Rumbek East calm despite failings of disarmament campaign – official

December 16, 2011 (ADUEL) – The Commissioner of Rumbek East County in Lakes state, David Marial Gumke, says his county is calm despite the failure of a recent disarmament campaign and ongoing cattle raiding.

The county is being seriously effected “tribal conflict and cattle raiding between and outside [the] territory of Lakes state” the governor said.

Gumke said that a special court set up in June to prosecute bandits and cattle raiders has settled 13 murder cases but some suspects are awaiting trial. Most sentences ranged between 2 to 3 years as well compensation.

Of the over 200 men arrested for cattle raiding 80 have yet to be tried, as the special court set up to deal with was closed in September.

“Now we are in a reconciliation process” he added, despite some groups and individuals in Lakes state are still illegally holding weapons.

He called for the people of Rumbek East, Lakes state and South Sudan in general “to observe peace and order” over the Christmas period.

If 2011 had been the year of achievement, with South Sudan’s successful bid to secede from north Sudan through a referendum, “2012 will be a year of development and a year of peace” he said.

Marial called upon Lakes state citizens and the entire South Sudan to begin building a better nation. South Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world with little infrastructure and is recovering from decades of conflict.

Lakes state promises to maintain security over holiday season

The Rumbek East commissioner echoed the Governor of Lakes state’s call for citizens to celebrate 2011 Christmas peacefully and with joy.

The governor of Lakes state, Chol Tong Mayay, has called for calm as citizens are preparing to celebrate Christmas in Rumbek. Thousands of people are returning to the state to celebrate the festival with their families.

In his Christmas message given in Rumbek, Governor Chol called upon Lakes state inhabitants to celebrate “with joy”, South Sudan’s first Christmas and New Year since independence in July from the mainly Islamic north.

The Governor assured the public that security has been stepped up to ensure the celebrations pass off peacefully. Since a 2005 peace deal that gave South Sudan the right to secede Lakes state has problems of banditry and cattle raiding.

But many of those buying food, clothes and gifts in Lakes state’s markets complain that prices have risen since independence, which brought the introduction of a new currency, the stifling of trade with north Sudan and increasing inflation.

Lakes state does not share a border with either north Sudan or any other country but like the rest of Sudan is heavily reliant on imports.

The governor said that the government had no control over prices blaming the increases on market forces. Recently laws were passed to tighten border controls and stamp out illegal check points that demand taxes on goods.

Chol encouraged citizens to produced more food and other items locally. Despite vast areas of fertile soil most of South Sudan’s land is not cultivated.

(ST)