September 24, 2009 (JUBA) – Southern Sudan minister of internal affairs Gen. Gier Chuang today, said the situation is now calm in Jonglei state following the arrival of additional troops to Duk Padiet after Sunday attacks where 78 people were killed.
The minister Chuang was the first official from the southern Sudan government to visit the region following the attack he was accompanied by Jonglei Governor and UN regional coordinator for Southern Sudan.
Speajking to Sudan Tribune, he said the current security situation is the area now is calm. He stressed that there are no threats of new attack since last Sunday attack. He also added that has never received any information regarding retaliatory attacks since returned from the area on Monday.
He reaffirmed the arrival of additional arrival of additional troops sent on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23, to Duk Padiet, Jongle State.
"Their immediate assignment is to provide adequate security to Duk Padiet and surrounding communities, he said adding they are not fully deployed there.
They are there to meet the operational requirement, he adds.
Asked what plans are in place for his government about those behind the attack, he said "we have heard of names but do not know where these groups of armed criminals resides in the area but working with location populations help us get details of where they plan and launch their attacks on innocent civilians mostly women, children and elderly people."
The Sunday attack on innocent civilians by armed groups in Duk Padiet, Jonglei state, has sparked lot of fears among most southern populaces with rest accusing Khartoum of being behind those attackers.
Deng Biar, an economics and social studies student from Bahr el Ghazal University in Wau accused the federal government in Khartoum of supporting the attacks by Lou Nuer adding nobody else can supply weapons.
"It is Khartoum giving supports to these criminals," he further said
He further urged civilians victims of the attacks to cooperate with the SPLA and police forces currently deployed in the area to provide necessary information so that these gangs are dealt with accordingly.
"Their intentions are to reduce number of local population particularly Dinka Bor and not only Bor alone but will extend it to other Dinka inhabited towns and villages and in pursuit of Khartoum policy of divide and rule," he said.
However, dominant National Congress Party (NCP) has accused its peace partner and southern Sudan dominant party Sudan’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) of failing to provide security to its citizens, saying that it had just continued to blame the NCP over the deteriorating security in southern Sudan to cover its failure..
An SPLA military officer in Juba who requested anonymity today also said a number more than 680 strong men arrived to Duk since yesterday while more are on their way.
We have been paying less attention to Jonglei clashes because it was previously perceived as tribal conflict till Sunday when we received full information of those behind recent attack as organized armed groups, he said.
We will never comprise lives of our civil population as this constitutes reason why SPLA was formed, he adds saying protecting of civilian lives and properties tops SPLA priorities.
(ST)
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