Do the right thing because it’s right ~ W. Clement Stone ,
By James Nguen,
Introduction
May 1, 2022 — This article is the correct account about a murderous attack which happened on April 6 – 12, 2022, against unarmed civilians in Leer County.
This statement is intended to dispel misinformation surrounding the mass murder of innocent civilians in Leer and to also identify the responsible parties, motivating factors and to correctly describe the line of thinking for which this evil plan was peddled upon. Making this declaration is the right thing and a moral thing to do. As the saying goes, “do the right thing because it’s right” in setting the records straight.
First and foremost, the attack which took place in Leer County was planned and undoubtedly one of the Unity State government’s executed projects. During this attack, more than 125 unarmed civilians were wounded and 72 were tragically murdered, including elderly, women and children.
Besides, thousands of innocent civilians were displaced and are now homeless, women and girls were gang raped and abducted, properties looted and destroyed and while the entire Leer County is burned down to ashes.
Sadly, at the time of this writing, remnants of the planned attack are still starving under the burning sun of the savannah and at the mercy of malaria prone mosquitoes.
The government of Unity State was reported to have denied humanitarian access to the displaced persons by making an ill-conceived argument, that the armed youths attackers in Mayiandit and Koch be given humanitarian assistance first by the WFP before the displaced persons in Leer. Denying humanitarian access to the needy is a crude violation of humanitarian law and a classic policy of using food as a weapon of war.
The attack which tragically killed 72 unarmed civilians by hanging, burning and beheading was carried out by armed youths from Mayiandit and Koch Counties.
The armed youths attackers and the targets are all Nuer. Hence, the whole mantra is reduced to a Nuer slaughtering another Nuer. Sadly, this twisted thinking and action appeared to have not disturbed and affected some Nuer. For example, some people took a genuine delight in an attack which murdered innocent unarmed civilians inhumanely in Leer.
For example, the unarmed civilians killed had their heads cut off, some were burned alive in their huts; others were hanged by their necks and majority of them were shot at a closed range execution.
- Who is Responsible?
The armed youths from Mayiandit and Koch Counties are in part responsible. They carried out the attack and executed innocent civilians unprovoked. However, the armed youths attackers were mobilized, armed and ordered to attack innocent civilians in Leer by the Commissioners of Mayiandit and Koch Counties, respectively.
Similarly, the Unity State Government took part and was also involved by providing the armed youths attackers with ammunition, and gave the two commissioners orders to attack soft civilians’ targets. In all honesty, the above mentioned parties were all involved and squarely responsible.
For example, the commanding officers during the attack were none other than Mayiandit County Commissioner, Hon. Dr. Gatluak Nyang Hoth and Koch County Commissioner, Hon. Gordon Koang Biel Char.
Both men, Dr. Nyang and Mr. Biel subsequently ordered their deputies to supervise the onslaught against unarmed innocent civilians, which included women and children. The two deputy commissioners who supervised the Leer massacre were Mr. Guor Gatkuoth of Koch County and Mr. Riek Biel from Mayiandit County.
Moreover, the onslaught was also supported and authorized by the Unity State government, under Hon. Dr. Joseph Nguen Monytuil Wejang. Evidence supports that Dr. Joseph Nguen’s government is responsible for providing ammunition to the armed youths. Furthermore, it was reported that Gov. Monytuil himself gave orders to the two commissioners to attack Leer in the name of attacking the SPLM/A- IO’s bases after which his government supplied the armed youths with ammunition.
For the record, the world ought to know that the attack on the soft targets in Leer was not random but a planned massacre. Eyewitnesses’ accounts in Rier (Tharjiak), revealed that assorted ammunition were transported to Mirmir with a Speed Boat on April 5th from Tharjiak to execute Leer County operation.
In earnest, the attacks, the killings, the gang rapings, the abductions, the lootings, the beheading, the burning of people alive and the destruction of properties started on the morning of April 6 and went on for 6 days uninterrupted.
Despite the tragic nature of the killings of civilians, it’s good to report that Gov. Dr. Joseph Nguen Monytuil maintained a deafening silence. He did not condemn the massacre, and yet, the unarmed innocent civilians being targeted and killed wholesale, are under his jurisdiction and direct responsibility of protection as a governor of Unity State. This is one of the strong indicators that Gov. Monytuil was involved and authorized the attack.
During the attack, if there was anything that Gov. Monytuil has done was cheering on the armed youths killers in their destructive paths of killing, gang raping, looting and destruction of properties.
For example, Gov. Monytuil was reported to be jubilant. As such, he has distributed food items to the residents of Bentiu, Mayom and Guit Counties as a sign of delight and celebratory gesture, while in Leer, one of his juridictions, people were being killed, burned alive and beheaded.
