NAS denies involvement in Eastern Equatoria attack, urges lasting solution respecting local rights and security
The National Salvation Front (NAS) has strongly refuted allegations that its forces were involved in a recent attack on a Dinka Bor cattle camp in Eastern Equatoria state.
The incident, which took place on Jan. 31 in Nyolo village, Magwi County, left several people dead, others injured, and hundreds of cattle taken by unidentified attackers. Following the attack, on Feb. 3, leaders of the Dinka Bor community in Juba’s Sherikat suburb issued a statement implicating NAS and others in the violence.
In response, NAS, through its spokesperson Mr Suba Samuel, released a statement rejecting what it called “blatantly false accusations” and condemning the allegations as baseless propaganda.
Dinka Bor cattle keepers are on record as resisting all efforts to return to their ancestral homes
“The leadership of the Dinka Bor community has a history of making uncorroborated charges against NAS,” the statement read. NAS asserted that the movement remains focused on achieving peace and stability in South Sudan and does not engage in inter-communal violence.
Several regional and international studies and investigations have, over the years, accused Dinka Bor cattle herders of contributing to tensions in Equatoria by refusing to return to their ancestral lands, despite several presidential orders and resolutions from a recent governors forum that acknowledged the presence of armed cattle keepers among farming communities has led to displacement, conflict and insecurity.
Several other verified sources confirm that the Dinka Bor leadership in Juba supports and funds the cattle herders, portraying them as victims while overlooking their role in land disputes.
NAS reaffirmed its commitment to establishing the rule of law and fostering peaceful coexistence among South Sudanese communities, emphasizing that the ongoing conflicts between cattle herders and host communities require a sustainable solution that respects local populations’ rights and security.
In conclusion, the statement dismissed claims that the migration of Dinka Bor cattle keepers into several parts of South Sudan is due to environmental factors, instead alleging that it is part of a broader agenda of land occupation and resettlement.
…urge the invaders to return to their respective states, as per the presidential order and the 8th Governors’ Forum resolutions – EE Gov Louis Lobong
Similarly, the government of Eastern Equatoria also condemned what it called false accusations from Bor leaders. In a statement issued by the press secretary in his office, Gov. Louis Lobong lamented that his people in Eastern Equatoria “have suffered harassment, killings, looting and property destruction by armed cattle herders from other states,” and urged “the invaders to return to their respective states, as per the presidential order and the 8th Governors’ Forum resolutions.”
