Sherkat’s Killing of Innocent Civilians is a Litmus Test for Justice in South Sudan

By Ayuen John, Kampala Uganda      

Thursday, June 11, 2020 (PW) — It has been a week plus since the episode of Shirekat Fatal shooting and massacres of innocent unarmed civilians by President Salva Kiir Mayardit step-son, and others relatives who applied state apparatus and killed their comrades after the news about passing on of the killer (Lual-Marine) who was admitted at Aspen hospital brusquely after incident.

The killing has prompted protests for Justice in the capital Juba and across the Counties of Jonglei state in Upper Nile Region. The incident that was triggered by (Lual-Marine), the killer intention tograbs public toilet and a graveyard or cemetery space located next to Bor or Jonglei state Bus station in Shirekat neighborhoodended with the deaths of nine peoples and scores injured.        

In flashback, the massacres was executed by the army officer in South Sudan Peoples Defence Force (SSPDF/formerly SPLA), specifically in the presidential protection Unit (Tiger Battalion) identified as Lual Akook Wol Kiir, commonly known as Lual-Marine, who’s President Salva Kiir’s step-son, or (distant relative and nephew as per scapegoat descriptions).  

Indeed, Killer (Lual-Marine) murder civilians together with his six heavily armed bodyguards who are alleged to be in military prison by now.    

Shortly after Shirekat Massacres President Salva Kiir, formed seven members committee tasked with all constitutional powers to investigates the killing and report back to president office within one week. The committee was mandated with all powersof leaving no stone unturned during investigations. Your Excellency, Forming a committee to investigate Shirekat incident is a right move at a right place.      

My dear Country Men and Women, Shirekat Massacres will be a litmus test and experiment for examining application of Justice and Injustice in South Sudan. Although, it is the first time for the president relatives (step-son) with undoubted identifications to participated direct in murdering of civilians in abroad day light, a show that was witnessed by hundreds of thousands of peoples especially Shirekat residents.

The death of civilians in Shirekat is not longer unknown gunmen, it’s now a known gunmen. Mr. President, What will prevent Justice or how will injustice come in? 

Mind you my dear countrymen and women shirekat incident has already gripped the ears and eyes of foreign diplomats, United Nations, laws agencies and Human Rights institutions in the country and abroad. The killing was tiled by the present ofsenior army generals including military chiefs from the various army units who visits the scene of deaths shortly after killing.Therefore, whatever those generals have seen, and whatever they have heard from eyewitness will speaks and truths will come out frankly.  

The killing is the litmus test and it will be experiment for the relevance of Justice and rule of Law by the government of South Sudan specifically the office of president to either go with lawand Justice as per the constitution or to forego the truths with all proven evidences and consent to impunity and Injustice on the case of Shirekat victims in favor of his relatives and denied visible Justice for Shirekat Victims. Albeit. 

Your Excellency, President Salva Kiir Mayardit, and the seven members committee, indeed the trouble causer Lual Akook Wol Kiir aka Lual Marine is dead and his single life is not worth then numerous souls of the blameless victims who just perished for unknown crime rather than nepotism and land grabbing. The peaceful quest for Justices by families of eight deceases and several others who sustained bullets, knifes and machetes injuries is thicker and it will be thicker than your blood relations with culprits.

In addition, your constitutional oath as a head of state is a symbol of truths and Justice. Be mindful that South Sudanese and the world at large are watching and monitoring Shirekat Massacres closely in order to experiment the transparency of Justice by aloof regime whether to followJustice or Injustice?    

“Justice delayed is a Justice denied”.          

Justice is core of healing wounds, and Justice serves everyone regardless of where they belong and who they are? Justice goes for the rightful victims while Injustice & punishment goes for those who are guilty of their wrongs doing regardless of their family backgrounds or relationship.        

Moreover, several Committees were formed to investigate all forms of wrongs doing in regards to massacres and murders within the country and up to date no results or findings of the previous assigned committee that have been made public about the deaths of those victims and who killed them.      

It will be shameful if Committee was forms just for a diversion of people’s attention so that the protesters who took to the streets of Shirikat and also in the streets of Jonglei state protesting for the Justice of victims should be calms as a mean of ending the already quelled protests. If so then your veiled plan will be useless and disgraceful in making.         

Protests are the mean for expressing angers and demands in the modern world of today. These pieces of writing represent the view for millions of voiceless citizens countrywide; first and foremost let the president and investigation committee be aware that the world is a global village and anything hidden can be forecasted in obscurity.      

The best example of quest for Justice is the ongoing protests that spark United State of America (USA) about the death of black man known as George Floyd who was murdered by police in inhuman manner. Moreover, if Single life can sparks wider protests within US and across Europe. What about eight peopleswho’s their souls were sent to hell by your relatives? In my view, applications of Justice will heal the wounds and thorns about the deaths of unarmed civilians.  

last but not the least, It is painful and it will be distressing to the families of fallen victims and the rightful helpless South Sudanese peoples to see the narrative of shirekat mass shooting being diverted and roofed in bogus fiction depraved reality of the incident to a false account.

Yes, the killer (Lual-Marine) belong to his family, clan, community or president office, but his crimes and wrongdoing cannot be covered-up by changing the reality to the phony stories, creating situation that does not exit, publishing accusations on names that has no connection to shirekat incident is worthless.  

The brazenly press statement circulating and roaming on social media alleged to have been written by the family and beneficiaries of the ruling class claiming that their son was attacks in his compound doesn’t holds water, but a lie in abroad day light. 

Simple Mathematic How can unarm civilians attacked heavily armed notorious officer in the company of six bodyguards? I urged those individuals to use their common sense before the propagate unfound statement. Nevertheless, manipulation, misinterpretation, intimidation and unfound accusations by shameless relatives and clansmen of Lual Marine (killer) are just a cover-up and clear sign of hijacking Justice before the completion of investigation.  

In addition, Shirekat massacres remain massacres whether Justice or Injustice Prevails, the shooting will remain in the archives of injustice likes several other already incidences committed countrywide. Propagandists shouldn’t change the version and the motive of killing; Shirekat killing is being alleged in most forums as a rebellion, weird. How can a fights and struggle to protect public toilet and cemetery from a land grabber be a rebellion? How can you call peoples demanding Justice as rebel? 

Let the essayist of circulating press revisited their sanity. You have no case and nobody will buy your cheap and unrealistic propaganda on shirekat mass killing.  The fact remain that your sons, relatives killed eight civilians because of Public toilet and graveyard or cemetery. The culprit was not attacked in his houses as being alleged. Let propagandists Checks their sources once more.               

In conclusion, even though there are cipher hint of biasness and regional imbalance about the selection of the recent formed seven members committee which has tasked to investigate Shirekat fatal shooting. There is still hope for Justice but not Injustice.       

The dominants of seven members committee are brothers and in-laws of the Murder (Lual Akook Wol Kiir aka Lual Marine).  It’s only the recent appointed chief of South Sudan Peoples Defense force (SSPDF) Gen. Johnson Juma Okot, who is not a relative of a killer.  Logically anybody from Jonglei State and Warrap state deserved not to be in the committee. 

Rationally the committee is being dominated by Bar el Gazel it is only one Equatoria out of six. The seven members committee is regionally imbalance. The entire Upper Nile region which has gravely lost eight peoples and ten more nursing bullets injuries as a result of Shirekat fatal shooting have zero members in the investigation committee. Any way let waits for the results of investigation committee whether the result will produce Justice or Injustice.                          

The views expressed in this column are solely of the writer, who’s a concerned citizen and he can be reached for comment and input at ayuenjohn2050@gmail.com

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