Violence and insecurity in Mangala Payam of Juba County, Central Equatoria State, has forced at least 3,000 people to flee their homes, a community leader said.
The situation went out of hand on Saturday last week when Mangala youth clashed with Jonglei cattle keepers. An unknown number of people were killed in the fighting.
Pio Tombe Tongun, Head Chief of Mangala Payam, Radio Tamazuj on Monday that the exodus started when fighting broke out in Mangala Payam, saying the displaced families are currently living under trees amid a lack of food and other basic needs.
“Approximately 3,000 people have been displaced. But we want to go back to confirm the exact number of the people who are there,” he said.
“There is a Boma called Nyuwa, where people have been displaced. So they are already there under trees, elderly people, women and children,” Chief Tongun added.
According to the community leader, the conflict-displaced people are from Joaki, Logo, Tibari and Mankaraniere bamas.
Chief Tongun said the situation of the people displaced by the clashes last week remains dire. He called on the government to address the persistent conflicts between cattle herders and host communities in Central Equatoria State.
“I would like our government to intervene. It is good that we have three levels of government. We have local government; we have Central Equatoria state government. We have the national government, so all of them are here in Juba. Let them cooperate as a government because of the suffering of those people,” he stressed.
For his part, Juba County Commissioner Charles Joseph Wani condemned the fighting between the host community of Mangala Payam and the cattle herders from Jonglei State.
“I condemn all these atrocities happening in Mangala in the strong terms possible. And I wish all levels of government to intervene to stop whatever is taking place in Mangala because it is really killing innocent civilians,” Wani concluded.
Source: Radio Tamazuj