The Anyuak Community in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area’s (GPAA) border town of Raat has called for the national government’s intervention amidst rising tensions following gunshots on Monday near the residence of the king there.
Raat, a gold-rich town located along the border with Ethiopia, is contested by Pochalla South County and Jebel Boma County, making it a scene of violence and tensions in recent months.
His Majesty Gilo Okwanga, king of Anyuak’s Gooc Royal Dynasty, told Radio Tamazuj that the latest flare-up in tensions was triggered by a shootout near his residence, which he said was an assassination attempt.
“On Monday night, around 12 A.M., some Murle youth who had arrived at Raat a few weeks earlier from Gumuruk opened fire at my residence. Fortunately, no one was killed or harmed,” he stated. “However, since then, tension has escalated between my community and the Murle.”
The king said the tensions led to the closure of the border.
“The Ethiopian miners have fled with their mining machines across the border, and our youth remain at their residences near the army barracks, while the Murle youth settled elsewhere within the town,” King Gilo added.
The community leader urged the national government to intervene, investigate the incident, and deploy a neutral security force. He warned that the tensions could trigger deadly violence.
“I am repeating my calls for the national government to deploy a neutral and well-trained security force in Raat. A force that is not aligned with the interests of individuals. Revenues from gold mines do not benefit the local communities but powerful GPAA politicians,” he stressed. “There is a likelihood that these tensions could result in violence. So, a committee should investigate Monday’s incident and address the status of the area.”
Ojulu Medho, another community leader, also reiterated calls for dialogue.
“These 150 armed Murle youth were mobilized in Gumuruk. They arrived in Raat nine days ago, threatening people and opening fire in the air, including at the residence of the king, with the intention to spark confrontation,” he said. “Raat is like any other South Sudanese border, so there is a need for a neutral security force and customs agency to manage resources that are being used to fuel local violence here.”
For his part, GPAA Information Minister Jacob Werchum Jouk admitted that there was tension in the area. He called for dialogue among the local communities in the border area.
“There was tension three weeks ago, and we had it resolved as a government. We are not aware of this latest flare-up,” he said. “As a government, we want peaceful coexistence among our communities, and this is achievable through dialogue.”
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