By Ijoo Bosco
Authorities in Eastern Equatoria State have launched an investigation into inter-communal clashes between Ibahure and Lohutok communities of Lafon County that has left two youths’ death and scores wounded.
Lafon County Commissioner Magisto Ukech said tension still remained high amongst the two communities after the communal fighting.
Mr. Magisto said the harsh environment among the sisterly communities has affected people in the area who predominantly practice agricultural activities, due to fear of attacks from both side of the area because of revenge attack practice amongst the communities.
“In the eastern part of the county especially Ibahure and Lohutok agricultural activities are affected as the result of conflict between the two communities of recent that was on the 7th of this month around 5 am to 6 am in the morning there were clashes between Ibahure and Lohutok which resulted into death of two people and leaving one wounded,” Magisto said.
The Commissioner further said that, the issues of Ibahure and Lohutok, some of them don’t even know as a new generation, citing that some of them have little knowledge about reoccurrence of conflict in the two villages.
The County authority further said that tensions between the two communities is a historical conflict, adding that it has not been the first time as there is no single year the two communities stayed without conflict due to recurring circle of revenge attacks.
He also acknowledged that, several peace dialogues and workshops have been conducted in the area to help unite and bring the communities of Ibahure and Lohutok together but all of those initiatives have yielded no fruits to date.
The chief of Ngoloro Boma also voiced a message saying according to him on the 5th they were attacks but what happened there was nobody injured and the following day again they attack them at the side of Ibahure alerting the youth to be on standby that had let to the killing and wounding of the youths in the two areas after they clashed.
Meanwhile a civil society activist in Eastern Equatoria State Oryema Emmanuel is calling upon the State government to intervene in this long-term conflict between Ibahure and Lohutok of Lopit east which has become a chronic matter.
“We are also urging our chiefs to bring the two communities for dialogue and all other leaders like youth leaders and political leaders to help bring these two communities in for the dialogue to reconcile and achieve everlasting peace,” activist Oryema said.