Insecurity Spreading Across South Sudan as Salva Kiir’s Government Loses Grip on Security

July 19, 2005(Nymilepedia) – The security situation in South Sudan continues to spiral out of control as Salva Kiir’s government struggles to maintain law and order.

This weekend unidentified gunmen opened fire on a Land Cruiser that was in a convoy of vehicles on Juba-Kajo Keji road killing 5 and living more than 8 others critically injured. The 8 were rushed to Juba Teaching Hospital for immediate medical attention.

An eye witness, who survived the ordeal, says gunmen just emerged out of nowhere and opened fire on the vehicles ahead of them, he added that they didn’t see the gunmen who left without a trace.

Kajo-Keji County Commissioner Henry Kala Sabuni says insecurity around Juba and roads leading to the capital has deteriorated despite deployment of security in those areas.

Meanwhile in Rumbek, the capital of Lakes State, unknown gunmen stormed a building occupied by traders from Darfur region and opened fire leaving 4 critically injured and hospitalized. The gunmen looted the building “flat” according to the local police.

Head of criminal investigations in Rumbek said the gunmen fled and could not be identified.

In the national capital, Juba, gunmen believed to be armed robbers stormed the neighborhood of Nyakouron and killed one man.

According to the residents, the gunmen also stole the deceased mans’ motorbike.

Meanwhile in one of the bloodiest week in Lakes state, raiders from a neighboring clan stormed a neighborhood in Rumbek, burning down more than 50 houses while more than 6 civilians were killed in Abieiajak village within Rumbek Central County in a revenge attack.

The attack happened on Thursday just a day before a previous attack.

“They killed four people from that side and seven wounded, and from the side of the attackers, two people were killed and two others injured”  Marial Amuom, The Lakes State Advisor for security told reporters.

Salva Kiir’s government has been accused of failing to provide security to the country’s population in almost all the ten states, including inside the capital Juba, which sees daily cases of armed and violent robbery, usually blamed on the disgruntled and drunk soldiers.

Other sources of insecurity within the national capital and its suburbs include members of Kiir’s presidential guards who are not regularly paid.

The embattled president, Salva Kiir, who has recently extended his term in office without elections called an emergency meeting last week of all the ten states’ governors in Juba where he urged them to focus on the security situation, but an insider within the presidency with knowledge of the meeting who did not want to be named for sensitivity of the issue, said the meeting was mostly about securing positions in Kiir’s new cabinet reshuffle rather than about security of the citizens.

“The president told them directly, you people you have to help me with the security situation, I will also cooperate with you people on issues of the new government and the new positions” said the senior government official.

Observers warn South Sudan could be descending into a serious cycle of violence and lawlessness if peace is not achieved soon and serious transformation carried out within the country’s security system.

According to the latest IGAD report, the two principles representing the two warring faction could sign a peace agreement on the 17th of August this year.

Although more than six agreements have been signed and violated within 48 hours, the South Sudanese have not lost hope in achieving peace through mediation.

While tens of thousands have been killed within the last 19 months, about 2 millions others have been displaced to IDPs and refugees camps.