By The City Review
A member of the Jonglei State Legislative Assembly representing Baidit Payam has strongly condemned a deadly armed attack that reportedly left four civilians dead and four others injured in Mathiang Boma of Baidit Payam, Bor County.
In a letter dated June 8, 2026, addressed to the Chief Administrator of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), John Mabil Alier Mayen described the incident as a tragic act of violence allegedly carried out by armed Murle youth from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area at around 10:09 p.m.
The lawmaker said the attack had deeply shocked residents of Baidit Payam and renewed concerns over recurring insecurity along the border areas between Jonglei State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
“The incident resulted in the loss of four lives and injuries to four other civilians. This act of violence is absolutely heartbreaking for Baidit Payam, a peace-loving community that continues to bear the burden of rapid attacks that often claim lives and cattle,”. Mabil stated.
He emphasized that Baidit Payam and Bor County remain committed to peaceful coexistence and reconciliation despite the latest violence.
According to the legislator, local leaders and communities have been actively engaged in peacebuilding initiatives aimed at restoring trust and stability between neighboring communities.
Mabil pointed to recent efforts to strengthen relations between Jonglei State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, including a recent visit by the GPAA Chief Administrator to Bor, which he described as a strong signal of goodwill and commitment to peace.
He also noted that the Bishop of Anyidi Diocese had planned a visit to Pibor as part of ongoing peacebuilding engagements intended to foster dialogue and mutual understanding between communities.
“In this engagement, what both our people desire is peace, not cycles of retaliation,” he said
The lawmaker appealed to the GPAA leadership to initiate a thorough and impartial investigation into the attack in order to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident.
He further called for those responsible to be identified and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
“Accountability is essential to rebuild trust and deter future violence,” the letter stated.
In addition to demanding justice, Mabil urged authorities to strengthen joint security arrangements and early warning mechanisms along the Jonglei-GPAA border to improve the protection of civilians and their property.
He stressed that peace efforts must be accompanied by justice and accountability, warning that sustainable peace cannot be achieved if perpetrators of violence are allowed to act with impunity.
“We cannot preach peace while allowing perpetrators of violence to go unpunished,” he wrote, expressing confidence that the Greater Pibor Administrative Area leadership would take decisive action in response to the incident.
The legislator also pledged his willingness to work closely with the GPAA administration, security agencies, and peace actors to support investigations and community-based reconciliation efforts.
The reported attack comes amid ongoing efforts by community leaders, government officials, and religious institutions to reduce intercommunal violence and cattle-related conflicts that have frequently affected parts of Jonglei State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
Authorities in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of publication.