ECSS Bishops pose for a group photo. (Courtesy).

About 12 bishops of Central Equatoria Province of the Episcopal Church are calling on the government to clear United Nations and other rights groups to launch independent inquiry into reports of killing and sexual abuse against civilians in the Wonduruba area.

Paul Yugusuk, the Archbishop of Central Equatoria Internal Province calls for an inquiry into the killing of at least 23 people and incidents of sexual violence in Wonduruba starting from last month.

He recalled that on 9th October, innocent civilians were removed from their houses at night and brutally murdered with their hands tied.

Bishop Yugusuk condemns the incident and urges the government and international human rights organizations including the United Nations to launch an inquiry.

“We the undersigned Bishops of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan Central Equatoria, internal Province Anglican Communion, condemn in the strongest term, the killing of a total of 23 civilians in Wonduruba,” he said.

“We demand that the government expedite the clearance of United Nations Mission in South Sudan UNMISS and other organizations to visit Wonduruba and carry independent investigation to the killing and sexual abuse of the civilian.”

He added that the church declared 30 days of mourning and prayer, while urging those behind the atrocities to report to the church and confess their sins. Yugusuk stated that this will be a time of prayer, confession, forgiveness and reconciliation among the people.

“We want to declare 30 days of mourning across central Equatoria internal Province during which the congregation will pray and fast for The Souls of those who are gone and also for repentance and forgiveness, May the name of the Lord, we praise.”

“We request our president to immediately remove ground force, from Mongling and take them outside here and leave us at peace, with our forces of Commandos in Wonderland, in other places, in the name, of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

Central Equatoria Governor Augustino Jadalla has launched an order establishing an ad-hoc committee to investigate the string of murders rocked many parts of the state – while he was on a high-level tour of the counties including the affected areas.

The newly formed committee – chaired by the State Adviser on Peace and Security, deputized by the Minister of Peacebuilding with the Minister for Local Government and Law Enforcement Agency as a member – has been tasked with investigating the incidents and expected to submit a report within two weeks.

On 9th October 2024, assailants launched a mid-night attack in Wonduruba Payam, where they dragged 10 male juveniles out of their homes, butchered them with machetes and left their bodies lying on the road and bushes.

The incident occurred hours after alleged fighting between rival factions of the National Salvation Front (NAS) in the outskirts of the area, according to Wonduruba Administrator Tongo Stephen.

The state government later disclosed that 19 people were killed in different attacks including the killing of nine youth in Ganj Payam of Juba County, while pledging to identify and prosecute culprits behind the incidents.

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) later said it was alarmed by interconnected attacks involving armed groups in the Greater Juba area of Central Equatoria state, which claimed the lives of 24 people, including 19 civilians.

On October 18, four people were killed by armed men who indiscriminately opened fire at a market in Kajo-Keji County of Central Equatoria State, according to the commissioner.

Rights groups including the South Sudan Human Rights Defenders Network (SSHRDN), have called for accountability in the recent violence where dozens of civilians were killed in Central Equatoria and Warrap states.