Deserted Tambura market. (-)

A Catholic priest has appealed to international community and rights groups to intervene in the worsening security situation in Tambura County in Western Equatoria, adding that civilians are stranded in their houses and enduring hunger due to killer bandits roaming villages.

Clergy Santino Wise Makuei said civilians are afraid to access water points and farms to get food as the main market has been shut down after being attacked multiple times.

Makuei, who is in charge of the St. Mary Catholic Parish in Tambura, narrated that displaced persons sheltering within the church compound are lacking food and medicines.

“As I’m talking with you now, I have tied my stomach with the rope on the same side as I’m talking because there’s no food, there’s no market, there’s no water, there’s no medication,” the man of God said in an interview with Eye Radio.

“You cannot even go let’s say one mile away from the town. That is this issue of killing people because we are, the whole town of Tumbra has been surrounded with these unknown gunmen.”

He said the church ran out of food to help the displaced persons, adding that he too has gone hungry for days.

“If you go to collect the cassava leaves, if you want to go and collect the sweet potatoes, if you want to go even to your home, it is difficult. Even to go and collect the water, it is also difficult.”

“And all this, we are just being packed in one place and it is difficult, it is not easy by the way. So, this is now beyond to compare with the life of the human being.”

Priest Santino is calling on the International Community and human rights to intervene into the situation saying killing in the country is still ongoing.

“We are calling international community, we are calling the human rights, we are calling national government, because the state government is not serious on us.”

“Even the deputy governor came and then there was still killing on. The killing is still going on. So now to see this situation, it is really terrible.”

“Even they’re asking me further, we need letters at least to eat something. But I told them that for me, there’s nothing. So, we are just there, celebrate the mass, do the rosary and then the adoration.”

Tambura is grappling with deepening inter-communal violence characterized by rampant targeted killings.

On Tuesday, Tambura commissioner said heavily armed men carrying rocket propelled grenades (RPG) and PKM machineguns attacked Tambura market.

This followed the killing of an elderly woman was killed on Monday in an ambush near her house there.

Humanitarian officials in Ezo and Nagero counties in Western Equatoria State reported an influx of thousands of displaced persons fleeing insecurity in Tambura – majority of whom are women and children.

The Bishop of Tambura-Yambio Catholic Diocese Edwardo Hiboro has recently warned the security situation in Tambura County was spiraling out of control.

He urged the national government to intervene by deploying neutral forces.

Early in December, Western Equatoria Deputy Governor led a peace committee to Tambura where he talked the locals including the displaced persons and called for peaceful co-existence.

Following the assessment, Badagbu questioned the neutrality of security forces stationed in Tambura County to mitigate communal violence citing tribal affiliations.

He recommended the redeployment of an impartial force that will enforce rule of law without favor.