Forced eviction of Northern Bahr el Ghazal vegetable sellers leads to destruction of goods

JUBA – Local vegetable sellers in Aweil Town, who rely on selling local produce like pumpkins, okra, and onions, have been resentful since Monday and Tuesday when orders were issued to relocate them to another site.

The sellers say the eviction left them dumbfounded as their goods were thrown into disarray, including into water zones. Anonymous sources, fearing reprisal from the police, said the eviction was harsh.

“The police stormed our places where we sell vegetables,” said Mary, not her real name. “The officers didn’t give us enough time to relocate. They threw things at random. And we are here to help little children.”

She appealed to authorities to be lenient and slow in implementing the order, saying the timeframe given was insufficient as most people didn’t get enough information.

Another seller, Elizabeth, not her real name, accused the government of not showing empathy for their situation as vulnerable people.

“These people in the South Sudanese government are doing bewildering things,” she questioned. “They tell people to be resilient, and we embark on that in the face of economic challenges. They stir other problems. What kind of nation is this?”

Ms. Elizabeth accused authorities of having whisked away one of their colleagues for investigation, for defying orders.

In response, Mr. Joseph Yach Deg, the town mayor of Aweil Town, said the accusations or claims by the vegetable sellers are unfounded.

“How can we destroy their things? These are the people we are serving. We appreciate their great work. What we are doing and saying is that they cannot be allowed to operate on the highway despite the flooding in most parts of the town. They can go to where we think is good for them to do business,” he said.

Yach said they were implementing orders that were declared before. He said some people try to twist the information and spread lies about the government, which is serving them diligently.

“Our forces cannot attempt to throw away their produce, and we are working to identify those who do such acts,” he said.

Local residents are being urged to produce goods for both subsistence and commercial purposes.