South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"

By Simon Deng
The chairperson of the Bor community, Angok Gordon Kuol, has urged the transitional government of national unity to initiate speedy investigations into the recent massacre of 41 Bor community members in Nyolo village of Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria state.
“We call upon the government of South Sudan to launch immediate and thorough investigations into this horrific incident. Those responsible must be swiftly brought to justice, so that such barbaric acts never occur again,” said Kuol during press conference held at Bor Community Youth Association complex in Juba.
Kuol urged the Bor cattle herders to remain calm and refrain from retaliatory attacks on the local community in Magwi County.
He asked the national and international humanitarian agencies to provide urgent assistance to the wounded and grieving families.
Kuol also called on the unidentified attackers on the four cattle camps in Magwi County to cease from further hostilities.
On January 31, fighting broke out between pastoralists and settled communities in Agoro, Chomboro, Obama and Ayiii villages in and around Magwi County, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said in a statement on Sunday.
Those killed included women, children and the elderly people.
Kuol claimed that members of his community were attacked by a combined force comprising youth mobilized by the government of Eastern Equatoria State, the Equatoria Protection Army and National Salvation Front rebels.
“To our surprise, the attack was launched when the cattle herders were moving out of the area, following the directives from the Governor of Eastern Equatoria State, Louis Lobong Lojore, and the Commissioner of Magwi County, Olum Pole Pole Ataruk,”said Kuol.
Kuol added that the attackers looted livestock, leaving many affected families in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
“We unequivocally condemn this heinous crime in the strongest terms possible. The loss of innocent lives is a tragedy that should check the conscience of every South Sudanese,” he said
Elia John Ahaji, the Minister of Information and Communication in Eastern Equatoria State, said the attacks on the cattle camps were not ordered by Olum Pole Pole Ataruk, the Commissioner of Magwi County and Louis Lobong Lojore, Governor of Eastern Equatoria State.
“I was surprised to learn with shock that some individuals started implicating the Commissioner and the state government of instigating the attacks. The Commissioner of Magwi County and the State government security committee were sent earlier to the cattle herders to tell them to vacate the area,” said John.
“When somebody is sent to give an early warning sign, how can you implicate that individual? Yes, the Governor went and told the cattle herders that there are some wrong elements moving in the forest and advised them to shift away from the targeted cattle camp by the wrong elements,” he added.