US condemns violent attacks in South Sudan’s Jonglei state
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July 12, 2013 (BOR) - The US embassy in Juba has strongly condemned
"in the strongest possible" terms the violent attacks in South Sudan’s
Jonglei state, urging government and community leaders to ensure all
armed youth lay down their weapons with immediate effect.
JPEG - 39.9 kb
South Sudan Vice-President Riek Machar speaking to the Luo Nuer
population in Walgak, Akobo county Jonglei, on Feb. 17 2013 (ST)
"We are deeply disappointed the SPLA [Sudan Peoples Liberation Army]
did not establish a posture appropriate to defend civilians in
vulnerable areas, despite advance warning of the mobilization of armed
youth which has led to the current violence," partly says the
embassy’s statement issued Wednesday.
"The lack of action to protect civilians constitutes an egregious
abdication of responsibility by the SPLA and the civilian government,"
it adds.
According to local officials, a group of armed men from the Luo Nuer
tribe in Jonglei state on 5 July attacked Pibor county and have
continued to advance towards the Nanaam area.
Joshua Konyi, the Pibor county commissioner told Sudan Tribune that
fighting has continued around the centre of Nanaam village and has now
spread to Agenant village, near Lilibok river.
Jonglei’s governor, Kuol Manyang Juuk, said his government was unable
to provide security as each county only has 200 policemen, which is
not enough to enforce the rule of law.
"The army will receive and protect the displaced," he stressed, while
adding that “police have not been doing enough and sometimes resort to
attacks in self defense."
On Friday, the US embassy in Washington also said it was deeply
concerned by the on-going violence in Jonglei State, and by the
mounting reports of abuse of civilians, including killings, beatings,
and looting and destruction of homes and humanitarian facilities in
Jonglei State.
The embassy, in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, specifically
expressed concerns about recent reports of a mobilization of armed
youth and reported clashes in Pibor county.
"We urge all parties – including the Sudan People’s Liberation Army
(SPLA) and other state and non-state armed actors – to end the
violence, and to work toward peace and reconciliation through
dialogue," said Jen Psaki, the US State Department spokesperson.
The US called on South Sudan leadership to meets its obligation to
ensure civilian safety and protection and hold accountable those
individuals responsible for the violence and have committed human
rights abuses, including members of the security forces – through
transparent judicial processes that respect the rule of law.
"We continue to encourage the parties to the conflict to implement the
resolutions agreed at the All Jonglei Peace Conference, and to work
toward peace, reconciliation, and tolerance," the statement adds.
In February last year, over 100,000 people were displaced after around
4,000 Luo Nuer attacked Murle areas of Pibor county in a series of
revenge attacks resulting into cattle raids and abductions.
However, although a disarmament campaign was launched in March 2012 to
address the violence, many groups hid their weapons from the army and
police.
Human rights groups have been highly critical of the conduct of South
Sudan’s security forces in Jonglei and have accused authorities of not
allowing humanitarian assistance to reach some areas of Pibor.
The insecurity in Jonglei is further complicated by a rebellion based
in Pibor led by David Yauyau, who has been fighting government on and
off since he lost his bid to become a state-level lawmaker in the 2010
general elections.
The SPLA spokesperson, Philip Aguer, said told Sudan Tribune Friday
that they had not yet obtained figures on the numbers of casualties
from the clashes, denying reports claiming the army failed to
intervene in the Lou Nuer-Murle clashes.
“The SPLA has not received orders to intervene in these communal
clashes. Normally what happens is that local authorities come up with
mechanism to resolve the dispute and the police come in to enforce
resolutions agreed upon by the two sides," he said.
"The SPLA does not come in directly. It only responds to requests made
when police efforts to contain the dispute have been exhausted and
need extra help," Aguer added.
It is believed that Nanaam is occupied by fighters loyal to Yauyau.
Sources close to the Luo Nuer force told Sudan Tribune that the group
which attacked Pibor are affiliated to Dak Kueth, a self-proclaimed
prophet who refused to handover his weapons in last year’s state-wide
disarmament campaign.
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Uror County spiritual leader Dak Kueth before the Jonglei disarmament
campaign began in March 2012 (ST)
The Luo Nuer sources say that Kueth’s men captured a number of
weapons, including big machine guns during Wednesday’s attack on
Nanaam.
The current attack, the sources say, is in retaliation for recent
raids on Luo Nuer areas by forces suspected to be loyal to Yauyau. The
armed men encountered by the Luo Nuer force in Nanaam were heavily
armed, indicating that they were part of Yauyau’s rebel group, the
sources said.
South Sudan has regularly accused neighbouring Sudan of backing
Yauyau’s rebellion by supplying arms and ammunition through unmarked
white helicopters landing in remote areas that are not under SPLA
control.
Khartoum has always denied the allegation.
Jonglei state’s minister of youth and culture, Baba Medan, told Sudan
Tribune on 7 July that Luo Nuer areas of Akobo County had been
attacked by cattle raiders the previous day.
The number of causalities or displaced remains unknown as the
commissioner of Pibor county and other officials in Jonglei have so
far declined to give a clear account of events. The chief of the Murle
tribe, general Ismael Konyi, told Sudan Tribune from Juba on Sunday
that he had heard about the attack, but could not avail details.
Medan said the area under attack was not accessible to the SPLA due to
the lack of roads and the small number of soldiers they have in the
area. The conflict will be resolved by which ever side - the Luo Nuer
force, Murle civilians or Yauyau’s rebels - are stronger, he said.
"If the civilians of Lou Nuer are strong, they will overrun the Murle
civilians and take the cattle, and if the civilians of Murle are
strong, they will defend their cattle and repel the Lou Nuer youth”,
explained Medan.
According to commissioner Konyi, the area is far from his
administrative headquarters in Pibor town and there is no way to
access Nanaam by road.
UN MISSION REACTS
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) says it "is deeply concerned
about reports of a major mobilization of armed youth moving towards
Pibor county in Jonglei State, as well as reported clashes.
"The mission calls on the leaders of all Jonglei communities and their
youth, as well as on national and state authorities, to exercise
maximum restraint and urgently engage in reconciliation efforts,"
Martin Nesirky, the UN spokesperson in New York said Friday.
The mission, which recently had its mandate in the new nation renewed
until July 2014, said it is trying to verify the information and
assess population movements, including through the use of aerial
reconnaissance flights.
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South Sudan rebel leader David Yau Yau (UN photo)
It however noted that the "mobility" of the peacekeeping force
"continues to be hampered by inadequate air assets".
"As a result, the mission is not in an immediate position to confirm
details about numbers or locations of the mobilized youth and
associated clashes," Nesirky told Friday’s UN briefing.
The UN mission, in response to the clashes is reportedly reinforcing
its military presence in Gumuruk and Pibor, while putting in place a
contingency plan should there be attacks and civilians seek
protection.
Nesirky said that the mission was in constant contact with the
Government of South Sudan, the SPLA and officials in Jonglei.
"It is calling on them to take urgent action to as to prevent an
escalation of the violence," he further stressed.
(ST)
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