By Akol Madut Ngong
A Lawmaker representing Central Equatoria State in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) yesterday raised a motion over the killings in Ngangalla Boma of Liria payam for deliberations.
The motion was raised after a presentation of report by Samuel Buhori Lotti, a member of parliament in the TNLA. MP Lotti said for the last few months, the people of Eastern Equatoria and Central Equatoria states where Ngangalla falls have been subjected to invasion, killings and abduction by cattle herders from Jonglei state.
The killings related to the conflict have been reported in Lobonok payam, Mugali, Lokiliri, Bilinyang and Ngangalla being the latest to be attacked.
According to MP Lotti’s report, on the 10th June, 2022 a group of armed men identified to be criminals from Jonglei state surrounded and captured three men at a charcoal burning site, the three men were tied on the trees and tortured. He said one died due to the torture and injuries.
However, Samuel said a similar large group of men heavily armed with AK 47, PKMs and RPGs surrounded Ngangalla village of Liria Payam at 5:00 am.
He said they attacked the village resulting to the death of 9 people including 3 females. He reported that 3 children were abducted and two people were injured and others faced brutality. While on the 25th June 2022, the three children were spotted around Mogiri under the custody of men identified to be from Jonglei state.
The Lawmakers in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly however condemned the act and agreed to form a relevant committee to investigate the matter on the ground within two weeks and report back the findings on the incident.
The Chairperson of Information Committee John Agany said “killing had happened everywhere in this country, we need to work hard to summon relevant authorities to answer queries regarding the matter and if there are no changes within a given period, and we have to remove such a person including governors. This time, we regret, people are dying, killings related to cattle raiders, abduction of women and children without fluorescent reason,” MP Agany said.
“We are wondering in this country why the Presidential Decree being ignored, people are not respecting the law and order, people act brutally, even they don’t think of their nature, who created human being, so we as members of parliament condemn those crimes” MPAgany said.
On the other hand, a lawmaker representing the SPLM, Salva Mathok said crimes are emerging in every corner of the country and everybody is aware but when incident happens, people turn into politics instead of singling out a criminal.