Similarly, a football tournament is currently being organized in Juba to celebrate the Leer massacre by the Bentiu First. Bentiu First is an organization wing of the Unity State Government, under Gov. Monytuil. The football tournament duped as a tournament for peace, which in actual sense is meant to recognize achievements made by those who killed unarmed civilians, burned them alive, gang raped young girls and women, dismembered men and placing their heads next to their lifeless bodies, abducted, looted and destructed properties in Leer County.
For the record, the said football tournament was planned and funded in its entirety by the Unity State government. People who are organizing this event do so to showcase their delights of Leer massacre and nothing else. It’s ant-culture and morally wrong to organize a dancing event or tournament in the midst of mourning. Dancing and playing are joyous moments and can never be equated to mourning and sad times. The people of Unity State are currently mourning the Leer Massacre – not dancing or playing. Therefore, anyone who does not recognize this state of affairs is making a mockery of the victims who are grieving.
Besides, when the attack and the massacre in Leer surfaced on Social Media and had received huge public global outcry, Gov. Monytuil ordered the attackers to withdraw only after an intended mission was achieved.
The intended mission was the total destruction of Leer’s villages and towns, mass displacement of civilians, killings, looting, gang raping, abduction of young girls and women and total destruction of properties.
As a pretext, the Unity State government desperately went on the defensive and covered up scheme. The State machineries concocted a false claim that Kitgwang SPLM/A- IO faction, under Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual was responsible for carrying out the attack against unarmed civilians in Leer.
Thus could not be further from the truth. In all honesty, this claim is untrue. It’s a pure fabrication and desperate distortion of fact. There is no Kitgwang SPLM/A- IO faction under Gen. Gatwech in the entire Unity State.
Another false narrative and contradictory statement, which the Unity State government is peddling with and not sticking is the argument that the SPLM/A -IO has initiated an attack in Mirmir, forgetting the fact that Mirmir is a cantonment site under the SPLM/A- IO command as per the Revitalized ARCSS.
Mirmir was first violently attacked and captured by Commissioner of Koch, Gordon Koang Biel in March, 2022, which was a serious violation of the peace agreement. This violation almost caused South Sudan to return to war. For example, tension arose in Juba on March 17 after members of the SPLM/A – IO in various Security Mechanisms withdrew their participation protesting the violent capture of Mirmir.
Therefore, if the SPLM/A -IO had returned to Mirmir either peacefully or using armed forces, then, this has nothing to do with Dok as peoples and Community. The SPLM/A IO’s attack in Mirmir cannot be equated to Dok attacking Mirmir. The SPLM/A -IO is not a Dok Community. This is equally true that Haak and Jagei are not SPLM/A- IG and can never be targeted for the work of this institution.
On April 6 – 12, Dok as people and community was attacked, people were burned alive, people were hanged and beheaded, girls and women were gang raped and abducted, properties looted and destroyed unjustifiably. Why? Political amateurs in the Unity State Government who supported these criminal acts against unarmed civilians could not differentiate and answer this question. They are caught up in an obsolete and indefensible argument of Kitgwang and what not.
Thus, the fact remains that those who carried out the attack against unarmed civilians in Leer County were armed youths from Mayiandit and Koch Counties. They were mobilized, armed and ordered to attack innocent civilians in Leer County by Mayiandit and Koch Counties’ commissioners, and with full authorization of Unity State governor, Hon. Dr. Joseph Nguen Wejang.
- Death toll and destruction
More than 125 civilians were wounded and over 72 unarmed innocent civilians were tragically murdered, under which 4 were hanged, 33 burned alive, 6 beheaded and while others were sheer executions in close range. The victims were all unarmed civilians, which included the elderly, women and children.
Considering the damages, a serious destruction had occurred in Leer County. For example, 95% of villages in Leer County were burned to down ashes; 10 United Nations warehouses run by the World Food Program were looted and burned; 517 shops looted and burned; 29,070 herds of cattle looted; 23 schools and 11 churches ransacked and burned; 320 girls and women were gang raped and while 11 girls were abducted and their whereabouts still unknown.
- Motivation of the attack
The motivation of the attack is in part a criminally devised and dirty political maneuver, designed by the Unity State Government. More so, it’s intended to create permanent hatred between citizens of Unity State, particularly between Haak, Jagei and Dok in order to divert past human rights abuses, which include crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by known armed militias between 2014 – 2015.
The tragedy and the most excruciating parts of this plan attack is resoundingly anchored on the hanging, burning of people alive and persons who had their heads cut off and placed next to their lifeless bodies as souvenirs or shows of force or both.
