Killing of unarmed civilians in South Sudan is disgraceful act on SSPDF

By Atem Garang DeKuek, Juba, South Sudan

(1) What occurred today Wednesday, the third of June 2020, in Shirikat, Juba; where five innocent civilians were butchered and seven others were seriously wounded; this act, is dreadful, heinous and barbaric in essence, magnitude and effect. This reveals the nature of heartlessness and cowardice attitude of the executors. 

(2) This heinous crime, I do here condemn it, in the most strongest terms, and urge the government of South Sudan to speed up the legal procedures and persecute those heartless killers. 

(3) The killers, of whom seven are confirmed to have been  arrest, are said to be SSPDF soldiers, whom were commanded by a senior army officer, Colonel Lual Akook Wol. This force been commanded by this senior officer, constitutes and licenses the fact that the crime was committed by SSPDF!

Thus, this assumption invites and generates some basic questions: 

A) Who approved the fleet and movement of the vehicles used in the  mobility and attack on unarmed civilians in Shirikat?

B) Who authorized the number of personnel  or the force that to execute the mission and under command of what rank? 

C) Who issued the military equipment to be used in the accomplishment of the mission (weapons, ammunition, uniforms etc..)?

D) What was the purpose and nature of the mission (where and who was the identified enemy of the republic of South Sudan  that was to challenged by militarily force and not by a competent police force)? 

E) Who gave the final orders to the commander, of this force to massacre these unarmed civilians (to kill and incapacitate) the perceived enemy of the nation)? 

F) At the end of the mission, however, as a military tradition and routine, the commander of the mission that executed the orders, must report back to his/her superior commander; did the commanding officer of those killers reported back for debriefing of the execution of the mission!

(G) What is the essence, psychological and  sociological of the SSPDF military doctrine that is inculcated  into the minds and physic of the ranks and files of their personnel, that produces such brute commanders and savage soldiers?

4. My message to the residents of Shirikat, Juba, I stand with you, and do understand the trauma that has been forcefully inflicted on you and your children by this disgraceful act of the SSPDF. Whom are the people that they defend? 

5. To Greater Bor residents of Shirikat, whom are the majority, who come from my political constituency, I have this to say:

A. seven of the killers are confirmed to be already under arrest in military HQs, Giada, as well as their commander, whom is reported to be under detention in (Aspen Hospital) in Juba, where he is receiving mysterious medical care!  Anyway, we will establish the truthfulness of that report on Thursday forth, June, 2020.

B. That as your representatives, we have to approach this problem, through three approaches and phases, whether it was accidental or intentionally orchestrated:

I. The leadership of Greater Bor community in Juba, and other leaders of the residents of Shirikat, had  approached and appealed to the residents there, to be calm and patient. The leadership was engaged in talks also, with the national concerned authority. The Community leadership has confirmed that seven of the killers had been arrested and that their commander is under detention in Aspen Hospital. This approach, which is phase one, is aimed to reduce the tension between the residents of Shirikat and the huge security forces, which have been, unnecessary, sent and deployed in the area.

II. The second approach, is that the lawyers and human rights activists from South Sudan in general and those from Greater Bor in particular, should follow the legal procedures and processes in observing law and order in this case; and 

III. If all the above approaches and procedures, are hindered or forestalled by any political powers in the  country, we the Politicians and representatives of Greater Bor and others, will take the issue from there. It is not a trivial issue!
Let us aspire for Justice and defeat Impunity in our country. 

‘Don’t put your eggs in one basket’.

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