Western powers urge gov’t to address ‘underlying causes’ of Kajo-keji violence

JUBA, FEBRUARY 7^TH 2023 (SUDANS POST) – The Troika countries (United States, Norway and Britain) on Monday expressed concerns over the killing of 27 people in Kajo-keji County of Central Equatoria state and called on the government in Juba to address the underlying causes of the escalating violence.

Last week, suspected rebels belonging to the National Salvation Front (NAS) led by General Thomas Cirilo Swaka attacked Jonglei state cattle herders in Kajo-keji killing at least six of them.

The herders responded, but by attacking villagers killing 21 innocent civilians. The killing took place on February 2, 2023, just a day before Pope Francis arrived in the country for a three-day peace mission in which he called on South Sudanese to forgive each other.

In a statement, the Troika expressed its condolences and urged the transitional government to identify the culprit and bring them to justice.

 

“We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims. We call on the transitional government to urgently identify and hold accountable those responsible for these deaths,” they said in the statement extended to Sudans Post.

The Western powers further called on South Sudanese to resolve their differences peacefully and for the leaders to address the root cause of the conflict in order to address it.

“Leaders need to act to address the underlying causes of this violence to prevent further loss of life. We call on all South Sudanese groups and communities to resolve their differences peacefully,” they said in the statement.