South Sudan sends team to Tombura seeking to diffuse violence

By Simon Deng

South Sudan’s government has dispatched a team to Tambura in Western Equatoria State with the aim of seeking an end to violence plaguing the area.

Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, the spokesman of the Ministry of Defense told Juba Echo on Tuesday that the team included members from the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) and South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA).

Maj.Gen Ajak Deng Biar is leading the team that is going to engage troops loyal to James Nando and SPLA-IO commanders.

The two sides have clashed since June, leaving hundreds of civilians killed and nearly 80,000 people displaced.

The violence has mostly affected children and women who are among the displaced people.

 “The team will make sure the violence comes to a standstill, what is happening in Tambura has nothing to do with the SPLA-IO and SSPDF, SPLA-IO and SSPDF are not really at war,” said Gabriel.

“The conflict in Tambura is not being handled at the level of the defense ministry but it is being handled at the level of the presidency,” he disclosed.

On Sunday, a joint statement released by the regional body Intergovernmental Authority on Development (GAD), peace monitoring mechanism R-JMEC, representatives of the African diplomatic community, Norway and UNMISS revealed that Tambura violence may worsen if the national government remains silent about the atrocities being committed there.