By Adia Jildo
Two people are reported to have been killed by cattle herders in Ayii, Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria State on Tuesday.
The local authorities said the cattle keepers are threatening the community which has made life unbearable for them.
According to a resident of Ayii, Okumu Mark Churuba, the incident started two days ago when the cattle keepers were returning a dead body from the cattle camp.
He said a young man identified by one name as Ojok was beaten by a cattle herder in Ayii centre.
“Yesterday morning (Tuesday), the cattle keepers started directing their cattle towards people’s homes until one police tried telling them. They surrounded the police and disarmed him,” he said.
“Two young girls had gone to the grinding mill and a young man was also beaten a day before yesterday,” he narrated.
He added that the herders abducted a ten-year-old boy and a 16-year-old mother.
The boy was later discovered by the youth of the village dead. The young woman was however not got.
“They met two young boys. One was shot dead immediately and the second one was beaten to the extent to which his teeth fell off, I don’t know how his condition is now,” he said.
Okumu said the herders dissipated the mourners during the burial of the ten-year-old boy.
“Up to now they come in large number and when people see them, they run unless there is a soldier to rescue people,” he said.
He however said there has not been any intervention from the leaders.
“Honestly living here has become terrible. Most of the people here are taking refuge. If the authorities do not take any step, people will not be living here anymore,” he called.
Patrick Ochiti Apollo, a youth leader said the residents of Ayii are afraid of what will happen if the situation is not convened to.
Ochiti said three boys who had gone to fish were attacked. One was shot, the other wounded and the other one escaped.
“They told us that they were looking for their children who had gotten lost during the clash that happened in the cattle camp and later got them. We also saw those children,” he explained.
The soldiers talked to the cattle keepers and they heard it and returned to the cattle camps.
He said the community had an argument with the cattle herders in regards to the burial of the 10-year-old boy. “Currently the villages are empty, everybody is at the barrack now and now people are running in different direction,” he explained.