Jonglei: Six abducted children rescued by SPLA from Murle tribesmen ARTICLECOMMENTS (6) EmailPrintSave
April 5, 2011 (BOR) - Six children who were abducted by Murle tribesmen from Bor and Ayod counties in Pibor County who were rescued by South Sudan’s army (SPLA) were handed over to state authorities at a ceremony held at the council of ministers’ hall in Bor the capital of Jonglei state. Women’s group chanting in Pibor, Jonglei state, in support of peaceful resolution to tribal conflicts. March 24, 2011 (ST) The news about the recovery of seven children reached the state capital of Bor Town on March 27 from SPLA field commanders in Pibor. After hearing the news some families to traveled to Pibor to identify their young children. Among the recovered children are, Nyandeng Magor (10) of Duk county, Yar Mabil Jool (5) of Bor County, Adut Dau (4) of Twice East County among others. A 11 year old boy suspected to be from Mundari community of Tereka county of Central Equatoria State is said to have been left in SPLA custody in Pibor until parents go for identification. Speaking to state officials in the Council of Ministers hall, Nyandeng Magor Anyang (10 yrs), one of the six children recalled the day of her abduction saying she was kidnapped by members of the Murle tribe while on journey in Duk county. Nyandeng said the SPLA found her while sleeping with a child of her adoptive mother and was taken to Pibor where she met other six children, adding that she is happy to be back home and reunited with her parents. The two youngest children, who were recovered where too young (around three years old), to identify where they are from and who their parents are. However, from the their facial scarring it is believed they are from the Dinka ethnic group, the largest in South Sudan. Col. Moses Bior Alier an SPLA officer who handed the children to the state government told Sudan Tribune that the three abductors had been arrested and were being held in Pibor prison. He said the army and the paramount chief of Pibor county including armed SPLM youth are committed to put in efforts to rescue more children and re-unite them with their families. The commissioner of Bor County, Maker Lual, who asked the government officials to host the children while waiting for their families is to travel to Pibor to collect them said he expected the remaining children would be handed over to their parents on Wednesday April 6. The state ministry of social development and UNICEF pledged to give clothes and medical support to the children. Governor Kuol Manyang celebrating the South Sudan referendum results in Bor, Jonglei state. Feb 2011 (ST) Jonglei State governor Kuol Manyang Juuk appreciated the ongoing recovery of abducted children in Pibor county by both SPLA commanders, Murle members of South Sudan’s ruling party(SPLM) and peace loving youth. Three more abducted children are said to have been recovered in Pibor on April 5 by the SPLA with the help of Murle paramount chief, Nyanthoo Kabula Laju as peace dialogue between Murle and Dinka Bor continues in Manybol payam [district] of Pibor county. Manyang said child abduction was a seriously problem in the South Sudan’s Jonglei state. “Abduction of children is a bad phenomenon. It is a violation of human rights and is a violation child right and parents’ rights and it is condemned worldwide and condemned by the Government of South Sudan and laws discouraging abduction. No[one] welcomes this. It a bad phenomenon and we condemn it all”, Governor Kuol Manyang said. “I am glad that these children are back in the hands of the government and also in the hands of the parents. I commend the work done by the SPLA and chiefs of Murle and the SPLM youth”, he added. This is not the first time the army has rescued abducted children. Six other children were rescued by SPLA and brought to the capital of Bor on February 5 where they were reunited with their parents. Peace negotiations are continuing in Manybol to try and put an end to cattle raiding and child abduction in the area. (ST) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
