Governor Abudhok says civilians seeking shelter at Upper Nile University compound as White Army attacks

JUBA – A large number of civilians mostly women, elderly and children, in Upper Nile State has been displaced and is seeking shelter at the compound of Upper Nile University inside Malakal tow

n, the capital of the oil-rich state, following attacks on several villages by the White Army, according to Governor Abudhok Ayang.

Speaking to Sudans Post in a phone interview from Malakal town this morning, Governor Abudhok said heavily armed members of the White Army crossed the Nile from neighboring Jonglei State and attacked Tonja where they clashed with forces of Agwelek faction led by Gen. Johnson Olony before continuing their match northward to attack other areas.

“These people who have crossed the Nile from the east to the West to go and attack the Shilluk Kingdom are White Army. They crossed through Tonja and after dispersing the forces of General Johnson Olony in Tonja, they went pushing northward until they arrived in in Adidhiang,” he said.

The governor said the attacking militia group then attacked IDPs who were seeking safety at Adidhiang after fleeing violence in Tonj. The governor said although the authorities were informed late, they were able to mobilize resources in order to evacuate the civilians and brought them to Malakal where shelter remains an issue.

“In Adidhiang, there were IDPs who fled from areas such as Tonja. We as a government, we decided to show them Adidhiang to camp there because it is the only place with higher ground because the rest of the places have been submerged by water, but when they arrived there, they were followed and attacked by the White Army,” he said.

“Because there is no network there, the government in Malakal could not be informed on time and yesterday at around four when we heard about the attack, we dispatched boats to collect them because they were being attacked by the White Army and we brought them to Malakal town,” he added.

He further said the government decided to host the displaced civilians at the Upper Nile University compound because the Malakal POC is full and cannot accommodate large number of IDPs alongside those who are already inside.

“But in Malakal town, there is no place to host these people because even the [former] POC is full and even the humanitarian organizations inside the POC said the site will not accommodate them since it is full. So as a government, we decided to accommodate them at the University of Upper Nile on temporarily basis until we find a better place for them. So, they are in the compound of the Upper Nile University,” he said.

ARMY REFUSES TO FENCE OFF WHITE ARMY ATTACKS

Governor Abudhok further said his government had requested army intervention, but was told that the SSPDF and its peace partners have no orders to face the attacking White Army despite escalation of ethnic violence in the fragile state.

“The army has no orders [from the command] to fight the White Army. They said these people (the White Army) are civilians and the army cannot fight with them,” the governor said.

“The army is a national army and they don’t want to fight with those people. They are saying that the innocent people have to defend themselves and the people of Fashoda are defending themselves that’s why they are fighting with those people,” he added.