South Sudan tribal Crisis: Parliament breaks apart in the wake of Dinka/Nuer vs Bari Land Dispute in Juba
13 min readSouth Sudan Tribal in the Capital city: Culprits Captured
The people behind Komiru insecurity that sparks on the 3rd and continued for three days were captured as investigation is underway, the Deputy Minister of Interior in the National Government Salva Mathok disclosed to the e National Legislative Assembly. Among the captured culprits is Corporal Thon Chol Kot and Sgt. Louis Benjamin Wani whose ID card CA. 0284 felt down in the battle block of 107 in Gudele.
Mathok said that the arrest of the two soldiers who were identified to be from Sudan People Liberation Army has indicated that some individuals within the National forces are involved in fueling the crisis and claimed lives of innocent civilians in Komiru village.
Mathok said Thon Chol Kot was captured with ak47 rifle number 1-332117337 he said that some individuals’ names are reported including Members of the National parliament, but he noted that all the reports will be determined by the ongoing investigation.
He said that apart from block 107 and Kemiru incidents on the Sunday 4th march 2012 a police CID Sgt. James Ali shot dead military intelligence officer 1st Lt. Zakaria Malok in Kotor area and run away till now not captured. And that on sixth march 2012 morning a group appeared in Gudele area and Jabel Dinka using Toyota pickup (white) and armed some with old police uniforms and others civilians. They shot and burned the houses; one car was later identified as a CDF car which was given to Mps in 2009.
“For all this crisis the ministry interior and ministry of National security have mobilized all forces, resources and put them under central Equatoria command to uses them to contain this security situation” Mathok reiterated. He said that on the seventh there were groups of people moving with motor cycles and cars inside the town shooting randomly and run away leaving citizens of town with panic.
Mathok continued that the area of block 107 was negotiated by settlers with Bari community and it was given. And that it was surveyed and allotment was mandated people built their houses. Later again a given group of the Bari community went to Juba county commissioner and area was denounced again to be demolished. And that it was the main cause of the Komiru clashes which claimed lives of innocent people of the women and children became the victims of situation.
The deputy Minister of Interior said that the issue it’s not between Bari community with other communities in Komiru and 107 was a confusion made by individual and wrong elements that entered to use it to achieve their dirty policies. He said that the use of land is Central Equatoria State is causing insecurity in state. He said that not all Bari People poses land because some of Bari citizens sleep under trees no land for them.
“We are working had to trace all the criminals and make sure that they are arrested and face justice” Mathok was quoted. He said that the Ministry of Interior and National Security is addressing the issue of soldiers who are subjected to eviction while defending the Nation. He said that other states has offered land to the soldiers and urged the Government of the CES to allocate land to the organized forces.
He encourage the idea of the Parliament for Summoning the Ministers and Government of CES to address in the Issues in the National Parliament he said there are committees in the august house for particular specialization which are to exhaust any issue before presenting to the Assembly for deliberation
He said that on 4th of March, 2012 Sunday at around 12:00hrs mid-night some residents on block 107 of Muniki move into areas of Komiru and Joba and warning with threats to fight if their houses are to be demolished. He said that Saturday 3th on march 2012 when he minster got the reports of the demolition with threats he gave advice to the start authorities to stop this until Monday 5th of march 2012 to be finalized to avoid causing insecurity at the end, that it need to be addressed peacefully.
He said that in the morning of Sunday 4th march 2012 a group came from the side of Komiru and attacked the settlers that result in the wounding a small child which died in juba teaching hospital on 5th march 2012. In the same day Komiru village burned down and it was believed to be settlers from act as revenge all to be determined by investigation.
And that on the 5th of March, 2012 a group came in the morning and attacked the settlers in the same area and fight took place. Our forces in the area were reinforced and when they followed the attackers they found bodies on the ground 8 bodies in number two small children, three women, three men. This include 9 others with guns wounds, the dead bodies and wounded were taken to juba teaching hospital and case reported to western police station
http://www.groundreport.com/Business/South-Sudan-Tribal-in-the-Capital-city-Culprits-Ca/2944708
South Sudan tribal Crisis: Parliament breaks apart
By Joseph Edward
The Komiru insecurity that sparks on the 3rd and continued for three days has made the MPs in the National Assembly to break in to tribal bases. A motion tabled table by Hon. Paul Yoani Bonju last week to Assembly has sparked chaos among Parliamentarians, as the Mps looked at the Komiru incident on tribal bases, the Mps were expressing emotions on support of their communities instead of the focusing for immediate solution, the Speaker of the Assembly James Wani Igga urged the Governor of Central Equatoria State, the Defense and the Interior Ministers in the National Government, the Commissioner of Juba County and the state Minister of the Physical infrastructure in Central Equatoria to appear to the Parliament on 12th to answer question on land management and insecurity in Komiru.
