Hiyala communities agree to cooperate with police
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The Hiyala communities in Eastern Equatoria State have agreed to cooperate with organized forces to end rampant insecurity in the area.
This came after Governor Louis Lobong Lojore visited the area over the weekend and met with communities over the rampant criminal activities in the area.
The communities complained over the protracted insecurity in the area and urged the government to deploy police in the area.
The representatives from the villages of Haforiere, Tirangore, Mura-Hatiha, Hiyala, Loguruny, and Iloli submitted their declaration to the Governor at a meeting held in New Kenya-Tirangore on Sunday.
The communities agreed that the State government must use whatever means available to tackle the rampant criminality among the youth in Hiyala Payam.
They resolved that any village commits a crime, the criminal will be arrested through the help of Chiefs and Monyomiji and his property confiscated, as a deterrent measure.
They also resolved no village should harbour criminals, but rather they help the government to identify the criminals, his house, and property for the government to enforce the rule of law.
“If forces are sent to an area to enforce the rule of law, and the locals shoot at the soldiers, then that would be considered an act of aggression on the Government, hence that particular village will be burnt down,” the resolution read in part.
The delegates agreed that any village that commits robbery or killings on the road that passes through its territory will face dire consequences. That they must at all times produce the criminals and hand them to the Government.
Governor Lobong said the Hiyala Payam conflict has led to the loss of many lives and thousands of cattle raided.
He called on the political leaders and intellectuals of Hiyala Payam to reign on their people to denounce violence and to co-exist peacefully.
Hiyala Payam, located east of the State capital, Torit has been rocked by inter-village revenge and counter-revenge attacks for nearly 16 years now.
The state government has promised to establish community policing in all 6 villages to take charge of the security of the area, in collaboration with the Police.
