THE LEER AND MAYIANDIT COMMUNITIES STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE ONGOING ETHNIC MASSACRE OF CIVILIANS IN LEER AND MAYIANDIT BY THE GOVERNMENT FORCES!
May 1ST 2018 (Nyamilepedia)– The Leer and Mayiandit Communities worldwide, strongly condemn the ongoing massacre and mass displacement of innocent civilians in Leer and Mayiandit Counties by the government soldiers of South Sudan.
Since April 20th, 2018, we have been watching in absolute dismay the sustained, coordinated, wilful and vicious attacks being carried out by the government forces against the innocent civilians in violation of Cessation of Hostilities (CoH); resulting in mass casualties and displacement of civilians. We are deeply saddened by such senseless indiscriminate killing and maiming including rampant gang rapes, abductions, looting and destruction of property and livelihoods. Ironically, this is all being carried out by a government that is supposed to protects them.
We are left without words to describe the gruesome inhumane murders of our community elders who are in their 70s and 90s, children, women, persons with disabilities among other vulnerable groups in Leer and Mayiandit Counties. There is no justification whatsoever to kill a frail helpless elder such as Mr. Nang Diu, who was found burned to death together with his great grandson in his house in Pulbar, hacking and slaughtering children, women and persons with disabilities. We find it extremely reprehensible that a government would commit such heinous acts of crime against its own people. We condemn the burning to the ground, especially at this time when the rains have started, of the following villages in the two counties:
- Mayiandit County: Dablual, Mirnyal, Kak, Pulbar, Buor, Dhorlek, Buot, Rieri, Dhoryiel, Koat, Tutnyang, DhorJack, Jaguar, Thaker, Panyang, Chuthdier, Kangkoi, Chieydar, Maper Chuol Kuony, Dhornyiet, Dhiach, Changlual, Kuok and Rubnor.
- Leer County: Leer, Thonyor, Piliny, Touchriak, Tulung, Rom-nyachom, Gandor, Kueidok, Padeah, Gap,Bieh,Luah, Koam,Nyoat and Yang.
Despite the signing of a cessation of hostilities agreement on 23 January 2014, it is important to remind the world that the two counties have been subjected to targeted attacks on numerous occasions since the outbreak of senseless conflict in December 2013. From January 31st 2014, government and its militia forces inflicted serious inhumane violations including targeted killings, gang rape, looting, burning and destruction of civilians’ homesteads. And between April and December 2015 worse atrocities were witnessed. Government and its militia torched villages, killed civilians, burnt people alive, over 50 civilians were suffocated to death inside shipping containers in Leer, crime of sexual violence and abduction of children, and women continued. Castration of young boys witnessed, looting of properties and livestock marked the period.
These periods saw mass displacement of survivors to the Protection of Civilians site in Bentiu town. These atrocities are still being committed. The government continues to wage well-coordinated malicious attacks in and around the counties. We demand and call upon the government to immediately cease violent acts against the civilians. As we mourn and bury our loved ones, we call upon the UN Security Council (UNSC), the USA government, TROIKA, the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to pressure the regime to immediately cease these hostile acts. We request for a swift deployment of CTSAMM to investigate the affected areas. We also call for the UNSC to hold to account those responsible for such heinous crimes against humanity. We thank the Humanitarian Agencies operating in the country for their continued support. We urge them to act urgently to save the lives of survivors by providing the much-needed medical services and other humanitarian assistance.
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THE FAMILIES OF THE MURDERED CIVILIANS, INCLUDING THE ABDUCTED CHILDREN, YOUNG GIRLS, WOMEN IN FRONT OF TEMPRARY PROTECTION AREA OF THE UNMISS IN LEER AND ARECURRENTLY BEING USED AS SEXSLAVES BY GOVERNMENT FORCES AND THOSE STILL MISSING AND SEEKING SHELTERS IN THE BUSHES AND SWAMPS.
Signed by
Peter Gatbel Magock Chairman of Leer Community Worldwide. Australia & Samuel Lam Toch Chairman of Mayiandit PoC Site in Juba, South Sudan.
