South Sudan probes killing of Kenyan workers in Eastern Equatoria
February 20, 2012 (JUBA) – South Sudan on Monday said it has formed a committee to investigate claims that three Kenyan’s have been killed and three others injured in an attack on Friday 17 February reportedly carried by armed bandits in Eastern Equatoria.
“The state has confirmed it. They have formed a committee to investigate the incident. The cause of which is being investigated”, Peter Mading, South Sudan police spokesman told reporters on Monday. Mading said the incident illustrates the challenges the new country is grappling with.
Mading claimed the Eastern Equatoria was “awash with small arms supplied by the government in Khartoum” during the two decade civil war. South Sudan became independent in July last year as part of 2005 peace deal that ended the conflict but not South Sudan’s insecurity.
Banditry and cattle raiding have blighted South Sudan’s six years of self-rule leading up to independence as well as various rebel groups fighting the government.
Juba claims that Khartoum continues to aid rebellions in South Sudan – an allegation strongly denied by the north who counter-accuse the southern military (SPLA) of aiding their former colleagues north of the border.
Disarmament campaigns, including efforts in 2008 in Eastern Equatoria have been unsuccessful.
Mading said that the incident took place against a group of 25 Kenyans, recruited by an Asian businessman in Kenya to work at a construction site at Budi county, Eastern Equatoria, South Sudan.
Samuel Kiriuki, a member of the Kenya Association in Eastern Equatoria, in an interview with Sudan Tribune on Monday confirmed the killing but dismissed reports claiming that the attack was organised.
“My wife was actually involved during this attack but she was not hurt. She is one of the survivors”, Kiriuki told Sudan Tribune from Torit, the capital of the state.
Kiriuki thanked the state government for quickly launching an investigation committee to establish facts behind the attack he said was carried by armed “bandits”. “I think this was not an organized attack. The local authorities responded appropriately, he said explaining that attack took place 15-30km away from Chukudum.
“They were ambushed while being driven to a construction site in the area. It was just about 30km away from Chukudum when seven men armed with assault rifles emerged from the bush and started shouting and shooting at them.”
“Two of their colleagues who were shot and seriously wounded died on the spot while the third victim died before they could reach a local health center,” he explained.
Kiriuki quoted his wife as saying: “we would have been died had the driver slowed down and stopped as ordered by the bandits. Their intention was to kill us and take away the vehicle.”
Sudan Tribune‘s attempts to reach Eastern Equatoria’s minister of information failed.
(ST)