Army deployed in Yei, residents in fear

The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) deployed its forces in Yei already on Tuesday evening, July 12, 2016. However, no gunshots have been fired since then.
 
Peter Mokili Aka, a Yei town resident, said citizens live in fear seeing heavily armed soldiers patrolling the town and its surrounding area, as well as in Ombasi, along Yei-Kaya road and Yei-Juba road.

He said, the forces don’t interact with civilians, and no one has been harassed. However, many civilians living next to where the soldiers are, have left their homes.

Well-armed soldiers are seen everywhere in town.

Some shops in Yei town are open and people move on the streets, but residents say they are nevertheless afraid. “Yes, at the moment there is fear among citizens in Yei town because well-armed soldiers are seen everywhere in town,” Margret Eyotaru, a Ugandan business woman in Yei town said.

David Lokonga Moses, the Governor of Yei River State, confirmed the deployment of South Sudan’s army. He said, the soldiers are deployed to provide security for the people in Yei. In view of what happened in Juba, some people may take the advantage of robbing civilians in town, Lokonga said.

The Governor urged all civilians, who left their homes in fear of violence, to return back to their homes and normal lives.

Samuel Hennery Malimu, the Yei River County Commissioner, said many people have left Yei, despite the Governor’s assurances, moving to villages and other towns, some trying to get to neighbouring countries.

Security organs are protecting the properties and lives of citizens from armed criminals.

Jacob Toti, the Morobo County Commissioner, said his county has received hundreds of citizens from Yei town since Tuesday, and more are still coming. Toti urged the people of Morobo County to welcome their “brothers and sisters from Yei” and to accommodate them until the situation returns back to normal.

“What’s happening in Yei is not fighting, […] IO (the armed opposition) has no forces in Yei. Security organs are protecting the properties and lives of citizens from armed criminals who have plans of robbing the town,” Jacob said.