December 2nd 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan army officer who started gunfire at Juba’s Sherikat neighborhood has been arrested along with his bodyguards, the deputy Mayor of Juba city, Thiik Thiik Mayardit, said Monday.
Yesterday, fighting between police and soldiers belonging to the South Sudan army sparked panic in Juba’s Sherikat neighborhoods after police decided to enforce a demolition process ordered by the Jubek state government.
In a statement issued on Monday evening, Thiik Thiik Mayardit, the Juba city deputy mayor said the gunfire of yesterday was a misunderstanding and had been resolved.
“Today morning at around 10:40 A.M or so, there was sporadic gunshots around Sherikat at newly Established side of Juba 2. The problem was a little misunderstanding between the government and communities which occupied the area,” he said.
“The host community (Bari) so far agreed that they have to share some piece of land with their brothers from other side of the Country, while doing so, the incoming communities would seek procedures in order for them to have permanent settlements with what would be their neighbors but other people took it wrongly by settling into other people’s gardens and to make the matters worse, these people after settling turns and sells the pieces of land at watch of the host community.
“This made a lot of chaos between the host community, their government and the newly arrived communities and this therefore in regards to today’s Sherikat problem made the government of the County to takes some measures against those who settled there illegally by demolishing tukuls of recently settlers, one officer and his two other colleagues from the SSPDF who were affected by County measures started shooting at police who were facilitating the work and police responded in self-defense.”
Mayardit said no one has been killed during the clash and that the army has arrested the officer who started the gunfire.
“It’s one of our great day from almighty God who said no to life lost despite sporadic shooting from both side. I have seen pictures of Malakal Surveys some years back being used on social media to exaggerate this small issue, while seeing this minor problem taking its wrinkles shape, The Chief of defense force Gen. Gabriel Jok Riak, Assistant IGP for CID Gen. Jackson Elia and myself went to an area and arrest not only the problem but also the officer who started shooting and co.”
