Dinka Bor attack on Murle community leaves dozens dead, says Pibor commissioner

February 8, 2012 (JUBA) – In South Sudan’s Jonglei State the commissioner of Pibor, Brigadier General Joshua Konyi, has accused the neighbouring Dinka Bor community of attacking one of the payams [districts] in his County, leaving dozens dead or wounded.

The Commissioner told Sudan Tribune from his county headquarters in Pibor town on Wednesday that the attack occurred on Tuesday in a place called Manyibol of Gumruk district, Pibor County.

He said the attack, which was carried out by about two thousand armed youth from Dinka Bor community, occurred in the morning at 6am and ended at 2pm when the attackers were repelled.

Konyi said nine people were killed dead and eleven others wounded from the Murle community. He did not know how many were killed on the side of the attackers.

Jonglei state has been experiencing inter-communal violence involving the three communities of Lou-Nuer, Dinka and Murle.

The UN says that 140,000 people have been effected by violence between the three groups in the last two months.

South Sudan’s President has vowed to start another disarmament campaign to try and end the cycle of conflict. There have been many attempts to take small arms away from the civilian population since South Sudan gained self-rule in 2005.

After years of civil war many are reticent to give up their weapons as they do not trust the army to provide security needed to protect their communities and livestock.

When over 6,000 armed members of the Luo Nuer tribe attacked Pibor County in December and January, Konyi said that over 3,000 people had died in the clashes. This number has since been dismissed by the UN but no independent figures have been provided.

(ST)