Budi County Community Pledges To Return Livestock Stolen From Ikwoto County
A section of the community members from Budi County in Eastern Equatorial State have responded positively and have shown willingness to return the cattle raided from Ikwoto County where 14 people were killed during the Saturday raid. 17 April 2013 By Peter Lokale Nakimangole TORIT, 16 April 2013 [Gurtong] – The residents from Kikilai village along other surrounding villages of Lotukei Payam are presently responding positively by showing willingness to return raided cattle to the raided community of Bira following demand by government. The county officials on the ground told Gurtong that government representatives on Monday held a crucial meeting with community leaders of Kikilai Boma who admitted that some of their own sons committed the crime in Ikwoto last Saturday and are working closely with government to ensure peaceful return of the stolen cows. The community disclosed that so six people from their side have been killed in the attack and additional raider also has been wounded and in critical condition making the Saturday’s wounded number on their side to rise from one to two as a few others were still missing. “We held a meeting with the community following our arrival to Kikilai, we accordingly informed them of the objective of the visit. They were welcoming us peacefully and demonstrated readiness to working together with government as one body against wrong elements of peace and co-existence,” said a member of the delegation on phone. He said that the community leaders agreed the incidence happened and even regretted to have lost some of them after going for the raid. “They too strongly condemn. We realize not the whole community is criminal but a few of elements are responsible and we are collectively in collaboration with community promise to apprehend them and let all be brought back to rightful owners timely,” he added. The members from among the delegation representing the state government have told Gurtong that they prefer immediate peaceful settlement with the community on the return of stolen cows from Bira Community plus a return of the deceased officers’ guns. The delegation disclosed that the beginning on negotiation with the Kikilai community plus other neighbouring villages progresses smoothly showing peaceful gesture and they both hope the problem is likely to conclude peacefully. On Saturday 13, at least 14 people including organised forces were killed and three others wounded in a cattle raid attack at Napeyase Boma of Losite Payam in Ikwoto. According to officials, raiders from Didinga in Budi County attacked and raided Napeyase at around midday on Saturday while the state Governor Louis Lobong Lojore was holding a meeting with the community of Napeyase Boma. According to officials, the attack on Saturday happened about two kilometres from a venue where the state governor Louis Lobong Lojore was holding a meeting with Bira community in a meeting aimed at enabling the governor to listen to dynamics affecting Bira people and also to share the vision of the state government but was interrupted by the attack. Wildlife force personnel who were at the meeting with the state governor attempted to avert the cattle raid but unknowingly they entered in an ambush laid by the raiders and engaged in gunfire exchange that lasted for about half an hour. The state government has also ordered for compensation of the raid victims, the return of about 665 herds of cattle, as well as goats that were earlier raided from Lotome and 16 herds of cattle from Logir communities. The state government appeals for peace and co-existence among the pastoral communities. Posted in: Home, Governance -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
