force of Athor are not generally from his ethnicity, many of them are from Nuer and some even from Fangak and few from his relatives.
Don,t you know that the same people had lied any ambush to the SPLM authority during the campaign, i guess you have heard it last year.
For those who always followed wrong person, they are always become victims. Let stop following power hungry people other you will be always a victim. Thanks
oshay
Human rights body condemns Jonglei killings, calls for urgent action
We urgently need to hang cowboy kiir like a dog for corruption and causing this killing.
Bol Deng
Human rights body condemns Jonglei killings, calls for urgent action
Dear Southerners,
Iam not supporting Athor 100% for his rebellion because he completely lost the election in which get mad.
But I have a messege!
It has become very clear many Nuer were talking in their respective areas that the militia of Tanganyang ( Gatwech Chan) and his Nuer youth assembled to hunt George Athor or they are going to Attack the Athor people, This messege must be understood by SPLM because Gatwech has no right to fight Athor because Gatwech himself is a militia who is always against our main SPLM. His is a rebel but his tribal motif encourage him to fight the Athor.
Let me be very clear that i am not supporting George Athor for his ill-root he too,but if that the case that the Nuer Militia are hunting Athor because of tribal conflict,then i am afraid that this fight is going to be base on tribe, that is completely awarning.
The problem of Athor is not the responsibility of Militia like Gatwech Chan who has been against the SPLM/A since 1983.
SPLM must look into this issue and stop that guy from hunting for Athor other if he attempt to kill him or arrest him while a militia,then the South is not going to be the stable state, mark my word. SPLM/A are the right agent to hunt him not militia.
I heard that Nuer youth has gone to the area for the saga but Salva Kiir and the rest of leaders must check this before tribal war happen in the South.
The Athor ethinic youth are not going to afford the militia of Gatwech to hunt him in their watch unless by SPLM/A. I am not supporting what Goerge Athor did but iam curious when it reached the level of tribal line.Thanks
kaci-banno
Human rights body condemns Jonglei killings, calls for urgent action
The urgent action has be taken now. I can consider such incident as poor leadership of the government of south Sudan as well SPLA incapability to protect civilians. Athor is fighting for no reason at all, instead of killing innocent people he should ask Kiir to give him position that he is looking for. I wander why President Kiir doesn’t want to take immediate action against Athor? May be because Athor is a Dinka that’s why no measure action has taken.
By: Kaci-Ma-Banno
Bravo Nuer
Human rights body condemns Jonglei killings, calls for urgent action
dear justice Biel
the massive death of our innocently unarmed civilians in fangak Island is a curse rather than a blessing in fangak history.
as justice always does, you have to blame both the naive chicken and the wild cat.
indict not only the most culpable criminal George Athor but also his strongest proponent with in such as a lost dog Gathoth Mai who orchestrated the depolyment of those wild wolves in the area without the SPLA presence and last but not the least, indict the perpetuators,and the most oppportunistic people like Gier Chuang and Kuol Manyang who were instigating some elements known as a Commando to go and attack Athor forces first while people are in ceasfire.
Gier has many traps to catch him with tigth noose around his thin neck because when Gen. Salva Kiir came out with system theory of pardoning all militias including the april defected renegade George Athor, he Gier didn’t eat for three days and to prove this he pretended that Salva Kiir collide him with some Bor elders that he was him who always propose Bor dismissal like Makuei and thus he Gier was about to resign but not because of that allegations, he wasn’t happy with the amnesty because Gier fears Athor like Gatluak Manguel or his husband. so Gier Chuang must be the first to face the music more than Athor
it was his conspiracy and collusion with James Hoth that let Athor be deployed in Fangak so that Athor will be provoked and he kill Fangak people so that the people of fangak who are warriors from day one would kill Athor for him this is the plot and Gier is a silent killer needs to be treated first.
let the justice shows its true colours to the wrong elements within and without so that all black sheep in the green south are to wipe out once and for all.
by: Nuerby
Stephen Gatloth K
Human rights body condemns Jonglei killings, calls for urgent action
Only to the article,Gattloth Gai in Bentiu.
What a shocking news!!.
Alwas the news about death is very shock,even the death of the best enemies.That is becuase once we lost some one,we never find agian.That is becuase once we lost some one we never create one to replace the lost one.
The so-called GOSS ruling party the (SPLM) is the cuase roots of these death.Should the SPLM conduct the april general election of 2010 in good manner without faboured any one,then there would be no that such a situation.
I am condemn the SPLM acts in the GOSS. We are tiried of you(SPLM).
Since we arrived at the dawn the independent of South Sudan,let the SPLM park her stipud acts and the ruling.Even your objectives are not fabours the southern sudanese right.SPLM is out of it mine:
cuasetive,curropter and injustic party.move…………SPLM.
Aliny pathou
Human rights body condemns Jonglei killings, calls for urgent action
Many peoples on this website are really lacking reading abilities to comprehend the articles, that is posted on the web. The articles is about condemning the killing of innocent civilians wether by Spla forces or George’s force. The article did not sPecify that it was Goerge,s forces who murders the civilians. And also urging all the warring parties to come to negotiation table not the book.you people needs to analysis things according they are put on the web