Inter-tribal clashes in Jonglei leave 400 dead, hundreds displaced

According to Akot Mazee, the Pibor County Commissioner, the fighting has continued for several weeks. Attackers have burned houses and carried out hundreds of cattle raids, creating immense suffering for a community that depends largely on livestock for its livelihood.

Mazee said that thousands of armed young men, armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, are using efficient means of communication.

It seems the attackers communicate with Thuraya (satellite) phones, according to reports coming from the ground,” Mazee said.  

A Murle man displaced by earlier clashes with Lou Nuer - UN Photo / Tim McKulka

The fighters allegedly come from four counties in Jonglei State, which include Akobo, Nyirol, Ayod and Uror.

All are united against the Murle tribe,” he said, a position which he suspects is politically motivated.

David Yien Biel, a member of South Sudan Legislative Assembly who represents Uror County, denies this claim.

Biel said the allegation amounts to retaliation by members of the Lou-Nuer group who were attacked by armed Murle in April this year.

That fighting (in April) left three chiefs from the Lou-Nuer dead and the attackers ran away with hundreds of heads of cattle,” he said.

Francis Lokurnyang, a Pibor MP, said the attack is more than retaliatory because some of the counties that are rarely raided by the Murle have been involved.

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Although the fighting has raged on for weeks, there has been no intervention from the Jonglei State government or the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS). Attempts to reach Jonglei State Governor Kuol Manyang have been unsuccessful.

When GoSS disarmed the civilian population across the state, there was a promise not to worry of any attack, said Mazee. They said in case some community acquired guns, the government would intervene.”

Regarding the cause of the clashes, Mazee said, If it is not politically motivated, where do they get support and ammunition? I think there is somebody somewhere who is organizing this kind of move, but we do not know exactly who he is.”