US condemns violent attacks in South Sudan’s Jonglei state
July 12, 2013 (BOR) – The US embassy in Juba has strongly condemned “in the strongest possible” terms the violent attacks in South Sudan’s Jonglei state, urging government and community leaders to ensure all armed youth lay down their weapons with immediate effect.
“The lack of action to protect civilians constitutes an egregious abdication of responsibility by the SPLA and the civilian government,” it adds.
According to local officials, a group of armed men from the Luo Nuer tribe in Jonglei state on 5 July attacked Pibor county and have continued to advance towards the Nanaam area.
Joshua Konyi, the Pibor county commissioner told Sudan Tribune that fighting has continued around the centre of Nanaam village and has now spread to Agenant village, near Lilibok river.
Jonglei’s governor, Kuol Manyang Juuk, said his government was unable to provide security as each county only has 200 policemen, which is not enough to enforce the rule of law.
“The army will receive and protect the displaced,” he stressed, while adding that “police have not been doing enough and sometimes resort to attacks in self defense.”
On Friday, the US embassy in Washington also said it was deeply concerned by the on-going violence in Jonglei State, and by the mounting reports of abuse of civilians, including killings, beatings, and looting and destruction of homes and humanitarian facilities in Jonglei State.
The embassy, in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, specifically expressed concerns about recent reports of a mobilization of armed youth and reported clashes in Pibor county.
“We urge all parties – including the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and other state and non-state armed actors – to end the violence, and to work toward peace and reconciliation through dialogue,” said Jen Psaki, the US State Department spokesperson.
The US called on South Sudan leadership to meets its obligation to ensure civilian safety and protection and hold accountable those individuals responsible for the violence and have committed human rights abuses, including members of the security forces – through transparent judicial processes that respect the rule of law.
“We continue to encourage the parties to the conflict to implement the resolutions agreed at the All Jonglei Peace Conference, and to work toward peace, reconciliation, and tolerance,” the statement adds.
In February last year, over 100,000 people were displaced after around 4,000 Luo Nuer attacked Murle areas of Pibor county in a series of revenge attacks resulting into cattle raids and abductions.
However, although a disarmament campaign was launched in March 2012 to address the violence, many groups hid their weapons from the army and police.
Human rights groups have been highly critical of the conduct of South Sudan’s security forces in Jonglei and have accused authorities of not allowing humanitarian assistance to reach some areas of Pibor.
The insecurity in Jonglei is further complicated by a rebellion based in Pibor led by David Yauyau, who has been fighting government on and off since he lost his bid to become a state-level lawmaker in the 2010 general elections.
The SPLA spokesperson, Philip Aguer, said told Sudan Tribune Friday that they had not yet obtained figures on the numbers of casualties from the clashes, denying reports claiming the army failed to intervene in the Lou Nuer-Murle clashes.
“The SPLA has not received orders to intervene in these communal clashes. Normally what happens is that local authorities come up with mechanism to resolve the dispute and the police come in to enforce resolutions agreed upon by the two sides,” he said.
“The SPLA does not come in directly. It only responds to requests made when police efforts to contain the dispute have been exhausted and need extra help,” Aguer added.
It is believed that Nanaam is occupied by fighters loyal to Yauyau.
Sources close to the Luo Nuer force told Sudan Tribune that the group which attacked Pibor are affiliated to Dak Kueth, a self-proclaimed prophet who refused to handover his weapons in last year’s state-wide disarmament campaign.
The current attack, the sources say, is in retaliation for recent raids on Luo Nuer areas by forces suspected to be loyal to Yauyau. The armed men encountered by the Luo Nuer force in Nanaam were heavily armed, indicating that they were part of Yauyau’s rebel group, the sources said.
South Sudan has regularly accused neighbouring Sudan of backing Yauyau’s rebellion by supplying arms and ammunition through unmarked white helicopters landing in remote areas that are not under SPLA control.
Khartoum has always denied the allegation.
Jonglei state’s minister of youth and culture, Baba Medan, told Sudan Tribune on 7 July that Luo Nuer areas of Akobo County had been attacked by cattle raiders the previous day.
The number of causalities or displaced remains unknown as the commissioner of Pibor county and other officials in Jonglei have so far declined to give a clear account of events. The chief of the Murle tribe, general Ismael Konyi, told Sudan Tribune from Juba on Sunday that he had heard about the attack, but could not avail details.
Medan said the area under attack was not accessible to the SPLA due to the lack of roads and the small number of soldiers they have in the area. The conflict will be resolved by which ever side – the Luo Nuer force, Murle civilians or Yauyau’s rebels – are stronger, he said.
“If the civilians of Lou Nuer are strong, they will overrun the Murle civilians and take the cattle, and if the civilians of Murle are strong, they will defend their cattle and repel the Lou Nuer youth”, explained Medan.
According to commissioner Konyi, the area is far from his administrative headquarters in Pibor town and there is no way to access Nanaam by road.
UN MISSION REACTS
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) says it “is deeply concerned about reports of a major mobilization of armed youth moving towards Pibor county in Jonglei State, as well as reported clashes.
“The mission calls on the leaders of all Jonglei communities and their youth, as well as on national and state authorities, to exercise maximum restraint and urgently engage in reconciliation efforts,” Martin Nesirky, the UN spokesperson in New York said Friday.
The mission, which recently had its mandate in the new nation renewed until July 2014, said it is trying to verify the information and assess population movements, including through the use of aerial reconnaissance flights.
“As a result, the mission is not in an immediate position to confirm details about numbers or locations of the mobilized youth and associated clashes,” Nesirky told Friday’s UN briefing.
The UN mission, in response to the clashes is reportedly reinforcing its military presence in Gumuruk and Pibor, while putting in place a contingency plan should there be attacks and civilians seek protection.
Nesirky said that the mission was in constant contact with the Government of South Sudan, the SPLA and officials in Jonglei.
“It is calling on them to take urgent action to as to prevent an escalation of the violence,” he further stressed.
(ST)