By Bida Elly David
The governor of Central Equatoria State has declared forceful eviction of cattle herders who turned deaf ears to the seventy-two hours orders of cattle evacuation from the State and warned hold out groups against recent attacks of innocent civilians along highways and bushes across the State.
Speaking to the media yesterday, Emmanuel Adil Anthony, the governor of Central Equatoria State said that majority of cattle herders and rebels are still hanging in some parts of Central Equatoria State bushes mistreating host communities as well as causing unrest to the people.
He said that continuous jeopardy of the security situation along high-ways annexing Juba-Nimule, Yei Morobo, Juba-Maridi and Mangala have been cruising due to random ambushes carried by the rebel groups and the herders looting and killing people for reasons best known to them.
Governor Adil said that the availability of the hold-out groups and the herders in the bushes is still leaving many citizens to live in fear and panic as most of them settle to promote farming activities for subsistence and petty commercial use.
Adil reiterated that the state had granted numerous compromises to the cattle herders thinking that they would refrain from their evil acts but transformation has never been realized saying that they hesitated why they had granted permission to them.
He revealed that the recommendations from the governor’s forum urged the hold out groups especially the non-signatories of South Sudan opposition groups (NSSOG) to show commitment to peace, respect the secession of hostilities.
“The governors’ forum recommended that the hold out groups who call themselves now non signatories of South Sudan opposition groups (NSSOG) which previously were (SOMA) to stop ambushes and causing mayhem (fear) to our population. Because of the non-adherence and lack of commitment by NSSOG or formerly SOMA to the peace agreement and all the parameters reached in Rome, the President of South Sudan suspended all the peace initiatives. And we as the government support the decision of the President because the State is equally affected,” he said.
Governor Adil echoed that Central Equatoria State has lost lives of its people leaving others displaced and malnourished from the tyranny of the crooks, thus it is time to act without fear or favor.
“We are affected by the activities of the holdout groups and the herders which are mainly ambushes. The NSSGO what is formerly known as SOMA has been disturbing the Juba-Mundri Road which is a public road that is for the movement of people, their services and goods. They several times attacked vehicles and civilians and this practice must be stopped,” he said.
He further warned citizens for random littering of the town saying that punitive measures would be executed on any one who shall be caught in the act.
He finally called on the opposition groups to refrain from the tendency of attacking citizens and wear the jacket of peace for a successful Country.