Governor Philip Aguer calls for arrest of Murle criminals
By Mach Samuel Peter, Bor, Jonglei state
These are the two pregnant sisters viciously murdered in Twic Central County and their children abducted on December 6, 2016 by Murle. The deceased were Awak Amuor Aluel and Adau Amuor Aluel RIP.
January 5, 2017 (SSB) —- For 6 years after South Sudan’s independence, peace remains hard to pin down, despite attempts by the government of Jonglei state to address the long-drawn-out violence in Jonglei State.
The gratuitous destruction and withering fighting was hypothetical to be halted by a peace agreement reach by Jonglei and Boma but some criminals wanted to prove that the agreement reached to stop child abduction; cattle raiding killing of innocent women and children at the country side is not workable.
Murle dishonored this agreement with 7 counter attacks on Bor during the month of December brutally killing 24 people, abducting 4 children and raiding more than 15,000 herds of cattle from various villages.
Unfortunately on the fourth of December while the governor and his delegation where flying from Pibor to Bor town, after signing the agreement, 17 people were brutally murdered and 12,000 herds of cattle raided in Jalle.
Continuing their criminal activities, the bandits viciously murdered two pregnant women in Twic Central County and abducted their children on the 6th of December. The two deceased women were sisters Awak Amuor Aluel and Adau Amuor Aluel.
On the same note, they attacked Jalle abducting two children and killing two women a couple of days later.
On Christmas Day attack on Bapiny village in Twic Central County left seven people murdered in cold blood and two of their children abducted.
In response to these atrocities H.E. Philip Aguer Panyang Jot the governor of Jonglei state has called for immediate arrest of these bandits. He said the criminals will never get away whatsoever. The governor and his administration have been at forefront in restoring peace and stability in Jonglei state since his appointment by the president of the republic Gen Salva Kiir Mayardit.
But governor Philip found that the conflict in Jonglei State had deepens roots. During the twentieth century, the proliferation of guns, the commercialization of cattle and rising bride prices made cattle raiding more violent and more lucrative. Customary mechanisms for addressing cattle raiding became less effective as governance systems changed and respect for traditional leadership declined.
“Government of Jonglei state has taken up resolutions related to services, security, protection, justice, accountability and monitoring of cattle raiding and the criminals who perpetrated these evil acts must be arrested, investigated and brought to book, return all properties looted, including cattle and other valuables to rightful owners,” Governor Philip said.
The 12 peace conferences held and dishonored by Murle in span of 52 years were; Bor Conference of 1962, Pibor Conference of 1975, Gadiang Conference of 1981, Liliir Conference of 2001, Boma Conference of 10th March 2004, Anyidi Conference on 20th March 2004, Bor Town Conference (November 2005), Gumuruk Conference in 2006, The Jonglei Reconciliation and Peace Conference (2011), Gumuruk Conference 19th August 2016, Bor Conference 20th September, and the latest was Pibor Conference 1st -4th December in which his Excellency the governor of Jonglei State Philip Aguer Panyang Jot signed an agreement with his counterpart Baba Medan Konyi to curtail cattle raiding, child abduction and killing.
Mach Samuel Peter is a journalist. He can be reached via machsamuelpeter@gmail.com
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