South Sudan parliament forms investigation team over Maridi fighting
June 10 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s national legislative assembly on Wednesday announced formation of a high level parliamentary committee to travel to Maridi county in Western Equatoria state to investigate the cause of recent fighting which resulted the death of at least nine people.
Several others, mostly armed civilians have also sustained injuries resulting from the clashes, forcing people to flee their homes into the bush in search of safety. The violence also affected commercial activities as markets and schools ceased to operate in fear of being caught up in the skirmishes.
The speaker of the national legislative assembly, Magok Rundial announced that the house had formed a committee to travel to the state to take peace message from the leadership of the house to the citizens and called upon all the aggrieved parties to restraint from pursuing violent behaviours as a means to drawing attention of the authorities to any matter of concern.
“The parliament has formed a committee to travel to Maridi and meet with the people there. The members of the committee will be taking to the citizens and those involved in what caused this situation the message of peace and harmony from the leadership of the assembly,” speaker Rundial said.
“On behalf of the assembly, I appeal to our people in Western Equatoria, particularly people of Maridi to remain calm and desist from violent behaviours and work together with the government to bring peace and stability,” he said.
Head of parliamentary caucus in Western Equatoria, Pasquale Clement Batali, told media that several people with no connections to the incident have been arrested by security personnel.
“Some people who have no connections have been arrested. We are talking to their families and relatives to remain claim and show restraint,” Batali said.
“We are also talking to the security personnel in the county to see into [it] that these people are not mishandled. We want the issue to be addressed peacefully so that the situation returns to normal,” he said.
He added that the state authorities did not want the situation to go out of control.
(ST)