By Bida Elly David
Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ conference (SSSCBC) have condemned the homicide in Kajo-Keji County and the cross-border conflict in South Sudan border town of Nadapal bordering Kenya saying that the acts are inhuman and deserve apprehension of perpetrators to face justice.
Speaking to the Media Yesterday, Archbishop Dr. Stephen Martin Ameyo the representatives of the SSSCBC said that the conflict between host communities and the herders has escalated insecurities and created trauma on the people.
He said that the continuous conflict driven by cattle raid has made many innocent citizens to lose their lives as many were displaced to unknown destinations.
Ameyo said that Pope Francis and his Counterparts were saddened to hear the brutal homicide that left more than twenty souls dead.
“The three churchmen were aware of the information that came from Kajo-Keji and they were very saddened with the wanton killing of the innocent people” he said.
Bishop Ameyo further slammed the authority against slow implementation of the orders as the herding terror continuous to take out lives of many across the Country.
He said that killings are still going and the murderers are not yet apprehended by the authority.
“It seems there was the movement of the herders towards the direction of their own localities but still it is stalled for what no one knows. Especially in Central Equatoria, these killers are not yet apprehended” he said.
He encouraged the government to take its own responsibility saying silence may mean standing in support of killing the innocent people.
“Always we are saddened when people are killed and people keep silent because the responsibility of the security is on the government. The protection of the people is on the government and the government should be the first to come out and see what had happened” he said.
Ameyo reiterated that the brutal conflict between host communities and the pastoralists generated some years where president Kiir ordered cattle eviction but later on turned down.
“Since 2017 the question of this friction between the herders and the farmers has been going until President Salva Kiir made a decree that all the herders should take their cows to their locality but to our surprise, there is no step taken” he added.
Ameyo said that the Church demand for immediate eviction of all herdsmen with all their cattle to their places of origin to quell the devastating situation that has made the Country shaken and broken apart.
He added that the Bishop’s conference also resolved serious steps to be taken against killers of the more than 21 civilians in Kajo-Keji.
“We the Catholic bishops ask the government of South Sudan to take serious steps to apprehend the killers and put them to law. No killing is justifiable” he said
He also called on the government to immediately resolve the conflict between the Youth of Nadapal and the Turkana bordering Kenya noting that the border issues are hard to undertake.
He finally said that many citizens still live in panic as the security situation remain trending and dangerous thus much effort is needed.