Gov’t failure to prescribe remedy for intra-ethnic crimes to blame for escalating violence – Yakani

JUBA, JANUARY 24^th 2023 (SUDANS POST) – Prominent South Sudan activist Edmund Yakani has condemned, in a statement extended to Sudans Post this evening, the killing of at least 25 cows by armed men in Kajo-Keji County of Central Equatoria State.

The community of Kuku said in a statement yesterday that their youth have decided to kill the cows to revenge for the killing of their chief who was shot dead by suspected cattle herders from Jonglei state less than two weeks ago without government intervention despite outcry.

Yakani who is also the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) condemned the killing of the cows and blamed the government for its failure to address intra-ethnic disputes which he said are taking South Sudan to an all-out ethnic violence.

“CEPO is absolutely disturbed with the growing deadly violence among our communities across the country. The incident trending on social media is clear demonstration of the government leaders at state and national level on prevention of deadly violence among our communities,” he said.

“When the chief of Magatore Boma of Liwolo was murdered, we condemned and urging the relevant government to urgent intervene and hold the perpetrators accountable. Now the government failure resulted this killing of 25 cattle by the community protection forces of Liwolo Payam,” he added.

The strong-worded statement further “condemned the actions killing the cattle. All these violent incidents were triggered by the state and national governments weakness and lack of political commitment for concrete mitigation of the frictions among the rival communities in the country.”

Yakani when on to decry the trend in which communities have to set up defense forces in absent of government protection and urged the to step in, further stressing that the formation of armed ethnic groups undermine stability and sovereign of the law.

“The trend of communities turning to establish community defense forces is clear constitutional weakness of the government in  provide rule of law and respect of human rights,” he said.

“Growing absence of effective public governance and enforcement of rule of law has made the conflicting communities undermine the constitutional obligations of the government in providing individual and community safety and security,” he added.

The prominent activist further stressed that “This deadly violences in the wake of Pope Francis’ visit is totally bad and still the situation of the proxy wars in some parts of Upper Nile state are likely to take palace per the movement of the militants groups observed by CEPO early warning system.”

“While it is true that there is a strong government in Juba, incidences in Kajo-Keji, Mangala, Gumuruk, Duk, Nyirol, and some parts of Upper Nile state is demonstrating a growing break down of the social fabric among communities’ local communities and their respective governments,” Yakani stressed.

The statement further “urged president to direct central Equatoria and Jonglei state governors to resolved the violence in Kajo-Keji and encourage the immediately implementation of the presidential order o return of cattle to their original lands.”