Category: States

States

Old man accused of sabotaging rain rescued in Torit County

Authorities in Eastern Equatoria State have recused from a mob attack a 70-year-old man accused of preventing rain in Labalwa village of Torit County.

Atari Jacob who is the County Commissioner said the villagers mainly youth locally known as Monyo-miji, and women attempted to arrest Marcelo Ogwana and beat him up for stopping rain in the area.

They accused the old man of performing witchcraft and averting rainfall in the area.  Jacob says the incident occurred on Monday.
“Something happened in Labalwa which is under Torit Municipality, where some group of youth and women tried to arrest one of the old people that he is the one making rain not to come in their place,”

“So they were about to beat the 70-year-old man but we actually went and recused that old man and we tried to tell them not to beat that man because issues of rain are natural,

‘But the community members insisted that he’s the one doing witchcraft activities to stop the rain from raining. So, this is the only thing happening in Torit Municipality,” said the county official.

Atari called on the community to desist from such negative traditional beliefs saying rain is a natural occurrence and that global warming has affected the climatic conditions.

Atari advised the locals against taking the law into their hands.

“My advice is, our community must desist from this traditional belief of witchcraft and other things should not be allowed,

“Sometimes we have natural occurrences like global warming. This should not be the cause of making someone accountable for it,

“The issue of crimes, everybody must abstain from it but rather report any group for wrongdoing,” he said.

Attacks on traditional rainmakers have been common among some communities in Eastern Equatoria State.

In April last year, rainmaker Augustino Molong was lynched BY a mob of youth while at a funeral in Mohina.

They accused him of failing to bring rain to the area where crops are allegedly drying up on farms, threatening their livelihoods. No arrest was made, but the authorities had announced the deploy security personnel to the area to apprehend the suspects without specifying the date.

 

 

NDM terminates membership of Mayendit and Pigi commissioners

The National Democratic Movement under Dr. Lam Akol on Monday terminated the membership of its nominated commissioners of Mayendit County in Unity State and Pigi County in Jonglei State.

NDM spokesperson said Dr. Gatluak Nyang Hoth and Nyok Malual Mayik have been expelled through a unanimous decision by a Disciplinary Committee investigating their alleged defiance of a decision asking them to step down.

Dr. Nyang and Mr. Malual were first suspended on June 21, 2023, by the party leadership for rejecting the revocation of their nominations and defying directives to resign.

The party led by Dr. Lam Akol, also suspended Yonannes William Ojwok, Chairman of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Upper Nile state for a similar reason.

In a press statement on July 3, 2023, party spokesperson Mahmoud Abdelrahaman Akot said the two commissioners have been axed after they dishonored a summon and declined to appear before the investigative committee.

“In exercise of the powers vested in him under Article 47, section 11 of the Basic Rules, the Chairman approved the decision of the Committee as follows: Gatluak Nyang Hoth is expelled from the NDM and his membership terminated. Nyok Malual Mayiik is expelled from the NDM and his membership terminated,” reads the public statement.

The two officials were reportedly found guilty jointly under Articles 45 (1), 46 (2), and 46 and individually under Articles 46 (3), (4), and (13) of the Basic Rules.

The Committee also voted by majority decision to maintain the suspension of Yoannes William Ojwok, the Chairman of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Upper Nile State, until he “redeems his disobedience by resigning from the government” in three days.

“He is informed by the Committee, whereupon the suspension will be lifted. Failing to comply within the specified period, he shall be expelled from the NDM, and his membership terminated,” the letter further read.

Eye Radio could not immediately reach the officials in question for comment.

However, when contacted on June 21, Mayendit Commissioner Dr. Gatluak Nyang Hoth said he was in the process of conducting a press conference to respond to his suspension.

The UN Security Council in early 2022 accused Dr. Nyang and his Koch County counterpart in Unity State of instigating a vicious inter-communal violence that led to the death of 72 civilians, the raping of over 60 women and girls, and attacks against humanitarian workers.

Both local government officials have since denied the accusations and challenged the UN to present credible evidence.

 

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