Louis Lobong, Governor of Eastern Equatoria State – Photo Courtesy of the Office of the President
Eastern Equatoria Governor Louise Lobong has reported stable security situation in most parts of the state, while noting panic among residents in Kapota East County over allegations of a looming cross-border attack.
Governor Lobong noted that the fear is caused by rumors in the last few days regarding what was said to be a large mobilization by of youths in Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) to attack the Toposa region.
In an interview with Eye Radio on Wednesday, Mr. Lobong said Kauto Payam and other areas bordering GPAA are stable although residents are in fear over the rumors of the violence.
He said the remote nature of the villages and poor infrastructure have limited his government’s ability to take up security measures that could protect civilians in the case of such incident.
“The whole state is calm, except that there is fear in the far Kapota East County, bordering Greater Pibor administrative area,” he said.
“We are talking about Kauto Payam where there are rumors of suspected youth coming from Greater Pibor to attack the Toposa area. That is the only fear reported. It is not easy because the area is very far, very remote, and there are no roads. So there is nothing much we could do.”
On his part, the Minister of Information in GPAA, Jacob Werchum denies the allegations that local youths are planning to attack Eastern Equatoria.
Warchum claims that there is no evidence of youth mobilization in Greater Pibor and suggests that if such mobilization is happening, it must be from another area.
“Our youths are still in their villages and in their respective counties. Starting from this side of northern Greater Pibor to southern Greater Pibor, there’s no youth mobilization in this area.”
“So let them find where the youths are mobilized to go and attack Eastern Equatoria. Maybe youths from another county or from another state.”
“But Greater Pibor administrative area has not received any information that youths are mobilizing to go and attack any part of Eastern Equatoria.”
In April 2024, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said armed youth from Pibor attacked villages in Kapoeta East, where a “significant number of people were killed, many women and children were abducted, and hundreds of cattle stolen”.
The cross-border attack was condemned by GPAA’s government and Governor Louis Lobong, who called on his counterparts to recover the abducted children and hold perpetrators accountable.
Lawmakers representing Eastern Equatoria at the national legislative assembly, said nearly one hundred – mainly women and children were abducted.
In a statement dated May 2, 2024 and obtained by Eye Radio, the government of GPAA expressed disappointment over the violence it described as “wrong decision” by the youth.
Pibor then reported the recovery of at least 8 of the abducted children which it returned to their families, according to local authorities.
Pibor’s former Information Minister Oleyo Akuer said the unresolved conflict has forced the closure of a vital trade route between the two areas – leaving Pibor without access to commercial supplies.
This triggered dire hunger in the areas of Likwangole, Jebel Boma, Pochalla, and other areas – as the administrative government said last month that 12 people starved to death in two weeks in Likwangole alone.
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