Unity: Mayom commissioner accused of involvement in cattle raid attack
June 3, 2013 (KAMPALA) – Mayom county commissioner John Bol Mayak has dismissed claims of masterminding an attack by youths in South Sudan’s Warrap state.
His comments come after Gongrial East commissioner Akot Lual Akot accused Mayak of failing to respond to his phonecalls when a group of cattle raiders attacked his county in neighbouring Warrap state.
At least 33 people, mainly children and the elderly, died in the deadly attack on 31 May, in what is the worst single incident in the region since the start of the year.
“How can I refuse to answer his call mean while we are tasked to do duties which are for the same government?” Mayak told Sudan Tribune in an interview on Monday.
He urged Akot to act in the best interests of the country, rather than simply serving his own tribal interests.
“I’m appointed to serve government of [the] Republic of South Sudan, but not only for my tribe line [of] interest”, he said.
Mayak also accused his counterpart in Warrap state of failing to return stolen cows to Unity state, adding that since he took up office in January, he has returned raided cattle on three separate occasions to owners in Warrap.
He blamed authorities in Warrap state of failing to adequately implement the government’s procedures to deter cross-border cattle raids, saying more than 40 people have been killed and hundreds of cows stolen in connection with raids between March and May, with none of the stolen cattle so far returned to
their rightful owners in Unity state’s Mayom county.
Cross-border cattle raids have become rampant between the Mayom and Gongrial East communities, with local residents caught in a cycle of violence and revenge killings over cattle theft, grazing land and water rights.
ABIEMNON COUNTY TARGETED
Meanwhile, officials from Mayom county have confirmed that an unknown number of armed youths attacked neighbouring Abiemnom county on Sunday morning.
Mayak confirmed county authorities had recovered the stolen cattle on the same day, but did not specify the number of cattle raided in the attack.
He also confirmed that seven people had died in the clashes on Sunday, while area officials put the death toll at eight.
Sunday’s attack marks the second deadly internal attempt at raiding within Unity state’s territorial boundaries.
Mayak conceded the deadly clashes in Abiemnom were reason for concern.
Two weeks ago, eight policemen were allegedly murdered by youths in Unity state’s Koch county.
Mayak has been a vocal supporter for grassroots disarmament in Warrap, Lake and Unity states, where a high amount of illegal arms wind up in the hands of the civilian population.
Abiemnom commissioner Arop Turuk said the youths which launched the attack on Sunday in his territory were wearing military uniforms and were heavily armed.
Turuk alleged youths suspected to come from Mayom county raided and drove away thousands of cattle during the attack, which occurred about 3.15am on Sunday.
The commissioner said local youths who tried to follow the attackers came under heavy gunfire, forcing them to retreat.
Meanwhile, Mayak has called for the governments of the three neighbouring states to immediately intervene, saying an impartial approach was needed to combat the ongoing issue of cattle raiding in the region.
(ST)