Government, opposition promise prompt investigation into Juba-Yei road ambush

[Elisabeth Janaina]

Government, opposition promise prompt investigation into Juba-Yei road ambush
JUBA/NAIROBI (13 Oct.)

The SPLM-IO faction led by South Sudan’s former vice president Riek
Machar says it will conduct a vigorous investigation into the recent
killing of innocent civilians on the road between Juba and Yei, while
calling on the government to carry out its separate investigations
into the incident.

Mabior Garang de Mabior, spokesperson of the SPLM-IO faction, told
Radio Tamazuj yesterday that their group does not have a policy of
killing civilians and that the movement will conduct its own
investigation into these killings.“What happened is bad and we condemn
it, and we will investigate the incident,” said Garang.

For his part, Ateny Wek Ateny, South Sudan’s presidential
spokesperson, said that a committee headed by the presidential advisor
on military affairs Daniel Awet Akot was formed by President Kiir to
investigate the incident.

Condemnations continue

Separately, South Sudanese continue to react with grief and anger over
reports of the killing of dozens of people on the road between Yei and
Juba last week.

Daniel Aboja, Chairperson of the Equatoria Youth Union, condemned the
killing of innocent civilians on roadsides in the Equatoria region.
Aboja called on local youth to distance themselves from targeting
people based on ethnicity.

Federico Vuni, Chairperson of the Equatoria Community in the United
Kingdom, condemned the incident and killing of civilians last week.
The community leader called on the government to initiate dialogue
with communities of the Equatoria region for the sake of peace and
stability in the country.