Kiir urged to dissolve Abyei-Twic committee after renewed deadly clash

JUBA – A community leader of the Ngok Dinka of the disputed Abyei Administrative Area is appealing to President Salva Kiir to dissolve the investigation committee formed by the president earlier this year to investigate the Ngok-Twic Dinka conflict.

In February, deadly clashes erupted between youths from the Ngok Dinka of Abyei Administrative Area and the Twic community in Warrap State. The armed Twic youth attacked Aneet market in Abyei setting sections of it on fire and resultant fighting continued for more than ten days claiming many lives and leaving scores injured.

Kiir then weighed in and formed a committee headed by the Vice-President Hussein Abdelbaggi with the postpose to investigate and give recommendation to the president for a well-informed decision that may help end the conflict.

The committee then visited Twic and Abyei and recommended to President Salva Kiir to form a high court and a national border commission, according to Dhieu Mathok who is the secretary of the committee.

“There are so many crimes which were committed, atrocities and murderers, and looting and we thought those crimes should be dealt with through a competent court and a justice institution to address these issues,” Mathok who is also the minister of investment told Radio Tamazuj at the time.

“We believe that ministry of justice should address this, to see that a court is established and is functioning. The committee is ready to facilitate the court, to oversee its work on the ground,” the senior government official added.

Last week, renewed clashes erupted in southern Abyei after armed youth from Twic County attacked several villages killing dozens of people, sparking anger among activist and community leader, with Chol Deng, co-chair of Abyei Interim Leadership Council, calling on President Kiir to replace the committee.

“The council calls on the president of the republic to replace the committee for investigation into Aneet’s incidents with another committee capable of managing the current situation between the two sisterly communities,” Deng said in a statement.

“The council calls on the general chief of staff of South Sudan (People’s) Defense Forces to carry out an investigation with the suspected SSPDF elements of Mijak Kol Brigade involved in these attacks with a view of bringing them to book as soon as possible,” he added.