Cattle keepers ordered to evacuate South Sudan capital after deadly clash

By Staff Writer

Cattle keepers have been given a 72 hour ultimatum to evacuate the outskirts of the South Sudanese capital Juba following deadly clashes last week.

The clash, near Juba, between the cattle keeping Mundari communities of Kobura and Tali left at least 30 people dead, prompting the government of Central Equatoria to issue the ultimatum.

According to the State Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement Agency, Moro Isaac Jenesio, the decision was reached after a security committee investigated the clash and found it of very grave magnitude.

“The security committee has come out clearly with directives that all the cattle camps around Juba must evacuate to their places of origin within 72 hours,” Jenesio told reporters in Juba on Monday.

“Failure to do so will mean they will be driven out by force and all the security units within Juba and Central Equatoria are directed to effect the order after the 72 hours,” he said.

Jenesio said the order will potentially stop the loss of more lives.

“We have tried a lot of intervention but they are resisting and we resolved that all the cattle camps around Juba must be driven away by force if they can’t leave after 72 hours,” he said.

Very many people were displaced, Jenesio said without mentioning the number.

He revealed that the government is going to provide humanitarian aid to affect communities and also provide transport to the elderly and children who cannot walk during the evacuation.