When Politicians are on each other’s neck, Gelweng hype their revenge killings
3 min readBy Mapuor Malual Manguen
The chaos and insecurity in Lakes State has reached an alarming level as Jieng National Community Leaders’ Council try to salvage methods to arrest the situation.
From 11 to 12 September, 2014, Jieng Elders held meeting with Lakes state community in Juba at Nyakouron Cultural Centre under the theme “Together we stand, divided we fall” to find answers to what should be done to end inter-clan fighting and restore peace in the state.
The meeting was well attended by National and State Legislators, elders, women, traditional leaders and youth residing in Juba.
As meeting was progressing, bad news were coming in from Rumbek. Five people were killed in Mayadh along Cueibet-Rumbek Road when the car they were traveling in was ambushed and sprayed with bullets by suspected local youth of the area in what could be a revenge of their kin killed earlier by youth from Rumbek North.
The incident ignited chaos and panic in Rumbek town and Pachong where relatives of the deceased reside. Three army officers who were enroute to Warrap suffered the same fate at Pachong not on their line of duty but, from intersectional vendetta killings.
The upsurge of crises in Lakes state is a headache to many citizens of this country including the author of this article but, to some elitist politicians from the State; it is bait for cheap politicking.
In Nyakouron for instance, while Jieng elders consistently directed participants to stick to agenda of finding route causes and solutions for Lakes state crises, some MPs were making noise on calling for removal of Caretaker Governor, Matur Chut Dhuol because he did not roll out red carpet for them when they visited Rumbek last July.
This is cheap politics or tag of war if you like which I believe cannot address any crises.
Already, different groups have fronted candidates for Governorship to replace incumbent Governor putting the public at electioneering mood for nothing.
This is what I stated in my previous article that Lakes state politicians are largely united in their call for Matur Chut’s removal but would be divided on who should replace him.
The crises in Lakes state should no longer be seen through lenses of mere communal conflicts. Elements of politics have encouraged in. I am afraid when politicians are on each other’s neck in Juba or Rumbek, the local youth known as Gelweng would hype inter-clan and intersection fights.
This is a questionable coincident if at all there were no political motivations behind the scenes!
If otherwise, a solution to Lakes state crises should include punishing those who might be using Gelweng as tool for settling their political interest.
The author lives in Juba. He can be reached at mapuormalual@yahoo.com
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