South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The Akobo County Commissioner, Puok Nyang Tutjiek, on Monday asked his counterparts in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area to collaborate with them to return abducted children.
“My message is to call on the national government, Jonglei State and Greater Pibor Administrative Area to make sure that laws are implemented on those who abduct children, those killing people along highways and those raiding cattle,” said Nyang on Monday in an interview.
Nyang said that Akobo County and the neighboring Greater Pibor Administrative Area, held two weeks dialogue in April 2024 aimed at reconciliation and ending fighting between the people of the two areas.
He said that they have engaged authorities in Greater Pibor including the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on the plight of the abducted children.
Jonglei authorities often blame Murle community of Greater Pibor Administrative Area of abducting children and women including raiding cattle.
“Over the weekend, some women moving with their children from Akobo to Nyandit payam in search for food were surprised by armed groups who abducted a 12 –year- old child,” said Nyang.
He said that a total of 25 children are still missing in both Akobo and Nyirol County, adding that 30 children from Murle community who had been in abduction were handed over in April, this year to authorities in Greater Pibor.
“We have records, 15 children were abducted from Nyirol County and 10 children were abducted from Akobo County. If people are in peace they have to bring the abducted children who are believed to be in Lokurmach area,” said Nyang.
