The latest news about Lou Nuer and Murle attack!

Please read the latest news about Lou Nuer and Murle community posted on Sudantribune --
By Philip Thon Aleu

April 18, 2009 (BOR) — Murle armed men attacked seven locations in Akobo County today Saturday killing 14 people and wounding 25 others, area Member of Parliament said.

Based on a report he received from Akobo Commissioner Doyak Chol Dhol, Hon. James Ruot, told the Sudan Tribune at his home in Bor Town that Burkamal, Chiban, Chikol, Kony, Kueychar, Ubor and Wit areas came under heavy attacks from Murle tribesmen this morning.

Thirteen (13) people died in Kueychar alone and one other person wounded transferred to Kueychar health center from other areas later died. Six people are wounded in Kueychar and 19 others from the other six locations – summing wounded persons to 25.

No causalities could be confirmed from Burkamal to Wit due to inaccessibility, Hon. Ruot said. There is no information available from attackers (Murle) side. The situation is still tense “because Murle are still moving around and attacks are expected anytime”.

This contest in Akobo, a Lou-Nuer County, comes exactly a month after Lou-Nuer launched a retaliatory attack on Murle destroying Likuangule – Pibor County’s largest town. A disputed 750 people died on both sides but Lou-Nuer Youth Association officially puts the figure at 457 including 203 from their villages’ youths.

Two weeks ago, Bor and Murle rustlers contested at Mach-abol leaving nearly hundred dead. Officials from both sides, who are shy when it comes to media, have refused to disclose the real causalities in that fight. The situation is also tense.

Hon. Ruot said the South Sudan army in Akobo areas folded their arms as the clashes progress between Murle and residents there today.

"There are SPLA (Sudan People’s Liberation Army) forces in the area but they are just keeping quiet. They don’t want to respond," he said when asked what measures authorities there has taken.

NEW DIMENSION OF CONFLICTS

Unlike previous cattle-related contests, today fighting in Akobo County happen when cattle camps are still in Toch (grazing-swampy area between rivers), Hon. Ruot said in what appears to be a new dimension of Jonglei tribal conflicts. He further said only elderly people; women and children are being slaughtered there.

"There are no cattle in that place but they (Murle) are not revenging…because this is their work. They use to abduct children," he said adding "but the crisis will not stop with arms at the hand of local people."

"We cannot blame the Government of Jonglei State for illegal arms possession or slow disarmament because the army is under the power of GOSS (Government of Southern Sudan)," he underscored.

He also appealed to Juba government to disarm the Murle saying "Lou-Nuer was disarmed in 2006."

Speaker Jodi Jonglei Boyoris, who comes from Pibor county, the homeland of Murle told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday in exclusive interview that tribal clashes have already taken a new trend "because it has never happened that towns are attacked by rustlers," he said in reference to Likuangule raid by Lou-Nuer last month. He accused intellectuals of supporting tribal conflicts without mentioning any leader in particular.

Hon. Ruot agrees: "local people told us when we visited them (in Lou areas) that helicopters land in Murle areas. Those planes come from this direction (pointing to the north) but we don’t know what they bring. This conflict will continue unless people are disarmed."

Speaking nervously, Ruot says: "If we talk like this (in the media), Government thinks we are joking but things are good in the ground," he warned. This also indicates that there is an external hand in Jonglei conflicts specially the sources of rounds use to feed 47RKL common in the hands of civilians, he pointed out.

Jonglei authorities are pressing hard government of Southern Sudan to allow forceful disarmament since "it is better to kill few and serve many," Hussein Mar, the deputy governor told visiting UNICEF officials on here Thursday.

(ST)