Pibor official says army giving weapons to Jonglei youth to attack Murle

June 29, 2020 (SSNN) – A senior government official in South Sudan’s Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) has accused the national army in Juba of transporting weapons and ammunition to Dinka youth in Bor to attack the GPAA.

Peter Lebelek, the secretary-general of the defunct Boma State, said some senior army generals in Juba have been spotted transporting arms and weapons to civilians in Bor where they were used to attack the Murle community.

“Senior generals are involved in mobilizing civilians and supplying weapons to Jonglei youths. Yes, I can give you the names of Generals, like Malual Majok Chiengkuac and Kongoor Reec,” Peter Lebelek said in an interview quoted by Radio Tamazuj on Monday.

The latest comments by the government official come after reports earlier this month that some senior government officials in the capital were transporting weapons to youth in GPAA which would later be used in deadly attacks against areas of Lou-Nuer and Dinka Bor.

Several South Sudanese states in recent months have seen a rise in inter-communal conflicts.

Fighting has been reported in Lakes, Jonglei, Warrap and Unity state. The International Community has on several occasions blamed the increase in intercommunal violence on the absence of state governments in the country.

Kiir has today appointed eight governors of the country’s ten states leaving behind Upper Nile and the restive Jonglei state.

Information minister Michael Makuei Lueth told South Sudan News Now on Monday night that the governor for Upper Nile was not appointed because the SPLM-IO nominee, Johnson Oliny, was not in the capital where all his colleagues are at the moment.

He further said the president did not also appoint the Jonglei state governor because the South Sudan Opposition Alliance which is tasked to nominate a governor for Jonglei was still not ready with a nominee.