Director of land and survey killed in Lakes state’s Cueibet county
September 18, 2014 (RUMBEK) – The director of land and survey has been gunned down in Lakes state’s Cueibet county in what is believed to be a targeted revenge killing.
According to the criminal investigation department (CID), Maliet Alueth died instantly after being attacked by an unknown gunman at his home on Wednesday, who then fled into the bush.
“It is very immoral indeed, the director of land and survey, Maliet Alueth, was killed at 5pm (local time) by [an] armed man. The reason behind [this] is believed as [a] targeted revenge attack,” the officer said on condition of anonymity.
The officer said 14 people had died between 16-17 September in separate targeted attacks carried out by members of rival pastoralist groups.
“Just on 16 September, five people from [the] Pakam community of Rumbek North county were killed as revenge of one Rup community person who was killed on that same day by gunmen suspected to be from Rumbek North county,” he said.
Nine people from Cueibet county’s Mayath payam (distrtict) were also killed during inter-clan clashes that erupted the same day.
Meanwhile, public transport between Western Bahr el Ghazal and Lakes state has been suspended indefinitely due to security fears, as has transport on the Juba to Rumbek route.
The Lakes state government has also imposed a curfew from 8pm till 7am in a bid to improve the security situation.
Lakes state has increasingly descended into lawlessness, with revenge killings, highway attacks and cattle raiding a common occurrence.
Dozens of people have been killed in the past week alone amid a cycle of inter-clan violence and counter-attacks.
Police insist that young people and the wider public refuse to share information with them on crime-related matters, blaming the poor relationship between the administration and the people of Lakes state.
“We, as the authority, are confused on what to do with those civilians. They are very unhappy with [the] leadership and …. they refuse to share information with us referring us to contact governor Matur Chut Dhuol,” the CID officer told Sudan Tribune.
In separate incident last Thursday, the son of late paramount chief Apereer Chut Dhuol was killed in Mayath payam.
Matur Apereer Chut was among five people killed after suspected armed Gok-Dinka pastoralists ambushed cars en route from Western Bahr el Ghazal capital Wau to Rumbek.
Laat Manyang Kariom, Khamise Tuol Malual and two others who were not identified were also killed.
The killing subsequently provoked relatives of Matur Apereer in Pacong payam to ambush cars and kill those found with the traditional skin markings of Cueibet county.
Fearing for their lives, thousands of people from Cueibet residing in Rumbek fled to the police station, while others took refuge in the UN compound.
On Wednesday, 17 people from Cueibet who were sheltering inside the UN base decided to return to their home county.
Traditional chiefs, students and activists have called on president Salva Kiir to remove military caretaker governor Matur Chut Dhuol, who has been heavily criticised over his harsh security measures. However, so far public demands have been overlooked.
(ST)