Hon. David Okuara appealed to the Mps to discuss the matter on national responsibility not on emotions or tribal base. He urged the MPs to come with immediate solution to resolve and put an end to the Komiru crisis. “We must make sure that investigation is carried out and culprits are trialed” David told the Parliament. And he asked the Parliament to give time for the Ministry of Interior to carry out the investigation. Other Mps said refused that Komiru crisis is not a National concern.
The motion called for continues demolition exercise as planed not only in Komiru area, but in any shanty area within the state territory to root out the squatters and the has urged immediate support to the bereaved families, whose houses or properties are burnt including those forcefully displaced by the accident. The Mps also requested the Government of the Central Equatoria state (CES) and the National Government to conduct immediate and thoroughly investigation surrounding the incident and bring the culprits to book without any compromise.
The motion urged Ministers of Defense, Interior and Governor of Central Equatoria State to update the Assembly on the causes of the surrounding incident. “The Komiru incident has made our enemies to laugh at us, but will prove them that Juba town and its entire indigenous inhabitants would not be part of those who believe in violence as a means of solving problems” Bonju was quoted.
The incident has claimed lives of eight civilians namely Mr. Charles Philip Abraham Batista, Martha Alexander, Rose Nene Alexander, Georgy Alexander, Lili Wausk Alexander Tereza Ikoya and one deceased who was burned and has become difficult to identify and wounded three people namely Mrs. Poni Lukak Legge, Sabry Alexander, Agrey Kiri Yontana Lako. According to the motion five locals of Komiru were put on gun points, among them are James Loro, Mathew Sokiri, Lodule Andrea Keri and the two people still go missing his/her names are not identified and an old woman Mrs. Poru Tungun Jurkin.
“The beginning of the land grabbing crisis in Komiru on the 3rd March, following an announcement made by the Chairperson of the demolition committee Central Equatoria State that the area was going to be demolished as part of reorganization of Juba town depicts a true view of a modern Capital. Hence on receiving the information, some elements within South Sudan security organs went on rampage harassing the local inhabitants by making road block barring away the local men of Komiru from entering the area and they only allowed women to enter. Around 10:00 Mp the same security group entered the area and started shooting at random causing havoc to the indigenous burning five houses to ashes” Bonju stated.
The motion stated that on 4th during morning hours the same group entered the area and started shooting randomly injuring t civilians and burning down the rest houses, the Mps said that security organs turned to kill the local population instead of harassing the demolition committee. According to the motion the victims of the incidents are mostly women and children as men were blocked from entering that area. Among the deaths, two were children, three women and three men.
The Mps also questioned the Government over security people who carry weapons on their hands. They said that Government should come with strategies whereby all weapons are kept in the warehouses and urged the Government to allocate land to the organized forces, the Mps further urged the Ministry of interior to immediately intervene to the Komiru crisis, as Central Equatoria state lack enough police to manage the capital city.
The Deputy speaker Hon. Daniel Awet urged the citizens to treat the incident as criminal case not tribal clashes. He requested the Parliament to enact laws that govern all resources of the country. He urged complete demarcation of Juba town and accused the responsible people in the Government of keeping guns in their houses. He said some people with high ranks have armed guards who are carry guns. He said that some time the body guards use the guns for different things. And he said that eighty percent of the organized forces are illiterate. He urged the people not to condemn the army, but correct them.
Meanwhile Hon. Henry Dilang Odwar blamed to the Government of been silent over the three days deadly clashes in Komiru. He accused the Mps of believing in tribalism. He said that even MPs have involved in land grabbing in Juba. And Hon. Joy Kwaje said that those people involved in the Komiru killings are criminals show the state tolerate criminal ruling. At that side Mary Kiden who closed that motion urged continues demolition. Land grabbing and cattle rustling are the most issues in South Sudan which claimed over thousands of lives since the Signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. In 2010, 600 cases were reported to South Sudan court and 30% percent of the cases were handled. Beside land grabbing in some people who are not inhabitants of Juba County have involved in illegal selling land, residents in Gudele complained.
http://www.groundreport.com/Business/South-Sudan-tribal-Crisis-Parliament-breaks-apart/2944706
Land dispute leaves over five people dead in South Sudan’s capital, Juba
March 6, 2012 (JUBA) – More than five people have been killed and more wounded over a land dispute in Juba. The incident pushed President Salva Kiir to deploy security forces to stop the violence and maintain security and calm in the South Sudan’s capital.
- Recruits for the Southern Sudan Police Service (SSPS) perform a training exercise at their academy in Rajaf, South Sudan, 7 October 2010 (UN)
The clashes erupted over two days, on Sunday and Monday, between members of the Bari community and non-Bari, particularly the Dinka and Nuer inhabitants in the capital, north of Munuki area.
