By Bida Elly David
The Transitional National Legislative Assembly (T-NLA) on Wednesday resolved to summon the Ministers of Interior, Defense and National Security to explain reasons behind the rampant insecurity in some States across the Country.
The law makers also sought to find avenues through which the tragedies would be mitigated.
This came after a motion was presented by one of the legislators concerning rampant attacks and killing in Lokiliri Payam of Central Equatoria State.
The motion comes also on the backdrop of deadly violence that rocks Upper Nile and parts of Jonglei, Unity, and Eastern Equatoria Sate where many lost lives and others displaced without government intervention.
Despite efforts by state governors, insecurity posed by tribal militia, unknown gunmen and cattle herders and rebel activities remain the biggest concern for the civil population in the country
On the 11.11.2022, a number of attacks was executed by cattle herding criminals at Lokiliri Payam of Central Equatoria State. The attack on unarmed farming communities of the above mentioned payam was led by ruthless and unruly cattle herders from the neighboring Jonglei State causing horror and panic among the natives. Eight people were killed at Ngerjebe Boma of Lokiliri Payam.
The brutal attacks also led to displacement of 320 persons within the payam while 500 people including primary eight candidates were pushed out from their villages and currently camping in one of the schools at Nesitu along Juba-Nimule highway.
The August house calls on the government to forcefully evict the cattle keepers causing insecurity in most parts across the Country especially Lokiliri, Lirya, Mangala and Lobonok among others; suggesting that they should be done with immediate effect.
Speaking during the parliamentary ordinary sitting yesterday, Jackline Benjamin faulted the authority for having failed to empirically take security measures to arrest the humoring perpetrators in the Country thus saying that the parliament had the mandate to exercise their role through summon of the concerned sectors to the matter.
She urged the government through the parliament to seriously investigate the incident that led to the murder of the eight people in Lokiliri and other parts of South Sudan saying that the perpetrators should not be compromised like before but rather to be brought to books.
“No matter which state you come from, there must be respect of one’s lives especially the lives and the properties of people as a way of maintaining peace and security. The behavior of the cattle keepers committing atrocities across the Country must be condemned by the August house since it undermines peace and security in South Sudan,” she said.
At the same juncture, the parliament also directed the government to ensure that looted properties of the natives should immediately be compensated and learners should commence studies.
However, the August house suggested that a neutral committee should be formed to carry the investigation of the incidents and report to the parliament in the interval of two weeks equivalent.