President Kiir tells governors to control targeted killings
October 18, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir, has directed state governors to control revenge killings by those whose family members have fallen victims of targeted killings, saying it was time to reconcile and move away from act of anger and bitterness.
“I want the state governors, particularly from the states whose people may have fallen victims of targeted killings to refrain from acts of revenge against fellow citizens. It is not time to revenge,” said President Kiir.
“The act of anger and bitterness will not take us anywhere. The people who have been targeted should remain calm because this is not the first time such thing have been done to them,” reminded president Kiir in a meeting with some of the state governors at his residence in Juba on Sunday.
The head of state specifically singled out targeted killings along highways in Central and Eastern Equatoria states.
He said the ambushes on innocent civilians on Juba-Yei and Juba-Nimule roads were the acts of enemies of peace who were seeking turmoil in the country.
“I said last time when I toured some of the areas in Juba town that it is not time for revenges, it is time for forgiveness, even if we get those who killed people, we still forgive them because they don’t know what they are doing,” he added.
The head of state also reiterated his earlier comments that the allegations that he gave orders to the Army Chief of General Staff, Paul Malong Awan, and other Dinka army generals to declare war against Equatorian people for the recent targeted killings on the roads, was a creation of people who would like to take advantage of the situation.
“That is not true. These rumours are created by enemies of peace. There are people who want peace and there are people who want to cause a situation so that they create fear and confusion for the people. These are the people when traders in the market close down their shops because of the confusion they are causing, they then take advantage and go into people’s shops and take whatever is there,” he charged.
The situation, he said, cannot be allowed and the people responsible will have to be identified and find a way to handle them.
(ST)