Authorities say the fighting erupted when a group of armed men believed to be from the Bari community came in a pickup truck and attacked people from an area called Kamiru which is predominantly inhabited by Dinka and Nuer, accusing them of stealing their land.
This came after an argument on Sunday involving members from the Bari community, although other sources claimed that they were land officers from Central Equatoria state, and members from Nuer and Dinka communities over ownership of some plots of land in the area.
The attackers opened fire and killed a man and a child before driving off, prompting some of the inhabitants to react by attacking the homes in the neighbourhood which they suspected of belonging to the Bari community. A number of houses were burnt down, leaving at least 8 people dead.
On Tuesday, relatives of the deceased carried the dead bodies to the South Sudan’s parliament and criticised the government for not responding to the incident which involved the use of firearms.
However, heavy deployment of military police around the area was witnessed by Sudan Tribunereporters on Monday.
The commissioner of Juba County, Peter Ladu Gore, while addressing the mourners on Tuesday, said the incident will be dealt with by the national government.
Speaking to the press shortly after briefing President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Tuesday about the incidents, Interior Minister Alison Manani Magaya, said Kiir had appreciated steps taken by his ministry to address the issue but directed security organisations to maintain law and order while urging the parties involving the conflict to restrain from violence.
“The police and security forces have been deployed to the site. They are in control of the situation” Magaya told reporters, while admitting that five people had been killed and 3 others had sustained serious injuries.
Magaya denied reports claiming that seven people were killed in the clash. “This is very unfortunate incident but it is not true that seven people have been killed. Our reports indicate 4 lives have been lost,” Magaya explained. Independent sources told Sudan Tribune that actually at least ten people were killed during the clashes.
Governor of Central Equatoria state, Clement Wani Konga, at the same press briefing announced that the demolition in Block 107 is suspended for a special arrangement to be carried out to relocate those who will be affected by the exercise to a new site. He called for calm and people to refrain from taking revenge between the communities.
He explained to the press that the clashes in Gudele and Kamiru village came as a result of a land dispute between some individuals of Bari community of Kamiru Village, and some soldiers displaced from New Site.
“Let us not politicise this issue. This is an administrative matter. We appeal to our people to understand our position and respond. We have stopped the demolition exercise. It will not continue,” announced Governor Konga
The incident sparked serious on air discussions on South Sudan radio on Monday and Tuesday with accusations and counter-accusations between the rival communities.
Land conflicts over Juba city has been going on for several years since the establishment of the government of South Sudan in 2005. Members of the host community, the Bari, have been since accusing inhabitants from other states of grabbing their land. They also accused them of not following the legal procedures of acquiring land through the Central Equatoria state’s ministry of physical infrastructure.
However, non-Bari residents also accuse Bari community of not behaving as if Juba is the federal capital for all South Sudanese, but treating others like aliens. They also say the state authority is deliberately refusing to process applications from citizens coming from Greater Bahr el Ghazal and Greater Upper Nile regions.
They also accuse them of allegedly targeting and demolishing homes of non-Bari which are well built, with concrete materials, when carrying out road surveys.
Bari chiefs who claim that land belongs to the community are also criticised for allocating lands and selling them to non-Bari residents only to renege on the agreements and reclaim the territory as stolen land.
The national government of South Sudan last year resolved to relocate the federal capital to Ramciel in the centre of the country, saying Juba will not unite the people of South Sudan as their national capital.
The decision to maintain Juba as the capital during the six year interim period came when a group of Bari elders and intellectuals met with the late SPLM leader, John Garang, in Nairobi before the signing of the CPA and protested against the then plan by the SPLM to move the capital to Ramciel.
The latest incident in the capital is the deadliest land dispute since 2005. Non-Bari members from other regions over the FM talk shows accused the Bari of allegedly being agitated by Khartoum to initiate insecurity in the capital as part of its agenda to destabilise South Sudan, an allegation denied by the Bari.
A member of South Sudan’s parliament, Tongun Ladu, who represents the Munuki constituency where the incident took place, was accused by the residents of inciting the violence against non-Bari at the site.
Ladu denied the accusations, saying that he just recovered from illness and could not have been involved in the violence.
However, the Bari chief in the area, who allegedly sold the plots to the non-Bari and later on reclaimed them, was reportedly arrested by the authorities.
On Tuesday, a group of people from Central Equatoria state protested in the streets of Juba and matched to the South Sudan’s parliament singing the slogans “we shall never surrender” while displaying their dead in front of the parliament building.
http://www.sudantribune.com/Land-dispute-leaves-over-five,41811
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