Maban fight death toll rises to 32 in South Sudan

The total number of people killed in the recent violence between the host community and Sudanese refugees near Doro camp in South Sudan’s Eastern Nile state has been put at 32 people by local officials and camp leaders, amid conflicting reports about the circumstances of the attack.

The fight which started on 25 December continued for three days and caused unrest in camp close to Bunj. It has prompted the state government to dispatch a high-level delegation to assess the security situation in Eastern Nile's (previously Upper Nile) Maban county, which hosts four camps for refugees from Sudan's Blue Nile and South Kordofan.

North-east Maban county Commissioner Mansur Mustafa told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that at least 17 members of the host community were confirmed killed and 13 others wounded during clashes.

“The time I spoke to you during the fighting, the number was 14 people killed. But now the number has increased to 17 people killed and 13 people wounded, and now they are in the hospital,” said Mansur. Mustafa claimed that unconfirmed numbers of people from the host community are still missing.

For his part, Tila Musa, coordinator of Doro refugee camp, said in an interview on Tuesday that at least 15 Sudanese refugees were killed and 16 others wounded during the clashes that lasted several days, while 58 people are still missing.

Burials

Musa expressed concerns about the missing refugees. He revealed that they buried at least four refugees killed near Doro camp after it came under attack by local youth and that they later received eleven bodies from the host community. They are allegedly buried in the presence of the International Community of the Red Cross (ICRC) in South Sudan.

Speaking for the ICRC, Alyona Synenko confirmed that her organisation made sure that the dead were buried “in a dignified manner”. She declined to mention the number of victims on both sides.

'Not many refugees returned to Blue Nile because of the fighting. This movement is normal' – Doro coordinator

Camp coordinator Musa confirmed the Maban commissioner's statement that they received at least 142 refugees who were initially detained by the host community during the clashes, but denied reports that many refugees returned to Blue Nile because of the recent fighting. Their movement as normal, he explained.

Conflicting reports

Earlier last month, government forces accused opposition fighters allied to Riek Machar of causing insecurity around Maban county. Maban commissioner Mustafa told Radio Tamazuj on 28 December that “people of Blue Nile came and attacked our people and their soldiers also attacked our people”.

'Authorities have been unable to settle disputes between the two communities.'

The Christian organisation Serving In Mission in Doro has stated to the press that members of the refugee community started to raid houses, clinics and the school. “We know that houses from both parties were torched and that many people are afraid to return home.” Meanwhile a missionary of the Sudan Interior Church, Idris Redco Aodra, told Radio Dabanga last week that a local militia supported by police officers and fire brigade launched the attack in Doro.

Camp leader Musa denied knowledge of what caused the recent fighting between the two communities in the area. “But what I know is that there were some minor issues that happened here and there, but the authorities were unable to settle the disputes,” he told reporters.

He accused members of the fire brigade and police officers of involvement in the clashes, while accusing members of the white army and organised forces of attacking them. “The SPLA did not participate in the fighting, they were neutral, and they were moving to refugees and going to the host community. It was the White Army that involved itself in the fight,” he said, reluctant to go into details.

Combatants of the 'white army' are known to fight in the ranks of the Sudan People's Liberation Army In-Opposition (SPLA-IO), composed primarily of Nuer forces and soldiers who defected from the South Sudanese army (SPLA) after war erupted in December 2013. The SPLA-IO has showed signs of clear differences between its political and military leadership.

In September 2016 the Deputy Governor of Upper Nile state, John Ivo Mounto, defected to the SPLA-IO led by Riek Machar, which dealt a blow to the newly established Eastern Nile state government.

(Source: Radio Tamazuj)