Security situation in Tonj remains ‘unpredictable’

JUBA – Authorities in Warrap State say despite relative calm after two-day deadly communal clashes, the security situation in Tonj remained “unpredictable” as tension flares among communities.

Riing Deng Ading, the Warrap State Minister of Information and Communication told City Review that the warring communities agreed to live in peace but were still exhibiting some signs of animosity.

“At the moment they have accepted to remain in peace but the situation is unpredictable because there is still tension between the communities,” Mr. Deng said.

The Minister said the clashes have so far left over 30 people dead and dozens injured. This, he said, has prompted the government to consider a massive disarmament exercise.

“The number [of people] confirmed [dead] now is 31 and 29 others were wounded. The situation is calm. The government has taken the initiative that there should be disarmament but at the moment it is not [a primary] solution [so] we decided to go for dialogue first and disarmament will be later,” Deng said.

Tonj clashes erupted on Sunday in Romathieng village—between the communities of Tonj East County and Tonj North County as well within a section of Thiik community of Tonj East.

The fighting which involved communities of Luany-Jang of Tonj East County, Lou Paher of Tonj North County as well as between Thiik communities of Tonj East came as a result of a cattle raid between three communities.

Beefing up security

Deng stressed that the state government also proposed the deployment of forces in fighting areas to control the armed youth from killing themselves.

“The situation is peaceful but there is tension still but there is no possibility of fighting again according to the commissioners of those two counties,” Deng said.

He said the Luany-Jang community lost 19 people Thiik community lost 4 persons while Lou Paher lost 4 persons during the two days of fighting. He added that 29 people had been wounded saying 15 people were from Luany Jang, 6 from Lou Paher and the Thiik community had 8 people wounded.

“It is sad news to learn about the tragic incident which had claimed several lives because thirty-one people died and twenty-nine other wounded,” Deng said on Monday.

However, according to several sources on the ground, the death tolls have risen to 45.

Deng Kok, Commissioner of Tonj East County, said the fighting in Romathieng was triggered by a group of armed youth from Lou Paher and Thiik who went and raided over 100 heard of cattle from the Luany- Jang community.

“When the cattle owners followed the raiders, they fell into an ambush and fighting started at 4 pm until late night when they could not see each other,” Kok said.

“The fighting started on Sunday last week and it resumed on Monday, August 16 where over 120 cattle were raided by the Lou Paher and Thiik armed youth from the Luany-Jang community,” he said.

Kok said Tonj East County lost three people and four were wounded on the first day of the fighting. He added that when the fighting resumed on Monday, the number of fatalities was 19 while injuries were 24.

“On the Thiik side, two persons were killed. The total number of deaths in Tonj East County reached 21 and 24 [people] had serious injuries,” he said.

Kok appealed for urgent medical attention for those who had been wounded, saying the health centers they were referred to have no medicine.

“No, they are not accessing any medical care. They were dumped at the Primary Health Care Centre in the County headquarters without any medicine. I have communicated with the Red Cross to help transfer them for further treatment,” he said.

Kok decried the security situation in the area saying the area neither has police forces nor a military barrack for South Sudan People’s Defense Forces

“The SSPDF garrison is in Thiet, five miles away from the scene and I have no police personnel to intervene. I have had only one bodyguard since I received the office in March and I have been calling on the state government to send me forces and they are not responding. This is the situation I am in,” Kok lamented.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Tonj North County Kuol Akoon confirmed four people dead on his side.

“Marial Lou Payam lost 4 people during the fight and I am still waiting for other reports because fighting is still going on since Sunday. Our intervention is to go with forces because the acting governor said he would come and meet us at Luony-Akeer over the issue,” Akon explained.

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