The Root Causes of Tonj East Inter-communal Conflict in Warrap state
By Madhieu Thiep Madhieu, Juba, South Sudan
December 4, 2015 (SSB) — Tonj east county of Warrap state was engulfed by a deadly clash that claimed the lives of 94 young men and more than 400 households were indiscriminately burnt beyond recognition. Fighting flared up between Rek sections of Ananatak and Luacjang sections on 9th Oct 2015 at 3:00pm local time and continued for three consecutive days forcing many families to flee their homes and seek refuge in bushes.
The genesis of the recent deadly confrontation, which has brought devastation and social disorder between the two sisterly communities, was wrongly reported by state government as a clashed over the ownership of small swamp called lol-lith which lies between Thiik and Luacjang. It was also alleged in some media houses that Thiik community refused Luacjang to slaughter their bull as a reception to newly appointed commissioner Hon. Biar Biar.
The same lie was again repeated on 15th Oct 2015 and I quote, ‘the two communities clashed over the ownership of a small land called Lol-lith which is the border between the two communities’’, 20 households were burnt during the inter-communal clashes between Luacjang and Thiik in Tonj east county of Warrap’’, reads the article. This was a big and shameful lie from our state authority which I considered null and void deserves to be discarded or else burry completely.
It was a surprised to see facts being buried by state government without reconsidering the repercussions that may result from act of fact denying. It is said that if conflict is mismanaged than it destroy social relationship and cause harm to the communities. The state government wanted to cover the root cause of the crises in Tonj East County with false interpretations and misleading reports instead of giving accurate information.
The recent communal conflict in Tonj East County has no any connection with Lol-lith whatsoever the case, but may be an additive to already existing factors. The conflict was triggered by the below factors, brought about by failure of state government to properly respond to premonitory signs of possible war.
First factor that spark off conflict was the appointment of current Commissioner Biar Biar who was strongly rejected and unwanted by the community of Tonj East County. Accusing him of bearing charges from Luacjang side in which had affairs with chief’s wife two years ago and the matter remain unresolved. So, people were angered when the news of his appointment reached the county, and called for his immediate removal. Moreover, many elders from Ananatak community had never kept quiet; they approached caretaker governor and advised him not to appoint Biar Biar as county commissioner, because of the recent lawsuit against him. But the governor turned a blind eye to the public outcry and proceeds with his nomination.
Secondly, the governor appoints Biar Biar as a commissioner and ordered him to go to the county. On his way to county headquarter; he was informed about a planned ambush laid by those suspected to be chief’s relatives with the intention to do harm to commissioner. Instead of reporting back to the state and reinforce himself with enough forces, he was wrongly advised to use local route and sneak to county headquarter. Which was not the best measure to take? He was supposed to pass via main route with huge force so that these plotters are apprehended.
Thirdly, the commissioner failed to apprehend a notorious ex-chief who misbehaved in the meeting .The chief uttered a bitter words and went further commanding commissioner to Lol-lith a designated place for leaders’ reception which the commissioner by pass. The chief warned of boycotting the meeting if his idea was not accepted. Misunderstanding arose among the chiefs and squabbles intensify in the meeting. The commissioner declined to arrest those chiefs on that day and meting ended with everyone growing horns. This was on 8th Oct 2015
In the evening of 8th Oct, three armed youths suspected to be members of Luacjang community came to a Village called Riau near Abyei cattle camp and raided herd of cattle and drove them back to the direction of Luacjang. On their way they met cattle owner who recognized his cows and began to enquire where they were taking his animals. Unfortunately gunshots were heard and shootings continued at dusk until one person was wounded from Thiik .They attackers fled unharmed and in the following morning, fierce fighting erupted and lasted on 10 Oct 2015 through intervention from state and national governments.
All of aforementioned points to the fact that the root causes of this inter communal conflict were not a border issue but nomination of unwanted leader by caretaker governor. The state authority doesn’t want to consider these mistakes as causes of conflict because they would be blame for the incidence. These two communities have lived and stayed for decades without fighting over lol- lith simply has nothing to fight for. So, this conflict was mainly triggered by the appointment of Biar Biar as county commissioner and failure to arrest chiefs that incite violence in the community. As we speak the county commissioner is busy collecting cows for the compensation of Governor’s that was smashed or shattered by armed youth when the driver refused to stop? Governor’ vehicle was carry ammunitions heading to the county headquarter when it fell under attack.
Fear and rumors of revival attacks from both communities is the order of the day in the county at large as we speak. Therefore, for normalcy and total serenity to return to the county, the following recommendations could be adopted;
- The current commissioner should be removed and new person with good qualities of a leadership be appointed.
- Court of law need to be established by state government as soon as possible to trial the suspects.
- State government should stop Biar Biar from collecting cows for the compensation of government car because government is for people and by people.
- Humanitarian aids is direly needed by those affected by the conflict (those whose houses are and properties looted).
The writer is a South Sudanese citizen living in Juba, South Sudan. He can be reached on madhienthiep@gmail.com
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