"We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing" By Konstantin Josef Jireček, a Czech historian, diplomat and slavist.
November 24, 2015 (SSB) – Residents of Nimule had their morning breakfast interrupted at 7:25am when sporadic gunshots sent shocking waves across the border town but normalcy is now restored, officials say.
The shooting started in Abila suburb and children from Loqilili primary school had to disperse in panic. Soldiers from the Tiger battalion, the troops from the Presidential unit guarding the strategic border town, were involved in a shootout with unknown gunmen. It is not clear who the armed men were but residents give contradicting accounts of the event.
“We were just starting our first lessons when soldiers started shooting into the forest and our teachers told us to leave school immediately,” said one student from Loqillili, identifying herself as Monica in a telephone interview with SSB.
Another Nimule resident, Ajang Mike, said the soldiers mistook some armed residents clearing the forest for new settlement for unknown gunmen.
“These armed men did not return fire but ran towards Nimule town,” said Mike, speaking to SSB from the scene of the shooting.
“The soldiers were on routine patrol when they saw the armed men in the forest and open fire on them. No one is injured,” Mike added.
Government officials at custom offices told workers to close offices and the town remained locked down most of Tuesday morning.
Nimule is the main gateway to South Sudan from Uganda and Kenya and customs revenues from Nimule account for 80% of national non-oil revenues.
PaanLuel Wël is a South Sudanese blogger, writer and media entrepreneur who runs a popular online media platform called PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd, a news website that covers various topics related to South Sudan and the world. PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd is a website that covers news, opinions, analysis, history, culture and literature of South Sudan and the world. It was founded in 2011 by PaanLuel Wël and a group of South Sudanese bloggers and writers who wanted to create a platform for free expression and constructive dialogue. The website features articles from various contributors, including columnists, commentators, poets, authors, activists and academics. PaanLuel Wël, one of the most influential and respected voices in the South Sudanese media landscape, is a proud son of South Sudan who strives to contribute to the development and prosperity of his country and people. He is passionate about promoting the values of democracy, human rights, peace and development in South Sudan and beyond. He believes that media can play a vital role in informing, educating and empowering the people to participate in nation-building and social transformation. He also believes that media can foster a culture of dialogue, tolerance and diversity among different communities and groups. He is an advocate for freedom of expression and access to information as fundamental rights for all citizens. PaanLuel Wël hopes to inspire and mentor the next generation of South Sudanese writers and journalists.