South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The survivor of a criminal gang attack, freelance journalist Deng Machol, who works for the Associated Press (AP), has urged the government, particularly security operatives, to combat rising crime in Gumbo, Shirikat in Rejaf Payam, Juba.
Machol was attacked on Friday evening while heading home after work.
“On Friday evening, around 7 pm, I was attacked by a group of more than 10 gangsters while on my way home in Shirikat West. As I was approaching my gate, they suddenly appeared from nowhere and surrounded me, leaving me no chance to escape. They demanded that I hand over my smartphones and my Samsung tablet, which I did without resistance,” Machol told the Dawn Newspaper on Sunday in an interview.
“I believe this requires a collective effort from both the government and the community here in Shirikat to address the issue. The security forces and the community should work together to find a solution to the rising crime in this residential area, as it will not stop here,” he said.
Machol revealed that one of the gangsters urged his colleagues to stop hitting him, but another ignored the request and struck him on the head with a sharp panga. “The gangsters then fled in different directions using nearby feeder roads. I could not identify any of them because they were dressed in black clothes, and some had their faces covered,” he said.
After the attack, Machol went to the Gumbo police station to report the incident and obtained Form 8 for follow-up on the crime issue.
“The police tried to send me to Juba Teaching Hospital, but due to the severity of my injuries and the excessive bleeding, I opted to go to a local clinic in Shirikat, where my wounds were treated and stitched. I am grateful to God that my life was spared despite the heavy bleeding,” he said.
“These incidents are common in Shirikat; I am not the only one affected, as many others suffer in silence and do not know where to report. It is truly terrible, and I believe the situation is dire in Shirikat,” he added.
Machol also urged the police to make it easier to access Form 8, which is a prerequisite for receiving medical treatment, stating that obtaining the form is not practical in emergency situations. “Form 8 costs 15,000 SSP. For a vulnerable person—someone who may not have that kind of money and is injured or in need of help—it will be difficult to access medical care. I worry that we will lose more lives if the government does not address the issue of Form 8,” he said.
“I lost a lot because, in this digital world, many media professionals rely on digital tools. I used my phone for most of my activities, and now all my documents, downloaded books, and everything else are gone.”
