At least 156 households of victims of the Misseriya attacks in Aweil East County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.

The Minister for Information and Communication in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, William Anyuon Kuol, said although the security situation is calm the destruction of property during the attacks by the Misseriya had left most families without food, shelter and other sources of livelihood.

“The situation is calm but many people are displaced. We went yesterday to identify the families that are displaced, and we got about 156 households displaced and we also assessed the damage and the damage was very much,” he explained.

William said the government of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State had put in place some measures to stop further attacks from Misseriya youth. They include putting on hold activities of the border peace committee which was composed of Misseriya and people from Dinka Malual.

“Food has been damaged and animals like cattle and goats were affected and some non-food items. So, we have put some measures as a government, we decided to temporarily close the road which comes directly from Sudan,” he said.

“We put some other measures to prevent the movement of their cattle to especially Aweil East where they attacked. We decided to prevent them not to come to this site in search of pasture and water.”

He said the government of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State had also donated food items but said they are likely to run a shortage of support due to a large of affected people.

William appealed to the national government to address the matter with the Sudanese government to stop Misseriya youth from crossing to South Sudan.

 “We have been appealing to our national government especially the ministry of foreign affairs to seriously report this issue to the Sudanese government to talk to their people who call themselves Misseriya youth group. We doubt that these attacks are politically motivated,” he noted.

The attacks                                                                                 

“Our youth managed to kill eight of them but among the eight, two are identified to be members of Sudan armed forces. So, we are appealing that in case, some indiscipline soldiers are involved in such activity, the government of Sudan should take care of that. Our government should ask for their sympathy towards South Sudan.”

William appealed to the humanitarian organisations to extend their helping hands to the victims of the Misseriya attacks.

“We also appeal to humanitarian partners in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State and outside at least to respond to this. We need intervention because this issue of IDPs is an issue that needs urgent response but up to now, there is no positive response. We need these people to be assisted,” he stated.

“We cannot manage this situation as state the government alone. This is why we call upon our national government and our development partners to intervene.”

He said that although there were rumours on Sunday of possible attacks by the Misseriya youths but fortunately it did not happen.

“We were told that there were delegates that went to Sudan and do not have an update yet. When I went there yesterday (Sunday) to distribute food items, we were even scared because we were told that the Misseriya mobilised themselves and were coming,” he explained.

“Our youth grouped themselves to attack them but we told them to wait until they come again,” he added.

Fundraising

Kiir Yor Lual, the commissioner of Aweil East County last week set up a committee to carry out fundraising for the victims of the Misseriya attacks.

The committee had the responsibility to organise fundraising rallies and collect funds from within and outside the country basically from well-wishers. They will also identify victims of the attack, distribute funds, or items, and coordinate humanitarian emergency responses.

The committee is led by the commissioner of Aweil East County, Kiir Yor Lual, as the chairperson and deputized by the Chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce, Anuei Akoon.

The secretary is Ring Yak, the treasurer is Karbino Agok Aguer, and Tito Awen Bol is the secretary of information.

Attacks on civilians

Last week, William said the Misseriya attacks on civilians started on December 30, 2021.

“The Misseriya militiamen sneaked into the village at night with the intention of killing and looting the properties of innocent civilians,” William said.

“On December 30, 2021, they entered the farm and killed one person in his house, and our people killed two from the side of the attackers at Warguet. On the same day, they attacked Warguet Payam and claimed the lives of four civilians, including a 5-year-old child.”

The state government called the attack “a clear breach of the 2012 Cooperation Agreement between South Sudan and Sudan in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.”

A high-level delegation from the national government was dispatched to talk to the Sudanese government to end the attacks by the Misseriya youth.