Toposa, Turkana border clashes renew old tension

JUBA – A decade-old border conflict between the Toposa community of   Kapoeta East County in Eastern Equatoria State and the Turkana ethnic group of Kenya is renewing fear among communities at the borders.

The tensions are attributed to an inter-communal fight that broke out on August 9, Monday, between Toposa and Turkana, which left two people dead.

The fighting erupted at Mogila Mountain where the Toposa herders normally graze their cattle close to Turkana cattle camp.

According to the Commissioner of Kapoeta East County Abdalla Loken, two people were killed in the Toposa’s side while another was injured.

He said although the fighting had stopped, the tension between the two communities was still very high.

“There is a problem between the two communities because the Turkana came and entered into Toposa side claiming that the area belongs to Kenya territory [and] that is how they started fighting near Jebel Mogila,” Abdalla told City Review in a telephone interview.

‘‘…as I talk [to you] there is no more fighting in the area. The youth of Toposa have gone to search for those who are still missing,” he said.

Abdalla appealed to the two communities to come together and maintain stability at the border.

“South Sudan and Kenya are sister countries and Kenya is our neighbor. There is no need to fight ourselves.”

Cypriano Lobui Lomong, Ndapal Payam Administrator, confirmed the fighting but said no cattle had been raided from each community.

He said the numbers of casualties were not known as people still to reach out to the area.

The two bordering communities have been involved in a prolonged conflict caused by cattle raiding and border dispute over water sources near Mogila Jebel that falls along the border between South Sudan and Kenya.

Past clashes

In 2009, the Kenyan government raised security concerns over the borders particularly along Nadapal-Lokichoggio road as well as at Mogilia Jebel and Losolia hills.

This culminated in a joint ministerial meeting held on August 13, 2009, in Nairobi, Kenya to help the two countries quell intermittent clashes.

But on Wednesday, the Youth of Toposa petitioned President Salva Kiir over what they described as encroachment, annexation, and occupation of Kapoeta territory, particularly the former Kapoeta East County—now called Losolia and Kauto—by the government of Kenya.

In the petition seen by the City Review, the youth recommended that a temporary border post at Nadapal established by Kenya’s Authority in 2009 taken to Lokichoggo within the shortest time adding the Kenyan authorities had violated resolution number two of the August 2009 meeting.

They also requested the case to be referred to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, if the Kenyan government fails to adhere to the 2009 resolution.

The Toposa community also appealed to the government to deploy soldiers at Lokichoggio, Loole, Namerikinyang; Newsite, and Nadapal.

In their recommendation, they said the construction of the road funded by the World Bank in Kenya should end at Lokichoggio before proceeding to Nakodo.