S. Sudan president’s in-law accused of “inciting” violence
April 9, 2017 (JUBA) – 40 traditional chiefs from the Aguok community of Gogrial state have accused President Salva Kiir’s brother in-law, Gregory Deng Kuac, the governor of South Sudan’s Gogrial state of “inciting inter-communal fight and internal border demarcations”.
The chiefs claimed they had evidence indicating the governor had an invisible hand in supporting most inter-communal ringleaders.
For instance, the complainants said the governor allegedly released 200 AK-47s guns, including one PKM machine gun to the Apuk community, claims Sudan Tribune could not independently verify.
“Our surprise he [Governor Gregory Deng Kuac] has released the gun that was used by Thiang Malok Thiep which killed three people at Panacier market on 9/8/2016 to his bodyguard captain Lino Jiel Akol as owner of gun that proved to us Hon. Gregory Deng Kuac has upper hand in the current conflict between two communities,” the letter, addressed to President Kiir, partly reads.
They letter also claimed that governor had suspended disarmament in the area without clear reason as to why the process was halted, yet disarmament was aimed at reducing risks of firearms in the hands of unauthorized people within the Apuk and Aguok communities.
“Your excellency, when conflict arises, the former governor ordered disarmament process to collect guns in the hands of local population with aim to save the lives of innocent civilians in Gogrial state, but when Hon. Gregory Deng Kuac was appointed and took over his office, he stopped disarmament process and he released 100 guns to the civilians of Apuk community,” further read the letter.
The chiefs, in their letter, stated that governor Kuac has allegedly involved himself in internal border demarcation which the leaders say to be trig of renewing fight between Apuk and Aguok.
At the center of this, the chief said, is the Abuokdiit area, which is contested by both the Apuk West and the Aguok communities.
“[The] governor ordered the establishment of Abuokdiit as payam of Apuk West county which is belong to Aguok North county and we have feared that it will renew the conflict if governor is allow to continue with such behaviors. To prove his orders, he was received at Achool Pagong village by people of Apuk West county as they claimed that land of Achool Pagong belong to them with intention to demarcate the borders of Apuk with Aguok,” the letter stated.
The Gogrial state governor could not easily be reached on the matter.
(ST)