South Sudan parliament summons officials over deadly cattle raids in Magwi County

JUBA – South Sudan’s transitional parliament is summoning the ministers of interior and defense, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), and other officials to address escalating insecurity in Magwi County of the country’s Eastern Equatoria State.

The escalating insecurity includes deadly cattle raids and displacement, First Deputy Speaker Oyet Nathaniel said.

Speaking to journalists on Monday in Juba, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Oyet Nathaniel said the situation in Magwi County had become critical and required urgent intervention from security agencies and emphasized the parliament’s concern.

“We cannot sit and watch chaos, [a] crisis at our backyard involving loss of lives and property of our citizens,” he said.

The move follows recent violence in the area, including cattle raids that left more than 40 people dead and more than 40 injured, according to Deng Dau Deng, chairperson of the Greater Bor parliamentary caucus.

Deng said the number of cattle raided was also substantial, though a precise figure was not yet available.

Lawmakers representing communities in Jonglei and Magwi counties are also scheduled to meet to discuss the ongoing conflict and seek peaceful resolutions. Oyet stressed the importance of these discussions.

“The purpose of engagement with the different stakeholders and the leaders is actually to bring all the stakeholders on board,” he said.

He also highlighted the crucial role of the MPs representing the affected communities in finding solutions and preventing further escalation.

The Greater Bor parliamentary caucus recently met with Oyet to discuss the deteriorating security situation along the Juba-Nimule Road, where cattle raids have been reported.

Deng said that meeting led to the decision to call for a broader discussion with relevant government ministries.

“So, we agreed tentatively that we will arrange the meeting with concerned national ministries, the Ministry of Defence, Interior, Ministry of Humanitarian, Ministry of Health, so that the current situation is addressed urgently and quickly,” Deng explained.

He added that the meeting would include leaders from various caucuses and would also invite the governors of Eastern Equatoria and Jonglei states.

The goal, he said, is to “look for ways and means to be able to address this amicably as the national leaders of this country.”

Deng appealed to the leadership of the National Assembly to act swiftly to prevent further escalation of the violence in Eastern Equatoria.

The renewed violence comes despite previous presidential orders for cattle herders and their livestock to leave Greater Equatoria.

Resolutions from the eighth governance forum, which also called for the evacuation of cattle herders and their livestock, as well as any reinforcements, have also gone unimplemented, Deng noted.