Twic East county civilians call for military support

November 16, 2015 (BOR) – The Twic East county population in South Sudan’s Jonglei state have asked for military protection in the wake of increased rebel activities in the area.

A state MP representing people with special needs in Twic East, Deng Ajang, told reporters in the capital, Bor Monday that fear has forced several people out of their houses after the Maar village incident that killed 21 people, injuring eight others.

Ajang accused the country’s armed opposition forces (SPLM/IO) of attacking Maar village last week. These allegations were, however, dismissed by the rebels.

“The fear is there, the fear of any attack since they [the rebels] are targeting civilians, it has caused a lot of fear among the people. People who fear their lives, will see how best they will be safe”, he said, in reference to civilians who fled to flooded islands in swamps.

Ajang said government forces have not surfaced in the village since last week’s attack.

“The [Sudan Peoples Liberation Army] SPLA is informed, and will come to verify the attack and see the body of one of the attackers who has been killed”, stressed the lawmaker.

Meanwhile, humanitarian agencies currently operating in the world’s youngest nation have expressed their concerns over the thousands of the population fleeing the area, mostly children and women, amidst warnings of a potential disaster in the offing.

Other agencies, on the other hand, said their developmental projects in villages affected would be derailed for a number of months since they would have no civilians to assist.

Critics of the country’s ruling party say the SPLM policy of taking towns to the people in the villages wouldn’t be feasible this time where nobody, within the government, allegedly cares about the mass killing of unprotected civilians by either rebels or raiders.

(ST)