Activist urges Presidency to deploy forces to end communal clashes
The Presidency has been urged to speed up deployment of the recently graduated unified forces to end the intermittent communal clashes which have intensified since December last year.
“As one of the signatory to revitalized peace agreement, I would like to take this opportunity to urge the presidency and the unified command structure leadership to have an urgent emergency meeting on the growing deadly and inhuman violence at the community and the state level,” said Edmund Yakani , the Executive of Director Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO).
He spoke to The Juba Echo in an interview on Thursday in Juba.
Yakani noted that the forces will help cover the security loopholes being exploited by criminals.
He emphasized the importance of these forces in protecting lives and properties of citizens.
“Things are running out of hand, our citizens are killing themselves as if there is no government with constitutional mandate to enforce rule of law and protection of civilians, I am appealing to the Presidency that the time has come to move beyond political statements,” said Yakani.
On December 24, violence erupted in Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) following attack by youth from neighboring Jonglei State.
The violence caused death of more than 57 people, leaving several properties in the GPAA areas of Gumruk and Lanam destroyed.
There were reported clashes between the White Army militia from Jonglei State and the indigenous Shilluk community in Upper Nile State prior to the incident in GPAA.
Elsewhere, communal c lashes also occurred in Mangala County of Central Equatoria State involving cattle herders and the indigenous Bari community.
