Press Release From LOU COMMUNITY PEACE COUNCIL

LOU COMMUNITY PEACE COUNCIL

Date 2/01/09

PRESS RELEASE

MURLE ARMED MILITIA ATTACKED LOU NUER VILLAGES KILLING 28 PEOPLE WOUNDING MANY OTHERS AND STEALING 5,600 CATTLE


1. On January 28th and 30th, armed Murle Militia launched three consecutive armed raids against Lou Nuer villages of Nyan-ngic, Pieri and Tiam in Jonglei State. Thirty (30) people were killed, many more wounded and 5,600 cattle stolen by the attackers who were in full military uniform.

2. Prior to these raids, in December 2008, the Murle had attacked two villages of Akobo County killing four (4) people and stealing 400 herds of cattle. This happened even at the time when the Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan H.E Dr. Riek Machar, together with Presidential Peace Advisor Major-General Ismail Konyi and the Speaker of Jonglei State Assembly Hon. Jude Jonglei were celebrating Christmas in Pibor, the administrative HQ of the Murle.

3. In 2006, the Lou community was disarmed by the Government and lives and property were lost in the process. This happened in Uror and Nyirol Counties; while in Akobo County the citizens voluntarily handed in their guns to the SPLA in compliance with GoSS policy. Disarmament of the civilian population was undertaken then as the only effective means of restoring peace and security of the people and their property in their state. It still remains the only viable means of ensuring security among the communities in the South.

4. The Murle Community which is notorious for raiding and abduction of children and women of other communities in the state were not disarmed. They have therefore continued to be the primary cause of insecurity in Jonglei State. They are heavily armed in such a way that the SPLA forces in the state cannot dare to confront them!!

5. Voluntary disarmament in the state has failed to guarantee security for the citizens of state. The only viable option now is mandatory disarmament of all the communities to be carried out by the SPLA as a general policy.

6. If GoSS does not take steps to disarm the Murle, then the only option is for all the communities to acquire guns for their defence and of course there will be no need to have a state government anymore.

OUR APPEAL TO GOSS AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT

a. There should be mandatory disarmament of all Citizens in the State. This should start with the Murle who are committing atrocities against other communities and abducting children with utmost impunity.

b. More SPLA forces should be deployed in the state to carry out mandatory disarmament of the civil population. If this is not done quickly Jonglei will certainly descend into total chaos.

c. The SPLA Division 8 in the State lacks effective and committed command. There is need to deploy a more responsive and conscious command that can address the problem of insecurity.

d. The Law enforcement agencies in state should be strengthened. The Police in the State needs training and armament.

e. The presence of the Judiciary in State is very thin. There is need to post qualified judicial person to the different Counties of the State.

f. Work on the two security roads in the State i.e. Bor – Pibor – Pochalla and Ayod – Waat – Akobo should be expedited and complete before the coming of the rainy season. This will help the movement of security forces in the State.

g. All the children and women abducted and cattle looted should be accounted for by those involved.

h. Provision of emergency food relief to Uror, Nyirol and Akobo Counties to rescue the people from imminent starvation as they have lost most of their cattle.

Signed by:
Gabriel Yoal Dok
Chairman, Lou Community Council
Member of the Council of State representing Jonglei State