Azande politicians and youth leaders have dismissed voice clips alleging that the tribe intends to split from South Sudan, DR. Congo, and Central African Republic to establish an independent country.
Clement Juma Mbugoniwia, a lawmaker representing greater Tambura at the reconstituted TNLA said the clip is a fabrication meant to tarnish the image of his community.
“As one of the leaders of the Azande, there is no such thing. This is completely a fabricated story by those who want to tarnish the image of the Azande,” he said.
Juma, who is also a member of the Azande Supreme Welfare Organization, an umbrella group of politicians and intellectuals said they have come across two separate fabricated phone conversations on social media.
According to him, those behind the clips alleged that the Azande community is planning to fight the governments of South Sudan, DR Congo, and the Central Africa Republic. The official has dismissed the allegations.
“A certain clip [is] circulating on social network alleging that the Azande are planning to establish a nation which includes Zande from Central Africa, Zande from DRC, Zande from South Sudan”
The 5-minute 11-second phone conversation was allegedly between two men who identified themselves as Santino, an alleged SSPDF Commander, and Ahmed, a leader of an unidentified militia group in Western Equatoria.
Speaking in simple Arabic, the two men claimed the youths from the three countries have camped around Baribuna in Ezo County, Source Yubu Payam in Tambura as well as along Mbamu River and Obo in the Central African Republic.
The voice clip further alleged that the youth were mobilizing themselves under the command of a person they identified as Korobongo.
The clips which mainly floated on WhatsApp around 19th March quoted Santino saying he was in Cuibet, Lakes State.
“The problem is that we are now in Cuibet, and if we go now to that side it will not be fine so we are waiting for them [Azande] to start,” Santino responded when asked by Ahmed in a leaked phone conversation.
“…. because all that is going on is being planned by the Azande. So, if we as the government start now, it will look like we are the ones who have started fighting the Azande.” He revealed.
The second leaked voice clip which was circulated on the same day, exposed a conversation between Ahmed, a leader of an unidentified militia group in Western Equatoria and a man claimed to be from the Central Africa Republic.
In their 2 minutes, 29 seconds phone conversation in Arabic, Ahmed requested the unidentified Central African man for ammunition claiming his group is capable of defending the territory of the three countries if supported.
“The force is large, they [Azande] have a certain plan, those in Congo, those in Central Africa, and those in South Sudan and they have gathered in large numbers,” said Ahmed.
The two men allegedly agreed to meet a week later in Source Yubu Payam of Tambura County to discuss issues around military assistance and also to involve other forces including the nomadic pastoralists.
When contacted by Eye Radio, the Spokesperson of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces said he has no information yet about the clips.
Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang said that once received, the SSPDF leadership will analyze the clips and respond appropriately.
“No, I am not [aware]. When it comes to our attention, we will listen to it, we will analyze it, and will give our response. But as of now, I have no information at all, ” said Lul.
Commenting on the matter, the County Commissioner of Ezo in Western Equatoria State dismissed the report saying there is no militia group within his County.
Abel Sudani described the leaked voice clips as a false allegation being propagated by what he referred to as an anti-peace element.
“These are all false allegations, these are anti-peace, these are wrong elements because, on the ground, I have all the security organs from the national security, the Millitray Intelligence, the CID from the police, and the youth leader,” he told Eye Radio.
“All these people are monitoring these borders to know exactly what is happening and in our county, we cannot allow anybody to form any kind of criminal or any rebel group,” Abel added.
On a similar note, a youth leader in Ezo County also downplayed the report of mass mobilization of youth to fight the governments of South Sudan, DR Congo, and the Central Africa Republic.
“No, it is not true because we in Ezo want peace, we don’t want another problem,” said Wilson John Danambutiyo in an interview.
“We as the youth are here, we have not defected to the bush so what are the youth going to do in the bush again it is a lie. It is a lie, we have not seen anything like that,” he added.
Several attempts to get a comment from the State Minister of Information in Western Equatoria State were not successful.
But the State Minister of Local government and Law Enforcement in Western Equatoria said there is no uniting factor among the Azande community of the three counties.
“There is nothing like the Azande have created any rebellion,” James Severino Morris stated.
Mr. James went on to say “if the Azande of Central Africa is fighting their government, it is their own business I can assure you there is no move uniting the Azande in the three countries.”
His response was supported by the Commissioner of Yambio County, Mbiko Barakat.
“There is no person who is mobilized here to go and fight alongside the Central African youth, he said adding that “We are in touch with the County Commissioner of Tambura, we are in touch with the County Commissioner of Ezo.”
According to Barakat, “there is nothing like tin Tambura County or Ezo County or Yambio County and the leaders will keep silence about it.”
Emmanuel Korobongo’s response
Emmanuel Korobongo who is in his 40s is accused of mobilizing the youth to fight the governments of South Sudan, DR Congo, and the Central Africa Republic to create an Azande nation.
The recorded phone conversation widely shared suggests that the armed youth under Korobongo’s command were responsible for the attack on a rebel base in Bambuti, a town in the Central Africa Republic in mid-March.
