View of Kaya payam in Morobo County. (Photo: Courtesy).

Central Equatoria State government has urged armed opposition groups to respond to the Presidential amnesty and engage in dialogue with both state and national governments to peacefully resolve their grievances.

This appeal follows a violent incident on Friday night, when unidentified gunmen attacked Morobo County Hospital, looting medical supplies, stealing staff belongings, and setting ambulances ablaze.

According to the Acting State Information Minister, the attackers he alleged are SPLA-IO forces,  also locked staff inside the facility before looting it.

“This deliberate act is aimed to denying citizens of the area of their area of their right to access medical care for healthy living,” he said.

In a statement dated June 23rd, Minister Jacob Aligo Lo-Lado strongly condemned the attack.

“In the same vein, the government of Central Equatoria State seize the opportunity to strongly urge the leadership of the SPLM/A-IO and other hold out groups operating in the area and the entire state to immediately cease attack on vital infrastructure rendering services to the citizens, looting of civilian population in the villages and ambushes on road users …”

No group has claimed responsibility of the attack.

He reiterated the state government’s call for opposition forces to pursue nonviolent means of addressing their concerns.

Governor General Rabi Mujung urged armed groups to take advantage of the 2017 Presidential Amnesty as a path to peaceful resolution, inviting those willing to engage in dialogue to contact his administration or the national government to initiate the peace process.