These kinds of killings were intended to create enduring and permanent animosity between Haak, Jagei and Dok. For the people of Unity State, South Sudan and the world, this is an unacceptable tactic and should be condemned strongly. In terms of humanity, these criminal acts are inhumane, barbaric, satanic and unbelievably Godless in the true sense of the words.
The logic of burning unarmed civilians alive, hanging them and chopping their heads off is satanic but a calculated strategy to plant permanent extreme hatred and rooted dislike between Haak, Jagei and Dok Communities.
Morally and in the eyes of the law, these acts are genocidal and terroristic in nature. The terroristic nature of such killings shocked the whole world and dumbfounded everyone, especially those who are well aware about the deep and positive historical relationships between
Haak, Jagei and Dok Nuer. For centuries, these peoples, these communities have lived inseparable lifestyles and Should therefore remain to be so.
Despite the barbaric nature of these killings, no irreparable damage is done between Haak, Jagei and Dok. Their historical relationships will endure and remain intact. Those who planned and executed these barbaric killings against unarmed civilians in Leer in order to create permanent foes between the three sister communities are subject to failure, and will be proven wrong. I trust the unity, the love and the oneness between Haak, Jagei and Dok Nuer will not be broken but endure.
- Moving forward
Justice will be served and eventually prevailed for the victims of the Leer Massacre. The culprits and the criminals who were involved in these barbaric and satanic killings of innocent civilians will be held to accounts. The responsible parties will be searched, apprehended and harshly dealt with using the full force of the law, dead or alive.
For the grieved community, the Dok, they know who their real enemy is and all the responsible parties in this massacre. In this regard, Haak and Jagei as communities and people are not Dok’s bitter foes. They are not also the responsible parties of the onslaughts. It’s true that the armed youths from Mayiandit and Koch were mobilized, armed, brainwashed and acted emotionally under strict orders.
The Commissioner of Mayiandit County, Hon. Dr. Gatlauk Nyang and his deputy, Mr. Riek Biel, Commissioner of Koch County, Hon. Gordon Koang Biel and his deputy, Mr. Guor Gatkuoth and the Governor of Unity State, Hon. Dr. Joseph Nguen Monytuil are the responsible parties. They will be held to account for killing, burning, hanging and beheading unarmed civilians in Leer County.
In the meantime, this statement calls for an immediate dismissal of Hon. Dr. Gatluak Nyang Hoth of Mayiandit County, Hon. Gordon Koang Biel of Koch County, Hon. Stephen Taker Riak Dong and Unity State governor, Hon. Dr. Joseph Nguen Monytuil from their positions in order to restore peace and stability in Unity State.
- Conclusion
Restoring peace and stability in Unity State is paramount and required. Therefore, for peace and stability to return to Unity State, Gov. Dr. Joseph Nguen Monytuil and the three Commissioners of Mayiandit, Koch and Leer Counties should be dismissed.
If the governor and the three commissioners are not promptly dismissed, peace and stability will not be restored in Unity State and innocent civilians will senselessly continue to die. Also, if these leaders remain in their positions, it’s common knowledge they will continue to perpetuate violence between communities and counties in Unity State.
There is no problem between communities and people in Unity State but the above mentioned leaders and not the people. As a matter of fact, the creation of Counties, particularly Mayiandit and Leer, should not be taken out of context by the enemies of peace.
The division of Haak and Dok was not a bad divorce but a mutual separation of two administrative centres for the purposes of good governance and equitable service delivery.
Besides, it’s true that the killings of more than 72 unarmed innocent civilians by hanging, burning and beheading was done by armed youths from Mayiandit and Koch Counties. As such, it’s good to note that chickens have not come home to roost between Dok and Jagei and Haak combined. These communities are one and will remain so for a long and unforeseeable future.
In terms of Justice and accountability, only the culpable and responsible parties involved in the onslaughts of unarmed innocent civilians in Leer County shall be held to account. They will be dealt with individually without being injurious to ordinary members of Haak and Jagei communities.
As for Dok, the tragic killings of more than 72 unarmed innocent civilians of Dok, the gang raped of youg girl and women, the abduction, the looting and the destruction of properties are admittedly terroristic, condemnable but shouldn’t be a deal breaker for our sister communities.
Therefore, Dok’s good attitudes toward their neighbors, their endurance and resilience must remain intact. For better or worse, Dok knows their real enemies by names and this is minus ordinary members of Jagei and Haak communities.
Finally, Dok is a peaceful and law binding community, and therefore, in this difficult time, it is strongly recommended it should embrace peace while ensuring that justice and accountability prevail for the victims. That the criminals who committed horrific atrocities in Leer will be searched, apprehended and face full force of the law, dead or alive.
Nguen Nyol is a South Sudanese advocate and analyst. He can be reached at jamesnguen@gmail.com.
