Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) says the government’s way of handling the implications of floods in the country needs improvements.

CEPO specifically condemned an incident where two displaced persons living in Gumbo were shot on Wednesday.

“It is expected that the ongoing displacement of the population due to the floods will lead to violence and even conflicts. “The December 15, 2021, (incident), is a clear example of the expected flood displacement related violence,” says Edmund Yakani, Executive Director, Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO).

Yakani condemned the incident, saying the deaths of the two people were unacceptable as he urged the government to protect the lives of innocent citizens even if they are in conflict with the law.

“State authorities should act in a non-violent manner in handling the population in conformity with the law.

It is time for the government to really take time to design a strategy of mitigating possible deadly or violent flood displacement related violence,’’ he said.

He added: “The indicators of early warming are clearly demonstrating factors that the competition over high lands is going to be real and it claims human lives and properties if it is not prevented by the government authorities.”

“There are many hot spots across the country for possible violence and Koch County in Unity State is one of them.’’

He said that there is a need for urgent conflict prevention dialogue in Koch among the communities and possible migrating communities.

CEPO is urging the national and state councils of ministers to convene a special council meeting to define actions for mitigating the potential consequences of the floods.

The Police Spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Daniel Justin told the local media in Juba that the shooting happened when a committee that was appointed by the president to address land issues in Juba went to demolish the illegal settlements in the area.

According to Justin, the residents had rejected the demolition exercise that caused the shooting. Two people were later discovered dead in the aftermath of the disagreement.