RUMBEK, South Sudan (July 28, 2024) – Four people were killed and 12 others wounded in clashes between armed youths in South Sudan’s Lakes State over the weekend, police said on Sunday.
The fighting erupted on Saturday between youths from Rumbek Central and Cueibet counties in the Relkou area, according to police spokesman Maj. Elijah Mabor Makuac. “The specific place was between Aliet and Magotic areas,” Makuac told Sudan’s Post in Rumbek on Sunday evening.
Makuac attributed the violence to a cattle raid, saying armed youths from Cueibet County stole 26 head of cattle from Rumbek Central County on Saturday afternoon. When the cattle owners pursued the stolen animals on Sunday morning, they were ambushed, leading to casualties.
The police spokesman said the security situation had since stabilized, with the wounded being evacuated to hospitals in Rumbek and Cueibet.
Makuac blamed the ongoing violence on the suspension of a disarmament program, saying a forceful approach was necessary to address the proliferation of weapons. “But peaceful disarmament was actually given a chance, and many of the armed youths managed to surrender their arms. What remains is a forceful disarmament, and this forceful disarmament needs some procedures to be taken and it needs some conditions to be met,” he said.
He emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to disarmament, considering the wider issue of weapon proliferation in the region. “You know very well, the proliferation of arms is not only in the hands of the people of Lakes State but also other neighboring states. It needs a proper mechanism to be designed and then the disarmament is carried out to make sure that nobody is left vulnerable because if you disarm one side, maybe the disarmed population will remain vulnerable to other neighbors who are not disarmed,” he said.
Makuac urged residents to prioritize agriculture to mitigate the effects of anticipated food shortages due to flooding and rising food prices. “Let us return to peace simply because we are fighting many fronts. We are expecting much flooding this year and that flood will cause serious hunger. I am urging everybody to remain in peace and concentrate on agricultural farming such that we fight hunger coming year. Everybody is well aware that the fluctuation of the dollar has become an issue of which no single citizen is able to afford market prices all over South Sudan. So, I urge our people in Lakes State to embark on agriculture to combat hunger,” he said.
Dr. Terran Madit Terran from Rumbek State Hospital confirmed receiving two patients with gunshot wounds from the clashes.
Daniel Laat Kon, coordinator for the civil society organization Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) in Lakes State, condemned the violence and called on authorities to apprehend the perpetrators. “Because when you see isolated attacks happening here and there because of firearms, it means the retaliation will continue, and this cattle raiding and cattle theft, camp’s attacks will bring people back into the conflicts,” Kon said.
CEPO urged the state government to intervene and bring the perpetrators to justice to deter future attacks.
