Five dead, and houses burnt in Magwi County

Governor of Eastern Equatoria says five people have been killed and houses burnt at Abara Boma of Magwi County on Wednesday evening. Hon. Louis Lobong Lojore, in a press statement to the media, says people of Magwi County face continued harassment, fear, and killing following the continued attacks from herders in the area.

He condemns the ongoing attack on the innocent people of Magwi County, calling the cattle herders to evacuate the area immediately.

‘‘The government and people of Eastern Equatoria State condemn in the strongest terms possible this uncalled attack and killing of people in Magwi County, we call upon the cattle keepers from Jonglei to stop harassment and killing innocent people.”

 He says they should immediately return to their areas of origin in Jonglei State.

He says 10,000 people have fled the area following the two incidences and sheltering at Magwi County headquarters. He added that the security situation in Magwi is not favorable to the host community.

‘’This has created fear among the peaceful farmers of Magwi. Many displaced from their homes to Magwi Headquarters and are experiencing harsh conditions due to the merge resources and inadequate facilities in Magwi headquarters in terms of food shelter, medical care, and others’‘ said Lobong.

He also called on the national government to deploy South Sudan people’s defense forces SSPDF to intervene and rescue the situation. 

’We call upon the national government to order the South Sudan Defense Forces(SSPDF) to intervene and save the lives and properties of the people in Eastern Equatoria State and ensure the immediate return of the cattle herders to their areas of origin,’’ Lobong added.

The youth chairperson in Kit Boma Ochiti Apolo says those who have fled their homes are currently assembled at the military barrack.

“People are just here; children are crying, there is no way nothing we can do people are in the barrack right now; the soldiers are doing their work since that day when things started; they are with the community seeing way on how to help them.”

The deputy governor of Jonglei state Antipas Nyok Kucha says they condemn the attack and have asked cattle keepers to leave the area as soon as possible.

“ We don’t like the clashes between our cattle keepers and host communities at Magwi, we condemn it, and we have ordered our cattle camp youth to return home,” said Antipas.

Maker Malek is one of the cattle camp leaders. He says they accept the call to leave the area but ask the authorities to give them time to migrate when the rain starts, citing fear of getting thirst as they move with their cattle in the dry season.

“ We have accepted a call from our leaders and the host community to evacuate the place. The problem now is that it’s still dry season. We fear that lack of water can challenge us and our cattle. So, we are ready to leave later when rain season begins.”

On Sunday this week, suspected armed youth from Magwi launched an attack at the cattle camp in the neighborhood, leaving more than 20 dead and 23 others wounded; the fight is said to have been triggered by the issues of cows destroying farms.