In response to the tragic plight of over 10,000 innocent Equatorian civilians who were forcibly displaced from their homes in Agoro and Ayii, Magwi, for the second time in less than two years, the Equatoria People’s Army (EPA) has taken decisive action. This displacement follows a string of atrocities, including the indiscriminate shooting of civilians in Lo’bonok by the SSPDF tribal militia, and the massacres of civilians in Kajokeji, Lokiliri, Ngangalal, Wundrouba, and Jebel Ladu. These heinous acts remain fresh in the minds of Equatorians, while their perpetrators continue to evade accountability under the Juba regime.
The constant influx of heavily armed SSPDF cattle militias into Equatoria has become routine, bringing with it violence, intimidation, and the mass displacement of thousands of local residents. Faced with this escalating crisis, the EPA had no choice but to act. On Friday morning, January 31, 2025, the EPA launched a swift operation to dislodge the SSPDF forces, whom they describe as a “terrorist tribal army masquerading as cattle herders,” from Agoro and Ayii in Equatoria’s ancestral homeland.
These armed militias operate under the directive of Juba’s autocratic regime, with the aim of eradicating social groups outside their own, further cementing the state’s hegemonic tyranny. Last Saturday’s indiscriminate shooting of civilians in Lo’bonok highlights the regime’s utter disregard for human life. The SSPDF militias, wielding unrestrained and illegitimate power, act with impunity in Equatoria, violating the will and rights of its people.
The Equatoria People’s Army is committed to protecting the Equatorian people’s right to exist and safeguarding their civil, political, and human rights. The EPA has a moral obligation to resist oppression and the hegemonic actions of the Juba regime. Their goal is to end all forms of state-sponsored tyranny in Equatoria and establish a new political order founded on democracy and the prioritization of the people’s welfare.
