Five killed, four wounded in revenge attack in Rumbek North

RUMBEK – At least five-armed people were killed, and four others wounded after youth from the Anin sub-section of the Pakam community of Rumbek North County fought themselves in Amer village of Rumbek Central County.

Lakes State Police spokesperson Major Elijah Mabor Makuac told Sudans Post on Friday that five people were killed and four others wounded in intra-sectional fighting between the Nielniel section of Rumbek North County.

“In fact, this morning, we received information that fighting erupted between two sub-clans of the Anin section of Rumbek North County residing here in Rumbek Central County,” he said. “The fighting took place at Amer village and spread up to Mathiang village.”

“The first information report we received was that three people were killed and three others were wounded, but in this afternoon, we received another information from our forces we sent for intervention that the death toll raised from three to five people killed and four others wounded,” he said.

“Up to now, our forces are still on the ground, and they have reported back that they have managed to disperse the warring parties. So, this is the situation right now, but as per the security situation has just returned to normal,” he added.

Makuac said the reason for the fighting was a revenge attack for someone who was shot two years ago and was under medical care all this long but unfortunately succumbed to the wound last night. After his death, his relatives immediately ran for attacks and revenge, leading to the fighting between the sub-clans of Anin.

He said his message here is that first of all, he wants to advise the people and the community members to refrain from any kind of revenge attacks.

“This revenge attack is not good, and it can take us anywhere, and we better not take any law into our own hands. We better follow the law,” he said.

“If you are convinced that someone has killed your loved ones, you better open a case to pursue the accused in court such that your right is claimed through the court,” he said.

He urged both warring sub-clans of the Anin section to remain calm and normal and let them coexist like before. He also asked the perpetrators who have killed their brothers to immediately report themselves to the government such that their case is handled by law.

Madam Angelina Adhel Malual, chairperson of the civil society network in Lakes State, said she wanted to add her voice to the incident that happened between the Rumbek North community from two fighting groups. She said this is not actually a bad nature only but it brings back the situation of Lakes State during the previous years, and now we are stable.

She said if there are people trying to bring such characters or behaviors, it is just an alert to the government in Lakes State. She said on behalf of civil society, she wants to condemn this fighting in the strongest terms possible, saying such activities should not be encouraged anymore.

“I would also like to urge the government of Lakes State. I know it is the government that takes part in everything happening wrong to come up with possible solutions to that issue. It is the governor of Lakes State to strongly add his efforts to critical decisions to act on that matter because it’s already alerting other Gelwong youth in the cattle camp and other communities and it needs to put a solution to that,” she said.

“I am urging the governor of Lakes State to actually intervene in order to let the people come into one amicable solution, and if they fought, then they should come and dialogue to discuss how they can coexist together,” she said.

She asked why the community of Rumbek, which is one community, is fighting each other. She said this needs the intellectuals and the chiefs to come together and dialogue.