Official Faults South Sudan’s Poor Service Delivery Policy for Warrap’s Communal Violence

By Okech Francis
Lack of basic services including water, road infrastructures, amid proliferation of firearms are driving the violent inter-comunual conflicts in Warrap, a state official said.

Despite relative calm created by the institution of the transitional government of national unity and formation of state governments, “the communities continue to suffer due to displacement, lack of essential healthcare, clean drinking water and accommodation, the State’s Chairperson for the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, Gabriel Anyar Madut Akol said in a statement on April 26.

Warrap, especially the violence-ridden areas including Tonj North are witnessing an unprecedented visit of humanitarian actors and UN officials to witness the impact of years of conflict on the local people.

The areas in the visit include Awuul Payam were over 5000 households lost their homes to arsonists in attacks.”One of the key factors identified by the government to have contributed to existing internal communal conflict is lack of water among all warring communities,” Akol said.

“Another factor identified by the State government to have led to deterioration of security in Warrap state is lack of feeder roads and inter-Payam roads,” he said, noting that cattle raid and food thefts are a threat to lives constantly. Torture and revenge killings are the characteristics especially in Tonj North where “the cycle of revenge emanates from the route supplying arms and ammunition that have for years remained as an isolated phenomenon,” Akol said.