Bor commissioner calls for calm amid upsurge of insecurity
March 20, 2015 (BOR) – The commissioner of Bor county, Mamer Ruuk, has expressed concern over a recent spate of attacks across Greater Bor by armed Murle militia, calling on civilians to remain calm as the government beefs up security measures.
The office of the commissioner made a public service announcement on Thursday at 4am (local time) in Bor town, alerting the civilians that Murle had started moving toward the area, following their one-day protest after the national government announced it was suspending construction on the Juba-Pibor road.
According to Ruuk, the Murle community is blaming the Dinka Bor of being behind the decision.
The announcement has stirred fears in residential areas behind the town, with the majority of people migrating to the centre for protection, while others are waiting to cross to Lake state in the event of an attack.
Ruuk said the government’s decision to suspend construction on the road was based on environmental concerns because it passed through Bardigilo national park and had nothing to do with the Dinka Bor community.
“The post of the president is not here with us. It was a national issue and the decision was not passed by Dinka Bor,” he told the press on Thursday at his office.
“They don’t believe that the decision was taken by the national government,” he added.
Armed Murle youth were now moving west toward Dinka Bor areas in preparation for possible attacks.
“The announcement made was a response to what was made by our brothers in Pibor. Now they have moved in large numbers to Greater Bor areas,” said Ruuk.
During a security meeting held in Bor on Wednesday, the commissioner informed the both state and national governments about the threat of possible attack and that the matter was being taken seriously.
He called on local youth to take lead in protecting their villages in case of an attack.
“We will not allow those criminals to invade our areas. We are mobilising people to protect their people, but not to attack,” he said.
CATTLE RAID IN DUK
About 165 calves from Duk county were stolen by suspected Murle raiders last week, leaving behind lactating cows to dry off.
Daniel Deng Miak in Poktap said camps had experienced a great lost of calves, which were stolen without their knowledge by suspected Murle raiders.
“We are in problems in this camp. The children are not getting milk now because [the] majority of the calves, including very young ones, were stolen a week ago,” said Miak.
He said they had pursued the suspected raiders for some time, but eventually turned back so as not to leave their remaining cattle unattended.
The heat and lack of water in the bush have also thwarted Miak and his group’s efforts to continue tracking the raiders.
The cattle camp in Duk is owned by the Hol, Nyarweng and Aboroom clans and does not have enough pastures this season, while cattle keepers have been restricted in their movements to islands in the swampy areas.
Nyachiek Muon, a window who whose calves were stolen, said her seven-month-old daughter no longer has enough milk, with supplies of the three lactating cows almost drying up.
“The milk I am getting from the three cows does not fill a kresale (500ml bottle of soda) after their calves were stolen. I don’t know what to do,” said Muon.
MURLE DENY INVOLVEMENT
The Murle have constantly denied accusations by Dinka tribesmen of their involvement in child abductions and cattle raiding, saying the claims are a cover for their own crimes.
The spokesman for the Greater Pibor Administration Area (GPAA), Samuel David, told Sudan Tribune by phone earlier this week that the Dinka Bor had long been involved in crime associated with abduction or raids, adding that he believed the Dinka were planning a series of attacks on villages.
Over 4,000 armed Dinka Bor had been detected moving from Gule towards Kubal county (formerly Gumuruk payam), according to David.
“The youths, who are trying to attack Murle area; they are around 4,000. There are organised forces within,” said David.
(ST)