By William Madouk
Top two leaders of South Sudan have added their voices, calling for ceasefire and serenity among warring communities; Twic of Warrap and Ngok of Abyei.
According to office of the president, Salva Kiir Mayardit and his first deputy, Dr. Riek Machar, on Monday called for a ceasefire among the Twic-Ngok.
“The two leaders made the call during a meeting that centered on the land-related conflict between the Ngok and Twic communities,” a statement reads in part.
In the statement, the two leaders, during the Monday meeting, also discussed other issues, including the persistent subnational violence.
“H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny on Monday called for an end to the sub-national violence in parts of the country,” the statement continued.
Addressing the press after the meeting, minister of presidential affairs, Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro, said the meeting also discussed the upcoming elections, mainly funding of the electoral institutions.
Mr. Bakosoro added that meeting also hinted on Phase II of the security arrangements in accordance with the September 2018 revitalized peace agreement.
A week ago, two prominent personalities and politicians, Mr. Bona Malual and Dr. Francis Mading, appealed to the communities of Twic of Warrap and Ngok of Abyei to cease hostilities, reconcile, and embrace peace.
Dr. Mading, an Abyei intellectual, lamented that the persistent fight among the two communities has caused severe pain among peace-loving South Sudanese and beyond, adding that it has chattered the social fabric.
Also, Bona Malual, who is a veteran South Sudanese politician from Twic Mayardit County in Warrap State, said he has been monitoring the unfortunate cycle of violence with sadness and sorrow for months now.
“This is an appeal to you, Twic Mayardit community, to please disengage and put an end to any further form of violence,” said Malual.
“Wait for how the government of the Republic of South Sudan will act, especially in implementing the recent Republican orders of the president of the Republic of South Sudan of January 16, 2024, on the conflict between Twic and Ngok Dinka,” he added.
This Sunday, At least eighteen people have been killed and eighteen others wounded in a separate fresh attack in Abyei, local authorities in the Abyei Special Administrative Area (AAA) confirmed.
Mr. Bulis Koch, Abyei Information Minister, told No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper that the attack happened on Sunday at 2:00 a.m. by suspected armed youth from Warrap and Gai Machiek’s militia groups.
However, when contacted, Warrap State Minister of Information, William Wol, disputed the accusation and delinked Twic armed youth and Machiek from the said attack in the Abyei Administrative Area.
“This is not related to Warrap State, particularly Twic County. You know, even last week, they falsely warped the state over the issue of attacks within the Abyei town—this is not true,” said Wol.
He added that the counties the attacks occurred in cannot be reached by Twic armed youth due to distance.
He alleged that some Nuer armed youth allied to the Ngok were responsible, and this was after Abyei authorities wanted to apply for president by ordering them out of the Abyei box, leading to clashes.