The police in Jonglei State’s Bor County said they have apprehended 34 suspected gang members, commonly known as niggers, for terrorizing residents in Bor Town.
Daniel Deng Panchol, the commissioner of Bor County, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that the arrests commenced last Thursday following a state security committee resolution amidst rising gang violence.
“Over the past three days, the situation has been calm in Bor because we have started arresting these niggers. So far we have arrested 34 of them,” he said. “These are people aged mostly 15 to 21, and they are being investigated for attacking, stealing, and terrorizing the residents of Bor. After that, we will arraign those found culpable in court.”
The commissioner urged parents to be responsible and raise their children properly. He added that rising gang violence could be politically motivated.
“According to preliminary investigations, there appears to be evidence that some politicians are using these children to terrorize the town for their political gains,” Deng said. “We will not give names for now.”
John Bior, a Bor Town resident and the executive director of ATAKA Hub-South Sudan, welcomed the crackdown on local gangs and said those found guilty should be rehabilitated.
“These crackdowns have been routine over the years. Police arrest them today, and they will be freed the following day. So this is not a solution,” he said. “While we welcome the arrests, we appeal that they should be sentenced to work on projects that benefit the country, like agriculture.”
Meanwhile, Bol Deng Bol, the executive director of INTREPID South Sudan, and chairperson of Jonglei Civil Society Network and National Civil Society Coalition, said the crackdown was a relief for the residents.
“These gangs have been terrorizing the town, beating up residents and stealing from them in broad daylight. This crackdown is a welcome initiative but not a sustainable one,” he said. “What the police do is that they come in pickup trucks, chase these gangs, and arrest them. For it to be sustainable, police should set up posts to also act as a deterrent.”
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