By Emelda Siama John
At least eight people have been killed in the recent border clash between South Sudan and neighboring Republic of Kenya, the local authority in Kapoeta East County of Eastern Equatoria State has confirmed.
The commissioner of Kapoeta East, Abdallah Angelo Lokeno told No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper on Phone yesterday that two people were injured including a Custom police officer who sustained serious injuries while in his office.
“You know here, because people are fighting in separate places, eight people died in different roads and two injured. One of our soldiers, belonging to custom police was shot in his office,” Abdallah said.
He however urged the people to calm down as the authority look in to the matter.
“My message is; people should do everything with patience,” he said.
Early this week, a furious fight related to cross-border cattle raid erupted between Toposa tribesmen of South Sudan and Turkana tribesmen of Kenya after Turkana west authorities with Kenyan Minister of Interior made a claim that Nadapal including, Lockichoggio are part of Kenya territory.
Commissioner Angelo Lokeno urged the Government to take those people back to their original borders so that each and everyone knows his\her place.
He added that border communal fighting is cross-cutting matter because the Kenyan alleged that where Toposa cattle grazed is part of their soil.
“The issue is a cross-cutting matter, to Kenyan it is because it’s a part of their border and grasses that Toposa cattle grazed doesn’t belong to Toposa and if Toposa want to go there they must have papers – which means Nadapal and Lockichoggio belong to Kenya,” he explained.
Kapoeta East Commissioner claimed that he prevented the community from taking law into their hands but his Kenyan counterpart failed to play his role.
Meanwhile, South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Lul Rai Koang, when contacted about the cross-border fight, said that his office was not aware of the dispute that took place in Nadapal.
He said he doesn’t have any idea of the clashes and hence no SSPDF forces were dispatched to Nadapal to rescue the civilians.
“I have been entitled to talk with the commander of the area but he is totally off, we stopped at the clashes that erupted, but since then up to date, I have not been able to know, so I don’t have any information completely,” he said.
However, the Governor of Eastern Equatoria state Louis Lobong Lojore recently said Lokichoggio is South Sudan’s border with Kenya and that no inch of the territory will be taken by anyone.
He spoke while addressing the members of the Toposa community in Nadapal and Narus, following serious encroachment by the Kenyans into South Sudan.
Early this week, Kenya’s Interior Cabinet Secretary (Minister) Prof. Kindiki Kithure and Turkana Governor Jeremiah Napotikan made serious claims that their borders are at Nakodok, just few minutes’ walk from the town of Narus.
This pronouncement by the Kenyan official angered the Toposa youth, who took to the streets condemning, what they termed as “provocation” by Kindiki and Napotikan.
In their claims, Kindiki and Napotikan declared mass recruitment of Kenyan youth to be deployed at Nadapal as they plan to construct the road to Nakodok.
Lobong who flew to the area last week, appealed to the Toposa youth to be calm and allow the government to take necessary measures to bring to an end the continuous boarder encroachment.
He told the Toposa community that the Committee on International Borders is doing its best to engage the neighbors to adhere to the original borders of South Sudan.
Lobong delivered a message from President Kiir to the people of Toposa, telling them to remain calm, as Juba engage Nairobi in finding an urgent amicable solution to the border issue.
Members of the Committee on International Borders say they have in their custody all the original documents showing the real borders of South Sudan.
Officials say they are keen to provide services to the border communities to prevent them from moving into the interior due to lack of basic social services at the borderlands
According to Standard Media-Kenya; leaders of Turkana County held talks with the government of Eastern Equatoria State last month following rounds of tensions at Nadapal Kenya-South Sudan border.
The commissioner of Turkana County Jacob Ouma said suspected militia shot at the security installations at Nadapal border, adding that talks were ongoing between the two neighboring countries.
By Emelda Siama John
At least eight people have been killed in the recent border clash between South Sudan and neighboring Republic of Kenya, the local authority in Kapoeta East County of Eastern Equatoria State has confirmed.
The commissioner of Kapoeta East, Abdallah Angelo Lokeno told No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper on Phone yesterday that two people were injured including a Custom police officer who sustained serious injuries while in his office.
“You know here, because people are fighting in separate places, eight people died in different roads and two injured. One of our soldiers, belonging to custom police was shot in his office,” Abdallah said.
He however urged the people to calm down as the authority look in to the matter.
“My message is; people should do everything with patience,” he said.
Early this week, a furious fight related to cross-border cattle raid erupted between Toposa tribesmen of South Sudan and Turkana tribesmen of Kenya after Turkana west authorities with Kenyan Minister of Interior made a claim that Nadapal including, Lockichoggio are part of Kenya territory.
Commissioner Angelo Lokeno urged the Government to take those people back to their original borders so that each and everyone knows his\her place.
He added that border communal fighting is cross-cutting matter because the Kenyan alleged that where Toposa cattle grazed is part of their soil.
“The issue is a cross-cutting matter, to Kenyan it is because it’s a part of their border and grasses that Toposa cattle grazed doesn’t belong to Toposa and if Toposa want to go there they must have papers – which means Nadapal and Lockichoggio belong to Kenya,” he explained.
Kapoeta East Commissioner claimed that he prevented the community from taking law into their hands but his Kenyan counterpart failed to play his role.
Meanwhile, South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Lul Rai Koang, when contacted about the cross-border fight, said that his office was not aware of the dispute that took place in Nadapal.
He said he doesn’t have any idea of the clashes and hence no SSPDF forces were dispatched to Nadapal to rescue the civilians.
“I have been entitled to talk with the commander of the area but he is totally off, we stopped at the clashes that erupted, but since then up to date, I have not been able to know, so I don’t have any information completely,” he said.
However, the Governor of Eastern Equatoria state Louis Lobong Lojore recently said Lokichoggio is South Sudan’s border with Kenya and that no inch of the territory will be taken by anyone.
He spoke while addressing the members of the Toposa community in Nadapal and Narus, following serious encroachment by the Kenyans into South Sudan.
Early this week, Kenya’s Interior Cabinet Secretary (Minister) Prof. Kindiki Kithure and Turkana Governor Jeremiah Napotikan made serious claims that their borders are at Nakodok, just few minutes’ walk from the town of Narus.
This pronouncement by the Kenyan official angered the Toposa youth, who took to the streets condemning, what they termed as “provocation” by Kindiki and Napotikan.
In their claims, Kindiki and Napotikan declared mass recruitment of Kenyan youth to be deployed at Nadapal as they plan to construct the road to Nakodok.
Lobong who flew to the area last week, appealed to the Toposa youth to be calm and allow the government to take necessary measures to bring to an end the continuous boarder encroachment.
He told the Toposa community that the Committee on International Borders is doing its best to engage the neighbors to adhere to the original borders of South Sudan.
Lobong delivered a message from President Kiir to the people of Toposa, telling them to remain calm, as Juba engage Nairobi in finding an urgent amicable solution to the border issue.
Members of the Committee on International Borders say they have in their custody all the original documents showing the real borders of South Sudan.
Officials say they are keen to provide services to the border communities to prevent them from moving into the interior due to lack of basic social services at the borderlands
According to Standard Media-Kenya; leaders of Turkana County held talks with the government of Eastern Equatoria State last month following rounds of tensions at Nadapal Kenya-South Sudan border.
The commissioner of Turkana County Jacob Ouma said suspected militia shot at the security installations at Nadapal border, adding that talks were ongoing between the two neighboring countries.