By Hou Akot Hou
At least two people succumbed to injuries sustained from a fight between Dinka Malual and Rezigat nomads in two separate incidences.
The incidents occurred on Wednesday last week, at Kiir-Adem border point in Aweil North County of Northern Bahr El Gazal state.
Secretary of Dinka Malual Peace committee, Majok Deng Akuacdit, based in Gok-Machar disclosed to this publication on phone.
He said that tense relationships developed between the nomads and farmers as the Rezigat are in process of moving back to their places of origin, in Sudan.
Akuacdit said that in the first incident, an old man identified as Juac Deng Juac, while tilling his farm at Kiir-Adem payam at the border point, was attacked by a nomad.
“They found him cultivating and there were about three nomads who were driving their cattle into the farm. When Juac Deng asked them why they drove their cattle into the farm, they gave harsh responses and then altercation ensued” said Akuacdit
The nomads clumped the farmer with wood and he later succumbed to the injuries.
“They hit him in the head with a thick wood, and he fainted and died afterwards. Also, his daughter harmed one of the nomads with a knife on a finger before her father died,” he explained.
According to Akuacdit, the nomad who killed the farmer is being detained at Gok-machar while getting treatment.
The peace committee secretary revealed that the second case unfolded between a Dinka Malual farmer, Mou Thiep Diing who fought with the nomads as well.
“There is a local pub along Kiir river where they used to drink, he struck an Arab nomad with a thick stick and he was stabbed with a knife and he died as he succumbed to injuries, so these are the incidents that unfolded at the border points” he noted.
Akuacdit said that Dinka Malual-Rezigat peace committees are looking into the developments that are unfolding, in order to find a solution.
According to Akuacdit, the altercations between Dinka Malual farmers and the nomads is due to drought as a result of delayed rains. He said the nomads are not moving back as agreed to, in agreements that have been inked before, by the two communities. The agreement states that nomads return in mid of June and come on Jan. 15, so that fights never occur between them and the farmers.
The Secretary to Dinka Malual Peace Committee urges residents to exercise restraint, as the nomads are almost returning to their areas of origin.