By Bida Elly David
A civil society activist has slammed the government both at the National and State level for failing to mitigate or eradicate the recurring inter-communal and subnational violence across the Country saying the government has been defeated by armed community.
Activist criticism came following the long term on-going communal violence that has been trending reciprocating to lose of lives of many, and displacement of thousands without remedies.
Speaking to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper yesterday, Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director for Community Empowerment for progress Organization (CEPO) stated that armed communities have developed no fear to launch attacks since the government seems crippled on containing the circle of inter-communal clashes.
“The recent incident that transpired in Ngangala Payam where 11 people lost their lives and 9 others injured, 150 goats taken, three children adopted and houses burnt was a clear indication that government has been defeated by armed men since they could not quickly find ways to such tragedies that have been happening for long time now” Yakani stated.
“Previously, eleven Toposa were killed and Murle and Dinka Bor cattle herders were suspected over the act and government at the State and National Level could not find ways to resolve the matter’’ he cited.
He said that the commitment of human right atrocities by armed men has been a continuous routine that has impeded the lives of many citizens in the Country especially those caused by cattle herders.
“We have also seen incidents happening in Warrap State between the twic and the Ngok Dinka fighting among themselves and many lost lives. I feel government completely being defeated by community armed men in committing human right acts because armed men are committing human right abuse among themselves’’ He stressed.
The activist further said that cattle herders have claimed lives of many yet government has not taken serious measures towards the act.
“Armed community violence has so far claimed lives of many in Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria States, Pibor Administrative Area. My target is that government is already weak in preventing communities from committing cruel human right abuses’’ he noted.
Yakani, also criticized politicians and lawmakers for failing to address such urgent matters of public concern by pressurizing the security department.
“Politicians are only leaders in Juba since they can’t find ways to go. Armed communities are now taking charge of security and simple individuals and they can do anything that they want to because the government is really very weak” he exclaimed.
“The government and the law makers have all failed in taking action against what is happening the Country. In some communities armed people are terrorizing government’s capacity in exercising the rule of law because government is very weak in doing that to its capacity, as we speak now, Warrap is in the state of crisis especially Tonj North’’ Yakani underlined.
The CEPO’s Executive Director condemned the government on series of summons being made to governors and termed it as a passive tendency of just speaking with zero implementation.
“This culture of summoning governors to the Council of States and parliament just talking without finding solutions is no longer something that the citizens will entertain. This tendency of forming committees to investigate crisis is just a waste of time and resources’ Yakani blast the leadership.
He said the committee formed to investigate the Twic and the Ngok crisis up to now has not presented their report on the findings.