Bor youth form vigilantism saying gov’t has failed to protect civilians

JUBA – Young men in South Sudan’s Jonglei state’s Bor have formed vigilantism to provide security to the citizens of the area, accusing the government of President Salva Kiir of failing to provide security to the civil population there.

This comes after a group of armed criminals from neighboring Greater Pibor Administrative Area attacked an area in Jonglei last month killing more than 30 people and wounding several others including children and women.

In an interview with the independent Radio Tamazuj, Lual Alier Lual, a youth leader in Bor said the new armed group will provide security to the citizens of the area saying the government and the army in Juba have failed to provide security.

“What happened to the people of Baidit is very sad. So the youth formed this group to go to their Payams to protect the people. We are not going to the Murle land but to protect the land of Bor and Jonglei state from the Murle criminals,” he said.

“We are not against the government of South Sudan but we do not want to see our people dying when we can protect them. If the government can deploy security forces between Jonglei State and Pibor, no youth will think of a cattle raid because the government will intervene,” he said.