The local authorities in Twic East and Duk counties of Jonglei State have expressed alarm over renewed inter-communal violence in remote fishing grounds in the border areas between the two counties, prompting calls for intervention.
The latest violence on Monday comes barely weeks after a report of more than a dozen people being killed in violence over ownership of Miny fishing island, which is contested by communities in Twic East and Duk counties.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday evening, James Magok Mabiei, commissioner of Twic East County, decried the deteriorating security situation in the border areas and called for intervention.
The commissioner said they believe several people were feared dead because the clashes on Monday resulted in the takeover of one of their major villages.
“On Monday morning, youth from the Hol community in Duk County attacked Aliey fishing village in Lith Payam, overrunning it. This resulted in them taking a man identified as Dut Deng Atem as hostage,” he stated. “As for those killed, we don’t have statistics because there is no communication network there with the attackers now in charge of Aliey town, which is located near a fishing site.”
The Twic East commissioner called for restraint amidst the ongoing campaign of violence.
“As we speak, Hol youth are on the move to attack more villages in fishing areas. We urged these attacking youth to be restrained by the intervention of authorities in Duk, state level, and national government,” he added, reiterating the need for dialogue to address the root causes of the violence.
For his part, Duk County Commissioner John Chatim Ruei condemned the youth from his county for the attack and urged their immediate withdrawal to allow for dialogue.
“I appeal to the fighting youth to stop the ongoing violence in fishing areas,” he said. “On Monday, youth from Duk took over Aliey, a village belonging to the Adhioc community of Twic East. We condemn this attack and urge these attacking youth to immediately withdraw to allow for the resettlement of those displaced.”
The commissioner also urged the youth from his area of jurisdiction to hand over the fisherman held captive to his family.
The past three years have seen intermittent violence between youth from Duk and Twic East counties, with recent months seeing a deadly flare-up. Last month, more than a dozen people were feared dead after Duk youth reportedly stormed a contested fishing village, prompting calls for immediate cessation of hostilities, deployment of a neutral pacification security force, and initiation of dialogue to address the longstanding violence.
Apart from the army’s issuance of an ultimatum and that they would deploy to the contested areas earlier this year, adequate government intervention is yet to be seen.
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