Warrap minister resigns over tribal assault

By Ngor Arol Garang

February 5, 2012 (JUBA)- Warrap state’s minister of rural development, Sabit Makana, has resigned due to what he belivies is the Government of South Sudan’s (GoSS) inability to address issues of inter-tribal conflicts after the attack in the state on 28 January.

The Warrap state speaker, Madot Dut Deng, said 76 people were killed and hundreds of heads of cattle were stolen in the attack on Tonj East county, which he said was committed by a militia from bordering Unity state.

Makana, who is an influential politician from the area, said he was quitting because he has lost all faith in the ability of the central government to promptly handle and address issues related to inter-tribal conflicts between the states.

Andrew Kuac, an advisor for peace and reconciliation in the state, is also believed to be resigning from his post. Unofficial reports claim that other officials from the area are considering submitting their resignations to the office of the state governor.

Ariec Mayar Ariec, a member of the state legislative assembly, in an interview with Sudan Tribune on Sunday confirmed the resignation of the two officials, saying the intensity and the level of attack on the local population seen recently had escalated beyond the ordinary cattle rusting activities between the two communities in the area; describing it as a “tragedy”.

“They resigned because a lot of people from their area were killed in the recent attack. It is indeed very bad to lose people”, said Ariec.

Thuc Kuac, a GoSS official, said he commended the decision taken by the two officials because it has brought the Warrap state incident to greater attention in Juba, the national capital.

Kuac said there had been an increase in “barbaric attacks” on civilians in the area that had resulted in the “massive displacement of thousands of people”.

According to the Unity state minster for information and communication, Gideon Gatpan, peace negotiations in his state, on the Warrap incident, led to the death of 15 people on 2 February.

(ST)