Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The office of the governor of Unity State on Sunday refuted claims that he had failed to end the deadly clashes in Leer County, southern Unity State.
A section of members of Unity State are calling for the ouster of Governor Dr Joseph Manytuil on claims that his office has failed to secure the conflict-prone county.
The governor’s press secretary, Portsix Bakuony Patai, who talked to the City Review yesterday in response to the United States diaspora community’s appeal, described the claims as “biased and manipulated.”
Refutes report
“I read the statement but I think they are biased because, as you can see, they mention the attacks that happened on April 8, 9, and 10th. “That demonstrates that they are biased and manipulated,” Bakuony told The City Review.
Bakuony said the incident did not occur in Leer, and he accused forces loyal to First Vice President Dr Riek Machar and the SPLA-IO splinter faction of Kit-Gwang, led by Gen. Simon Gatwech, of starting the clash in Koch County at Mirmir cantonment side.
He denied that SSPDF soldiers were involved in the attack and claimed that the fighting in Leer was a result of the attack in Mirmir.
“The incident actually did not happen in Leer, but it happened first in Mirmir.” Then, as a result of the attack by SPLA-IO, they came out raiding cattle, and local youth in the area got involved because SPLA-IO was taking their property,” he continued.
He added, ‘‘The other one is that they (Unity State diaspora community) did not mention the women raped by SPLA-IO mostly in Mayendit on April 12th in the same incident.” Bakuony claimed that there was an incident where women from Mayendit were raped.
“All these combinations put these people to the point that they are manipulated either by SPLA-IO or by politicians who are against the governor of Unity State. I don’t think they are genuine in what they have written, “said Bakuony.
In a joint letter to President Salva Kiir dated April 23, 2022, the leaders of the Unity State diaspora community called on President Kiir to remove the governor of Unity State, Dr. Joseph Nguen Manytuil, to be removed and replaced.
‘‘Following the ongoing horrific deaths and widespread displacements of thousands of helpless residents in the southern portions of Unity State, particularly in Leer County, the expatriate community leaders convened an online gathering,’’ it stated.
They claimed that the people of Leer County were subjected to massive attacks in several sub-locations on four occasions.
Prior to these incidents, they claimed similar attacks occurred around March 1, 2022, spearheaded by alleged Unity State government officers, but no one was held accountable.
The leaders blamed the deteriorating situation in Leer on a lack of involvement from both state and national government authorities.
“We must say that these cruel acts of violence against innocent civilians, mostly children, women, and the elderly, are uncalled for, unjustified, and unlawful. It pains us so much that innocent South Sudanese are dying mercilessly under the direct watch of their leaders at the very moment when the country is undergoing a peace implementation process,” the statement read.
“Largely, we are deeply concerned that Unity State Governor, Dr. Joseph Nguen Manytuil Wejang, opted to keep quiet over these killings in Southern Unity State.”
“We are not surprised by his conspicuous silence, because his dislike for the residents of Southern Unity State is proven by the fact that in his decade as a governor, he never visited southern Unity State, mainly Payijiar County,” they alleged.
Two weeks ago, some youth from Unity State demonstrated in Juba as they demanded that the governor to be removed, alongside the commissioners of Koch and Leer counties.
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