A member of South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly on Monday accused army officers and senior politicians of forcibly seizing land in Lado Payam in Juba County, Central Equatoria State.
Festo Lemi Sominda, an SPLM lawmaker representing Juba County, presented a letter during a parliamentary session that he said was signed by three traditional chiefs from the Lado community. The document accuses military personnel and politicians of land grabbing, sexual violence, and other abuses.
“This document is addressed to the Speaker of the National Assembly. It was signed by three chiefs of the Lado community,” Lemi said. “I went through it and noted the following points: First, that armed men in uniform and some politicians are continuously grabbing their ancestral land and building houses there.”
Lemi said the document also alleges that the perpetrators have burned down homes and displaced residents.
“Second, that these land grabbers are now burning their houses, and the people are displaced,” he said. “Third, that they have raped three young girls — one of whom reportedly died as a result.”
He further alleged that five other women had been raped and 10 people killed — seven men and three women — during the land disputes.
Lemi called on the Speaker of the Assembly to take immediate action in response to the chiefs’ appeal.
Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba acknowledged receiving the letter but said the matter falls outside the scope of parliamentary jurisdiction.
“I received the letter and read it. I shared it with the legal department,” Kumba said. “Our finding is that this issue cannot be addressed by the parliament. There are different levels of government where the case can be addressed, including the security sector.”
She added that she had responded to the letter with guidance on how to proceed.
“The state government is there. And the issue of land — we have looked at it in full,” she said. “I have given a suggestion on how this issue can be addressed and where it can start.”