South Sudan activist says ‘genocide’ taking place in Abyei

JUBA – A prominent South Sudanese activist has warned of a genocide taking place in the disputed Abyei Special Administrative Area, urging the national government to take immediate measures to prevent further bloodshed.

Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), condemned in a statement to Sudans Post the multiple attacks launched on Abyei by armed youth from neighboring Warrap state and some displaced youth from Unity State.

The statement described the attacks, including one on the base of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), as a crime against humanity and underscored that a genocide is unfolding under the government’s watchful eye.

“CEPO strongly condemns the renewed deadly violence between the conflicting communities of Twic Mayardit and Abyei, aided by some violent-minded armed Nuer youth,” Yakani said in the statement. “It is disturbing and a clear act that constitutes a crime against humanity and an attack on UN peacekeeping efforts.”

“A genocide and crime against humanity are taking place in this deadly violence that has been ongoing for a long time among the sisterly communities of Twic Mayardit and Abyei, with some allies from the Armed Nuer youth,” Yakani added.

The statement called for what he described as “an aggressive response from the top leadership of the country” and the enforcement of the presidential order intended to de-escalate tensions between the Twic and Dinka Ngok communities.

“This deadly violence requires an aggressive response from the top political leadership of the country,” he stated. “The national political leadership should urgently act on preventive measures because the possibility of another deadly revenge attack taking place soon is very high and will be destructive.”

“The formation of the committee for handling the recent presidential order on Twic Mayardit-Abyei conflicting communities and some parts of Bahr el Ghazal communities needs to be formed and tasked with immediate responsibilities and duties to prevent further deadly violence and resolve the grievances of the conflicting communities through dialogue,” he stressed.

The statement further called on President Salva Kiir to take an aggressive strategy for preventing the deadly violence and enforce the mechanism for justice and accountability for the atrocities committed by the conflicting communities’ ringleaders.

On Saturday morning, armed youth suspected to have come from Warrap State allegedly joined up with collaborators from Unity State and attacked Abyei town and other areas, killing at least 43 people, including a UN Ghanaian peacekeeper.