Governor Lobong threatens to mobilize youths to defend the state from pastoralists

TORIT: EASTERN EQUATORIA: The governor of Eastern Equatoria state, Louis Lobong, has threatened to mobilize the young people in his state to protect villages and towns being attacked by cattle keepers.

 On Wednesday last week, cattle herders attacked Abara Boma at around 5 pm. Five people have been reported killed, several houses got burnt and an unknown number of cattle taken.

At a news conference held on Thursday Governor Louis Lobong condemned the attacks which has led to the displacement of over 6,000 people from and displacing members of the host community. 

“The community of Magwi continues to witness harassment, intimidation, beating and killing of people by cattle herders from Jonglei state. This has created fear among the peaceful people, farmers of Magwi county.”

“Many got displaced from their homes to Magwi headquarters and they’re experiencing harsh conditions due to meager resources and insufficient facilities in Magwi headquarters in terms of food, water, medical care Etcetera.” Lobong told journalists in Torit. 

A local chief in Lobonok’s Kit village in Central Equatoria, who does not want to be identified for fear of reprisals from the pastoralists said cattle herders who attacked people in Abara village of Magwi Country also attacked his village and killed three unarmed residents. 

“There’s a newly married woman with a two-month-old baby, they beat the woman, snatched the baby, and threw it down and they dragged the woman along with a 10-year-old boy into the bush where they killed the woman and te boy. Now the baby is just there crying terribly.” The chief said, adding the cattle herders also shot dead one man and used machetes to chop a teenage boy who accompanied the man while the two were returning home from fishing. 

The boy has since been sent to Juba where he’s receiving medical treatment at Juba Military Hospital (Giada). The cattle owners also looted the property of several villagers.

The people of Kit village have been displaced to Kit river at the center of the boma where they are stranded without food or shelter. Governor Lobong condemned the attacks urged 

“The government and people of Eastern Equatoria state condemn in the strongest terms possible these uncalled-for attacks and killing of the people in Magwi County.” Lobong said, urging the national government to intervene and save innocent lives. 

“We call upon the cattle keepers from Jonglei to stop the harassment, the killing of innocent people and to immediately return to their areas of origin in Jonglei state. We call upon the national government to order the SSPDF to intervene and save the people of Eastern Equatoria state.” Lobong said, warning state authorities will mobilize the young men of Eastern Equatoria state to defend and protect the people if South Sudan national forces do not take action. 

“If the national government does not respond to our call, we will now see as a state to mobilize ourselves and mobilize the youth of Eastern Equatoria to protect and defend the people of Magwi.” Lobong warned.