Cattle talks
Do not mess up with cattle in certain areas of SS
One of the main problems that has precipitated the ongoing killing in South is the flooding of agricultural areas of Central and eastern Equatoria with thousand of cattle from Jonglei area. The well-armed cattle keepers carrying sophisticated weapons and well protected, fed their animals with verity of crops in agricultural farms and not allowing farmers, landowners to open their mouths. This resulted in killing, raping, stealing of food, cattle, goats from farmers. On several occasions the cattle keepers have even crossed to Uganda from borders areas of Yei, Kajokeji, Nimule and Magwi county. Several meetings that were organized to bring calm between natives and cattle keepers failed. The famers demanded that cattle should immediately return to their places of origin and the keepers said they are south Sudanese and can shoes to live anywhere. Many appeals to the government did not produce any results.
On May 11th, 2022, at midnight cattle aiders appeared from nowhere attacked cattle keepers in Mogali, alleged to have killed 20 people, drove away 10,000 heads of cattle and according to police Major general David Kasimiro, 52 cattle and many goats were also shot.
There were however disagreements on who were the raiders. Then chairperson of Bor community Angok Gordon Kual alleged that the governor of Eastern Equatoria province Louis Lobong Lojore and county commissioner organized the youth to raid cattle camps. On his side Louis Lobong distanced himself and instead said the raiders were the Murle, professional cattle raiders from Kual’s own province of Jonglei who followed their cattle.
Following the Magali raid, the cattle raiders who are alleged to have close contacts with some members of SSDF, shot two police officers in Nimule, killed a mother in low, a wife and children. Later a medical doctor Taban who was returning from treating the wounded was also killed.