Cattle keepers attack villagers and a congregation in a church in Kajo Keji

By Winnie Cirino

The Bishop of Kajokeji Diocese of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan has accused armed cattle keepers of attacking villagers in Kajokeji County’s Lire Payam. The Bishop had gone for a pastoral mission to Lire Parish two weeks ago when the attack happened.

Right Reverend Emmanuel Murye Modi, said the armed men looted an unspecified amount of money and stole personal belongings from the villagers at gunpoint. He added that the armed men—one of whom wore a military uniform — beat up villagers forcing them to flee to a nearby church where a Sunday service was going on for safety.

“When we’re in the church singing a group of armed people came and chased in, people who were preparing a meal outside. They ran into the church.”

“These people came well-armed, about 3 of them and then one of them has a military uniform, so we discovered this was a group of people who had come to loot two shops, so they looted those shops, all the properties were taken, and the other one, 108,000 South Sudanese Pounds was also looted. They wanted to shoot the owner of that shop; however, this guy ran to the church for rescue and these people were chasing him and I immediately intervened.” Bishop Modi narrates.

When contacted for comment, the SSPDF military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang said he was not aware of the incident in Kajokeji.

Bishop Modi said when he went outside, the armed man cocked his gun and wanted to shoot him but he talked to him in a firm voice and he stopped. He said the men then decided to run to the village where they beat-up people with sticks and pangas and looted more homes.

“They went and loot somebody, they took 18,000ssp and then vandalized things inside there, the other family the owner is a widow, they took two solar panels from that lady, batteries and the inverters. They moved to the third family where they also took some blankets, clothing and other things. In the fourth family, they also took solar panels, battery and they were about to rape a 14-year-old-child but this she ran away.” Modi said.  

He said when the armed men left, he immediately called the military commander in Kajokeji who came to the church compound shortly with a military force to rescue the situation. He says much as no one was apprehended after the soldiers went into the village to hunt for the armed men, he is happy that the cattle keepers were ordered to leave.

“They reached to amicable resolution and he told these people to leave immediately today 1^st of June and indeed this morning we heard the sound of animals moving and I was told when I called the chief that they’ve already left.”

“This was the situation. It was very terrible and it caused a lot of panic to the people of Kajo Keji hear really.” Bishop Modi told The Insider.

The bishop noted that the Kajokeji community are farmers and should be respected the way they respect other people’s lands. He said people have to mutually understand that areas like Kajokeji can produce food stuffs and sell to other areas like Bor and while the cattle keepers in Bor can produce milk and sell meat to farming communities rather than creating hate among communities.

Bishop Modi urges church leaders in Bor to continue preaching peace to the people in Bor so that they stop attacking other people.