Nimule violence resumes as death toll increases

JUBA — South Sudan authorities in Nimule of the country’s Eastern Equatorial state are saying that violence between elements of the local Ma’adi community, and Jonglei state’s Bor community has resumed despite attempts by local police and SSPDF to quell it.

Violence begun on Monday morning when a group of armed youth suspected to be from Bor attacked a Ma’adi community meeting killing a community chief.

Speaking to Sudans Post this evening, a senior local administrator said violence has resumed at 4:00PM between the two local communities and efforts which begun in the morning have ended without a viable result to avoid further escalation.

“As I am speaking with you, fighting is taking place between the two communities and the attempts by the police and SSPDF soldiers to stop have not yielded any fruit and as such this is escalating further than expected,” the official who requested not to be named said.

The official further said that the security forces have been outnumbered by the rival groups and there is fear that if it intervene, it would be accused of taking sides and some officials are not good with that.

“Some of them think that if they intervene they will be marked as a party that is taking a side and that’s why they have been cautious in making sure that the two sides are separated from each other,” he said.

“So, this is the whole problem and they have started contacting the authorities in Juba to decide what they can do. But this is their mandate to protect the people in this area,” he added.

GOVERNMENT TOLD TO INTERVENE

Speaking to Sudans Post this evening, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) Edmund Yakani urged the government to intervene to prevent further escalation and to also allow UNMISS to establish temporary protection base in the area.

“Government should intervene to prevent the violence escalation among the conflicting g communities. Government should  allowing UNMISS to establish temporary protection base (TOB),” he said.

While urging the conflicting communities to abstain from violent acts which may lead to further lose of live, the activist called for justice for those killed as a result of the violence.

“CEPO is calling for Conflicting communities to abstain from violence that may lead gross human right abuses,” he said.

“Perpetrators who extrajudicially killed the chief should be arrest and trial in Nimule without any excuse and the security administration of Nimule reform,” he added.

DEATH TOLL INCREASES

Several eyewitness told Sudans Post that death told in the violence has increased to five from both sides after four people succumbed to their injuries.

“Up to now, five people including Chief John Ebele, have died after four more people succumbed to their injuries because they were wounded in the morning shooting,” one eyewitness who refused to also be identified, said.

Another eyewitness further confirmed the demise of that number and said that there is likelihood that the death toll will increase by the end of the day given the unknown number of people who were injured.

“The number of people who have been injured in the fighting since the morning is not clear because people are still fighting and no one is able to conduct research on the number of casualties,” he added.