Kiir urged to ‘urgently intervene’ in ongoing Pochalla County violence

JUBA, OCTOBER 15, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – A South Sudan civil society activist is appealing to President Salva Kiir Mayardit to urgently intervene in the ongoing conflict between locals and the national army in Pochalla County of Greater Pibor administrative Area (GPAA).

Speaking to Sudans Post last week, GPAA information minister Kelang Jiji and Pochalla County Commission Simon Ochalla said that fighting between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and armed civilians there had resumed after two weeks of break.

In a statement today, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) Edmund Yakani condemned the violence and urged the SSPDF and the local civilians to use peaceful means to address grievances.

“CEPO strongly condemns the resumption of deadly violence between the armed youth and SSPDF in Pochalla County in Greater Pibor Administrative Area. This deadly violence is observed with silence from the national government,” Yakani said in the statement he extended to Sudans Post.

“We urge the conflicting parties in Pochalla county to cease violence with immediate effect and opt to use dialogue for resolving differences,” the activist added.

Yakani further called on the presidency to intervene urgently in order to end bloodshed in the eastern South Sudan region.

“The president should really intervene urgently over the ongoing violence in Pochalla county. It time for the political leadership in Juba to take serious steps to prevent the renewal of the deadly communal violence in Pochalla county without any delay,” Yakani said.

“This violence is sending destructive message to the rest of the country,” he warned.