Unity State authorities deny that SPLA burnt 7,800 homes in Mayom
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By Bonifacio Taban Kuich
May 28, 2011 (RUMBEK) - Unity state minister of Information and
Communication Gideon Gatpan Thoar has rejected allegations the South
Sudan army (SPLA) set fire to around 7,800 homes in Loath, Wanam and
Bora bomas [districts] of Mayom County.
Thoar added that the allegations were baseless and a misinterpretation
of reality on the ground by the County authorities.
On Wednesday 18 May Mayom Commissioner Charles Machieng Kuol told
Sudan Tribune that 7,800 homes had been burnt down by the SPLA in
fighting with militias in the area.
The SPLA’s Major. General Koang Chuol told Sudan Tribune last week
that his forces had not burned homes. He said that damage to property
was caused by cross-fire between the militias and the SPLA and had not
happened intentionally.
Unity state officials deny homes were burned down by the SPLA but
failed to specify of how many house burned down by the militias.
Reacting to the allegations on Saturday Thaor said, the SPLA forces in
the state have been the vanguard and the protector of the people
against barbaric attacks of militias in the area.
Thaor and many other southern officials accuse the Khartoum government
of sponsoring militias, like those of Peter Gadet in order to
destabilize oil-producing South Sudan ahead of its independence in
July. Khartoum deny they back any of the seven rebel groups operating
against the Government of South Sudan.
Thaor denied the SPLA had burned down whole villages in fighting last
week with Gadet’s militia the South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA). He
claimed that it was the militias groups that had committed atrocities
against the people of Unity state, particularly the people of Mayom
County.
The spokesperson claimed that the SPLA defeat of the militias had
forced the rebels groups to take revenge against the civilian
population of Mayom County, burning down homes, destroying properties
and commit atrocities under the pretext of cross-fire.
The militia further targeted humanitarian organizations and robbed
them therefore, blocking humanitarian assistant on the process, Thaor
said.
Thoar accused the militias of planting land mines in Mayom and Guit counties.
He said, the government of Unity state assures its citizens that as
the elected government of the people it will never condone any
atrocities in the state whatever the circumstances.
He said the Unity state government calls upon all citizens to unite in
the face of tremendous challenges that South Sudan independence will
bring on July 9. The region voted to secede in a referendum in January
as part of 2005 peace deal that ended decades of conflict.
(ST)
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