By Adia Jildo
A Member of the Legislative Assembly and Chairperson of the Committee on Federal Affairs, Malek Cook Dwach has denied the allegation that Juba politicians were the ones influencing youth in communal attacks in Unity State.
The Administrator of Pibor Administrative Area earlier accused prominent politicians in Juba of inciting the recent violence in the areas.
According to Lt. Gen. Kuol Deim Kuol, the politicians claimed that all the towns and villages along the boundary of the Abyei area belong to Twic County.
The conflict that claimed 18 lives including two females and a child leaving 25 others and 3 women wounded took place between the Dinka Ngok and the Twic East Community from date 10th to 16th of February 2022.
Speaking during a reconciliation dialogue between the communities of Mayiandit and Leer, Dwach said the conflict that occurred two weeks ago was due to cattle raids and boundary issues.
“That is an allegation without prove. If MPs are fueling conflict, then we could not come together and condemn the acts that are happening in our constituency,” he said.
“The main causes go back to cattle raiding that resulted to looting and the administrative issues are related to the composition of the government of IO and IG,” he stated.
He said the commissioners had no access to the other locations controlled by the other parties which might have led to the conflict.
“There are some views outside there but the dialogue has to continue until communities come to their senses for them to co-exist,” he said.
Dwach said they as politicians will bring to book those involved in the conflict accountable.
He called on authorities to form committees to investigate on the perpetrators of the conflict that happened between Mayiandit and Leer communities.
The community leader for Mayiandit county Tek Chan Nhial said presence of arms in the hands of civilians led to inter-communal conflicts and revenge killings.
“Do we have a community that goes to another country having license to buy guns? It is gotten in this country. The arms we have in the country are enough for the forces, if nothing is done at all then we are not serious,” he said.
He stated that the security arrangement should be implemented to reduce the use of arms in the hands of civilians which will reduce revenge killings and inter-communal conflicts.
“Lack of implementation, compromising peace agreement which we still fear the state of emergency helps everyone to carry a gun while implementing peace,” he said.
Nhial stated that unification of forces and disarming of the civilians would limit revenge killing, cattle raiding and robbery.
He called on the government to implement the peace agreement by unifying forces and lift the state of emergency to be able to apprehend perpetrators of conflicts and insecurity.
“The prime objective of the government is the protection of civilians and their properties. Civilians cannot protect themselves and always the criminals will get space when the peace is not implemented,” he cited.