The attack which is believed to have been carried out by a local vigilante group known as “Azande kpi gbe” which means “Azande have died too much” resulted in regaining control of Bambuti town, a claim Korobongo denied.
“The issue of Bambuti, I don’t know anything about it,” he said in a recorded video clip shared with Eye Radio.
“As I am currently in DR Congo, all that is being said there [in South Sudan] I have no idea about,” Korobongo added.
Before fleeing South Sudan in June last year, Korobongo was a 2nd Lieutenant, the rank he maintained after shifting his allegiance from SPLA IO to the SSPDF in 2019.
In 2018, Emmanuel Korobongo was abducted by the SPLA IO forces along the Tambura – Nagero road where he was serving as the bodyguard of the former Governor of defunct Tambura State, Patrick Raphael Zamoi.
After the appointment of Alfred Futuyo Karaba as the governor of Western Equatoria State, Korobongo became the bodyguard to Futuyo the position he held under SPLA IO until he changed allegiance.
However, some of his pictures taken on 16th March 2023 to dispel the rumors of forming a rebellion showed him posing for photos at home with his family in Doruma, a town in the northeastern region of Haut-Uele Province of DR Congo.
He resides in a home surrounded by a garden, palm trees, bananas, and other tropical trees and vegetation.
“Since it is alleged that I am the one going to Ezo to mobilize the Azande to fight, did you see me there? The person who saw me there and take a photo of me fighting in Bambuti should provide the evidence.”
“I want the South Sudan government to come and see me here where I am residing to prove for themselves.” Emmanuel Korobongo stated.
In the same footage obtained by Eye Radio is a man who introduced himself as Mbikondoromo Nzinzi, the Paramount Chief of Doruma district in DR Congo.
Mbikondoromo said he is disturbed to hear Korobongo being accused of mobilizing youth to fight the government and the Seleka group in the Central Africa Republic.
“He is known to us here as a farmer just like other South Sudanese who are living here with us peacefully, and the second thing he is known as a native doctor,” Mbikondoromo said in a recorded video.
“It is disturbing to hear that he [Korobongo] is accused of being behind the fighting in Central Africa. So, to say that he is the one going there to fight is disturbing because he is always here with us every time,” lamented the chief.
Mbikondoromo Chief, therefore, assured South Sudan that his administration will not harbor a criminal to instigate violence with the neighboring countries.
“We cannot allow something bad from here [Doruma] to come there [South Sudan],” Mbikondoromo implored.
According to Korobongo, he fled Ezo County due to a misunderstanding between him and Western Equatoria State Governor, Alfred Futuyo Karaba.
He instead accused Governor Alfred Futuyo of spreading false allegations against him.
“The issue of Bambuti the governor has accused me for I don’t know it. I want to ask the government of South Sudan if he [Futuyo] wants to kill me where do you want me to go and stay?”
“Who is going to feed me, the government or the UN, who is going to protect my children and my wives?” Korobongo asked in the recorded video clip.
When contacted by Eye Radio, the Press Secretary in the office of Governor Alfred Futuyo dismissed the claim.
Alex Daniel Digi said, “there are many people who have been causing insecurity to the people of Western Equatoria but they are still today living in the town and they have not been arrested or threatened,”
“I don’t see any issue that relates to what he [Korobongo] said maybe he decided to leave the country or to leave the state due to some of the wrong things that he had done to the community.”
Rumors of South Sudan’s youth attacking a rebel base in CAR
Mid this month, rumors emerged on social networks alleging that some armed youth from South Sudan and those in the Central Africa Republic jointly attack the Seleka positions.
The attack reportedly took place in Bambuti, a town situated about 6 kilometers from the South Sudan border.
The violence reportedly forced an unspecified number of locals out of their homes with others crossing the border to Source Yubu in Tambura County to seek refuge.
Reacting to the allegation, the youth in Source Yubu distanced themselves from the attack saying South Sudan did not participate in the attack on rebel positions in Central Africa Republic.
“The Seleka are based there in Central Africa and it was the youth of Central Africa who came from Obo to attack the Seleka in Bambuti and they [youth] are still in Bambuti, but not the youth from Source Yubu.” Sette Oliver Fandasi, a youth leader in Source Yubu said.
Meanwhile, the governor of Western Equatoria, Alfred Futuyo Karaba is demanding an answer for ten people that are currently receiving treatment in Tambura County after sustaining bullet wounds.
During a public rally in Tambura town on Sunday the 26th of March, Futuyo said he is yet to know how the ten people sustained bullet wounds.
“There are nearly ten people injured in Tambura and are currently being treated, where did these people get shot, ” Futuyo asked the audience during a public rally in Tambura town.
“The government in Juba is aware of this case, the state government is also aware of this incident including the security organs and the military headquarters,”
“Is this not looking for troubles, our issues of Tambura are still being resolved and we are again looking for another fighting,” said Governor Alfred Futuyo.
According to Futuyo, the State government will soon force Source Yubu and the surrounding areas to protect the civilians and South Sudan territory from any aggression.
Eye Radio repeatedly contacted the Commissioner of Tambura County Mathew Mabenge for comment but the calls went unanswered.