50 killed in Central Equatoria since 2020 by GPAA armed youth, says lawmaker  

JUBA, OCTOBER 10, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – A member of parliament has alleged that raids by suspected armed youth from Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) on Central Equatoria state since 2020 have resulted in the killing of at least 50 people and abduction of at least 80 children.

Speaking during a parliamentary sitting on Monday in Juba, Jackline Benjamin, a member of parliament representing Juba County in Central Equatoria on the ticket of SPLM-IO said armed Murle youth attacked Lokiliri village of Juba County on October 2, 2023, and abducted two children.

“On 2 October, an incident took place in Lokiliri Payam. People from Greater Pibor Administrative Area came to Lokiliri Payam with the intention of abducting children, they shot one man, and the youth of the area intervened and ran away and at the same day at 10 PM, they attacked Ngerjebi Boma and abducted 2 children,” she said.

The opposition member of parliament said that attacks by suspected Murle armed youth since 2020 is accounted for the killing of 50 people and the abduction of 80 children including 78 who were abducted before the October 2 incident.

“Since 2020 up to date, there are 78 children were abducted plus the 2 children who were abducted (on 2 October) making a total of 80 children. They are also killing, whenever they abduct, they also kill, and the people that they have killed when we counted it is 50 people both parents,” she said.

Benjamin further called on the parliament to summon the chief administrator of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area to explain to the house what he is doing to recover abducted children and return them to their parents.

“We would like the august house to intervene, there is no way some people will be enjoying peace and here in Lokiliri Payam, there is no peace. They are abducting our children every now and then, even the forest is full of people from Greater Pibor,” she said.

Lokiliri is a village located along the Juba-Nimule highway about 50 kilometers from the capital Juba. Between 2018 and 2022, there have been deadly incidents involving cattle herders and local farmers who have blamed Jonglei communities of violent incursion into their areas.