Activist ‘disturbed’ by army-civilian clashes in Eastern Equatoria, urges SSPDF to promote discipline

JUBA – South Sudan activist Edmund Yakani has expressed serious concerns over reports of violence between civilians and members of the organized forces in Eastern Equatoria state urging army leadership to promote discipline among its rank and file.

On Sunday, violent clashes erupted between soldiers belonging to South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and armed civilians in Ikotos County of Eastern Equatoria state leaving at least three people dead and two others wounded.

Ikotos commissioner Joseph Loholong Jenisio had fled into hiding after being allegedly threatened by the army commander there said the situation is back to calm and said plans are underway to hold a meeting with the leadership of the army to bring the culprits to justice.

“The situation normalized when the intervention (army) arrived and all the citizens have come back to their houses. We requested the forces from Juba and they have arrived on the ground,” he said, according to Radio Tamazuj.

“We are preparing to have a serious meeting so that we are able to get exactly what the problem was and identify those people involved,” he added.

Speaking to Sudans Post this afternoon,   Yakani who is the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) he is concerned by the clashes and urged the army leadership to promote disciplines among soldiers to avoid random clashes.

“CEPO seriously is disturbed with new developing trend of SSPDF clashing with civilian population that leads normally to loss of lives. The leadership of SSPDF need to ensure that discipline is promoted among the soldiers in their relation with civilian population through total observation of soldiers’ adherence to the principle of civil rule,” he said.

“CEPO would like to urge the civilians to respect the army and deal with the army in respective manner. These we are kissing big number of our population due to senseless armed violence,” he added.