Kiir urged to intervene in Leer violence

JUBA – Youth activists from Unity State have called on the presidency to urgently intervene and quell the ongoing deadly fighting in southern parts of the oil-rich state.

Ruot Nyiliel James, youth activist said she is deeply saddened by ongoing violence and human rights violations in Leer County.

“Our people in Leer are dying, our people in Unity State are dying and our commissioner is not saying anything, our governor is not saying anything and South Sudan in general is silence. If we people of Unity State or Leer County are not part of this country then we should be told where we should be sent to,” Nyiliel told Sudans Post during the protest at national parliament in Juba this morning.

Armed men suspected to have come from the neighboring areas, reportedly attacked Leer, burned villages, looted properties, and displaced thousands in several villages.

Several sources with direct knowledge of the conflict said the violence begun after Koch County commissioner sent a group of SSPDF soldiers and local militias to go and release a group a group of armed criminals who were apprehended by the police in Mayendit after they attempted to raid cattle.

Nyiliel called on national government to intervene and address the ongoing fighting in Leer.

“We are here today to say that we need leaders who are here to bring peace and not leaders who are coming here to kill us. The bloodshed in Leer County is enough. The bloodshed in Unity State is enough. We are calling for the President to relieve the governor of Unity State from his position, if the president really wants peace and if he really loves the citizens of this country,” she said.

“To all South Sudanese, today is Unity State, today is Leer County but you don’t know where it will be tomorrow. Don’t sleep, houses have been burnt down and NGOs offices have been burnt down and staff killed.”

Laurence Chang, youth activist called on President Kiir to form a committee to probe killing in Leer County.

“We don’t need any more war in South Sudan. We need total peace, and we want the president to intervene in every corner of the country and to ensure that whatever that are happening any corner of this country will be dealt with,” Chang said.

Anna Nyankuete, who hailed from Leer County, accused Unity State Governor, Joseph Nyuen Monytuil for being behind the killing in Leer County.

“Today we cry in grieve, we cry with our heartfelt with a lot of distress. What do we do when our own leaders can’t show up for us? And why does our Unity State leaders have to go and look at dusty on somebody’s eye yet his own eyes is not clean,” Nyankuete said.

“Why does our governor of Unity State go to solve problems of another place and yet his own house is dirty. What kind of leader is that? What kind of leader is determined by cleaning other places yet his own place is not clean,” Nyankuete added.