Bor protesters fear arrest for opposing peace initiative
May 11, 2017 (JUBA) – Leaders of the peaceful protests against the peace initiative headed by South Sudan First Vice President, Taban Deng Gai said they have been threatened with arrests by state authorities.
The clash was caused by the child abductions and cattle raiding that the Dinka have blamed their neighbours for over many years.
The meeting between the peace delegation, traditional chiefs and the state governor was interrupted on Tuesday and Wednesday by protestors chanting “we need our children back.’’
The country’s First Vice President, who is largely unpopular in Jonglei for being a top commander of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) rebels that overran Bor between December 2013 and January 2014, received cold reception on arrival.
“Who is Taban to people of Jonglei? Taban killed our old mothers in Jonglei church in 2013,” partly reads the protesters’ letter.
The protesters also demanded they be compensated for the cattle that were stolen by the Murle tribesman, as well as justice for those killed during the numerous raids.
“Now the three of us, as ring leaders of the demonstration are being hunted. We are told some security agents wanted to arrest us for leading a peaceful, legal protest,” a protestor said.
The meeting between Gai and Bor leaders was attended by the information and broadcasting minister, Michael Makuei Lueth, but they failed to reach consensus after the chiefs insisted that the government provides a detailed timeline to address child abduction and cattle raiding.
“This is not the first peace initiative and we can’t just ask our youths to return to Bor because Taban Deng Gai and his Minister came to promise peace. It is a nonstarter,” Alier Makuei, a local chief who attended the meeting held at South Sudan hotel said on Tuesday.
Many of the local chiefs, however, declined to attend the meeting held in Bor on Wednesday.
“I hear some members of the youth were protesting as we were discussing here, but we must end the conflict first so that people are given opportunities for development,” stressed Gai.
The South Sudanese First Vice-President further assured the citizens that the government would convince the rival Murle to cease hostilities against their neighbouring communities.
Authorities in Boma state, one of the country’s newly created states, have denied claims that the abduction of children by Murle tribesmen was a policy, blaming the practice on criminals.
Heavy armed Bor youths entered Boma in early April for an offensive that led to the capturing of several villages in Murle-land and the displacement of many civilians. Boma officials said dozens of children and women were been killed during the clashes.
(ST)