By Philip Thon Aleu
December 19, 2011 (BOR) – A village in Jonglei was attacked on Saturday; one of numerous recent incidents of insecurity in the region which are seeing marked depopulation, according to a local chief.
Panther Gai, the chief of Makuach payam (disctrict), Bor county, descried the situation in which child abduction and cattle raiding have become prevalent, as “worse than the war of John Garang [the 1983- 2005 Sudanese civil war].”
On Saturday, Makuach was preparing to host a community meeting. Gunshots were heard from the north of Makuach in direction of nearby village of Majak. Residents ran in direction of the firing in attempt to help Majak villagers.
Sudan Tribune went with them. The gunshots ended before reaching the site. Residents said the raiders were members of the Murle ethnic group from Pibor county.
The residents fired on assailants and left one person with a foot injury. A water container, a green military belt and a knife were confiscated from the fleeing raiders.
“Children are being burnt to death and other abducted, elders slaughtered and villages burnt but I never heard them. Why do they keep silent? Where are they? I don’t know them,” said local resident, Kuol Piok when asked about the state and national governments.
The Jonglei state deputy, Hussein Maar Nyuot said a disarmament programme will begin in the state in the dry season.
A significant problem in addressing the security situation in Jonglei is the poor road infrastructure said Nyuot.
After an attack on Jalle, 40 km north Bor town, on 5 December, fears of similar attacks spread across the county. Women and children have been arriving in Bor town on daily basis to escape the raids.
(ST)
