Lakes state inter-county conflict results in deaths, JIU allegedly involved

By Manyang Mayom

May 3, 2011 (RUMBEK) – Lakes state inter-county conflicts have resulted in the killing of one policeman today in Aber, Rumbek Central county. The policeman was killed during an ambush.

During the morning of 3 April a private car traveling from Juba to Wau was hijacked in Aber by pastoralist youths believed to be from Cueibet county of Lake state. They killed one policeman and two civilians sustained injuries and were admitted to Rumbek hospital.

Aber is 10km from Rumbek Central county, the capital of Lakes state.

One of the passengers traveling to Wau who sustained gunshot wounds in the Aber ambush, Albino Ayel Ayel, told the press that identified some of the robbers as members of the Joint Integrated Units (JIU). “I was shot and those who looted us were in uniform, they looted our money and phones. After I recognised them, they left us lying on the ground with gunshot wounds and they ran away.”

“I have identified them as members of JIU and I know them because I was in Juba with them” he added.

The JIU are combined forces made up of the north Sudan’s Sudan Armed Forces and South Sudan’s Sudan People’s Liberation Army. They were formed in accordance with a stipulation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement which ended more than two decades of civil war between the north and south.

According to the Lakes state member of parliament, Kedit Madol Kedit, there is a lot of theft in the area of Pan-Manga, Poolbet and along the road between Cueibet county and Rumbek Central county.

He said that four dead bodies were found in Pan-Manga villages and people in the area were displaced by clashes. He urge Lakes state government of provide sufficient police to bring the area subject to clashes back under control.

Kedit said “There was a flash attack by the Gok [Dinka] community of Cueibet county at a place called Pan-Manga, Pan-Pagok and Poolbet. I found four dead bodies on the ground in Pan-Manga village, three from Agar community were killed and one from Gok community was killed. There is a lot of looting of property such as simsim [sesame], maize flour, groundnut and so on in the area”.

An anonymous official from the police in the area said that military will be brought to help police the insecure areas.

(ST)