Machar’s party ‘extremely shocked’ by Kajo-keji killings

JUBA, FEBRUARY 5^th 2023 (SUDANS POST) – South Sudan’s main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has condemned last week’s killing in Kajo-keji County in which at least 21 innocent civilians were killed by suspected cattle herders.

In a statement, the SPLM-IO in Central Equatoria state said it is extremely shocked by the killing and said that more than 40 innocent civilians have been killed this week alone.

“The members of the SPLM.IO in Central Equatoria are extremely shocked by the level of persistent killing that is taking place within the state, while the state government keeps on giving empty promises to address the matter. This week alone we have lost more than 40 innocent civilians to the hands of these armed tribal militias in the cover of cattle herders,” the statement said.

“On the 24^th January 2023, about 3 citizens were killed while 10 were taken alive and their fate is yet questionable to date in Mukaya Payam of Lainya County. On the 31 January 2023, more than 12 people were slaughtered in Mangala Payam of Juba County, while yesterday the 2nd of February 2023 the armed militia under cover of cattle herders killed 23 civilians in Kajo Keji county of Central Equatoria 22 men and a woman,” the statement added.

The statement said the group “condemn in the strongest term possible the immune and barbaric unlawful act of the militia under cover of cattle herders. It’s perplexing that the Kajo-Keji incident happened when a delegation from Jonglei and central Equatoria were in Kajokeji to discuss on the possible ways forward, unfortunately after the incident of the indiscriminate killing, this delegation quit Kajokeji for Juba prompting questions if really this delegation was there for peace to exist in Kajokeji. And this signifies lack of commitment to lasting solution on the situation in question.”

“We the members of the SPLM.IO in CES are deeply saddened with the intentional act of murder of your citizen at your watch. We are still asking you to do something to save our lovely citizens of CES. This State where you are ruling now is our ancestral land. Therefore, you the ruler have the rights to protect it even with the last drop of your blood, we do not see the reason why our people continue to die at the hands of our neighbors whose administration have equal status with yours in CES.

“We call upon the central Equatoria state government to immediately evacuate all these cattle’s herders for peace to reign in the state. We hope you will listen and act in order to save your jurisdictional boundaries.”