GPAA denies involvement in Bor child abductions
March 11, 2015 (BOR) – Jonglei state’s self-autonomous Greater Pibor Administration Area (GPAA) has denied any involvement in child abductions and rampant shooting that occurred in the capital, Bor, on Sunday.
Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday, the secretary of information, Samuel David, said accusations levelled at youth in the area by Bor county commissioner that abductions might have been carried out Dinka Bor men themselves were completely false.
David questioned how the perpetrators managed to enter Bor town and escape given that organised forces, including from Uganda, are deployed around the town for protection.
“This issue concerning cattle raiders and killing of people, and suspicion [falling] on Murle is not something new in Bor,” he said.
“Within Bor there are criminals who abduct the children among [the] Dinka Bor themselves and they just say these criminals come from [the] Murle [tribe],” he added.
He said accusations of Murle involvement in the abductions were not justified and could not be substantiated.
However, Jonglei state minister for local government Wall Athieu said the Lou Nuer, Dinka Bor, Anuak, Jie and communities from Central and Eastern Equatoria states said the Murle are known for carrying out child abductions.
“This is something they can never deny. It has become a habit for sometime now – more than 50 years this activity is taking place in the Bor area, Nuer areas, the Mundari and all the regions bordering Murle,” he said.
Bor lawmaker Philip Thon Nyok disputed the credibility of David’s claims that Dinka Bor are not involved in child abductions either in their own communities or in neighbouring areas.
He cited a number of alleged incidents in recent years in which Murle raiders and child abductors were either caught alive or killed at the scene.
In January 2012, Thamatho Ketchou was caught in Duk county after he was injured by A South Sudanese army (SPLA) commando unit when he and his group attacked the cattle herders.
In May of the same year, Thalano Nyicho, of Wucho boma (district) in former Pibor county was caught by SPLA forces and brought to the Twic East headquarters where his paramount chief, Nganthou Kawelojok, was on peace mission to the same area with South Sudanese bishop Daniel Deng Bull.
A number of would-be attackers had also been killed during attempted raid and abduction cases, including in Anyidi payam (district).
According to Nyok, Murle had been launching sporadic attacks in Bor for more than two months.
Tree cutters and women collecting nuts have repeatedly reported sightings of Murle tribesmen in the area in recent months, said Nyok.
(ST)