The Komiru insecurity that sparks on the 3rd and continued for three days has made the MPs in the National Assembly to break in to tribal bases. A motion tabled table by Hon. Paul Yoani Bonju last week to Assembly has sparked chaos among Parliamentarians, as the Mps looked at the Komiru incident on tribal bases, the Mps were expressing emotions on support of their communities instead of the focusing for immediate solution, the Speaker of the Assembly James Wani Igga urged the Governor of Central Equatoria State, the Defense and the Interior Ministers in the National Government, the Commissioner of Juba County and the state Minister of the Physical infrastructure in Central Equatoria to appear to the Parliament on 12th to answer question on land management and insecurity in Komiru.
Hon. David Okuara appealed to the Mps to discuss the matter on national responsibility not on emotions or tribal base. He urged the MPs to come with immediate solution to resolve and put an end to the Komiru crisis. “We must make sure that investigation is carried out and culprits are trialed” David told the Parliament. And he asked the Parliament to give time for the Ministry of Interior to carry out the investigation. Other Mps said refused that Komiru crisis is not a National concern.
The motion called for continues demolition exercise as planed not only in Komiru area, but in any shanty area within the state territory to root out the squatters and the has urged immediate support to the bereaved families, whose houses or properties are burnt including those forcefully displaced by the accident. The Mps also requested the Government of the Central Equatoria state (CES) and the National Government to conduct immediate and thoroughly investigation surrounding the incident and bring the culprits to book without any compromise.
The motion urged Ministers of Defense, Interior and Governor of Central Equatoria State to update the Assembly on the causes of the surrounding incident. “The Komiru incident has made our enemies to laugh at us, but will prove them that Juba town and its entire indigenous inhabitants would not be part of those who believe in violence as a means of solving problems” Bonju was quoted.
The incident has claimed lives of eight civilians namely Mr. Charles Philip Abraham Batista, Martha Alexander, Rose Nene Alexander, Georgy Alexander, Lili Wausk Alexander Tereza Ikoya and one deceased who was burned and has become difficult to identify and wounded three people namely Mrs. Poni Lukak Legge, Sabry Alexander, Agrey Kiri Yontana Lako. According to the motion five locals of Komiru were put on gun points, among them are James Loro, Mathew Sokiri, Lodule Andrea Keri and the two people still go missing his/her names are not identified and an old woman Mrs. Poru Tungun Jurkin.
“The beginning of the land grabbing crisis in Komiru on the 3rd March, following an announcement made by the Chairperson of the demolition committee Central Equatoria State that the area was going to be demolished as part of reorganization of Juba town depicts a true view of a modern Capital. Hence on receiving the information, some elements within South Sudan security organs went on rampage harassing the local inhabitants by making road block barring away the local men of Komiru from entering the area and they only allowed women to enter. Around 10:00 Mp the same security group entered the area and started shooting at random causing havoc to the indigenous burning five houses to ashes” Bonju stated.
The motion stated that on 4th during morning hours the same group entered the area and started shooting randomly injuring t civilians and burning down the rest houses, the Mps said that security organs turned to kill the local population instead of harassing the demolition committee. According to the motion the victims of the incidents are mostly women and children as men were blocked from entering that area. Among the deaths, two were children, three women and three men.
The Mps also questioned the Government over security people who carry weapons on their hands. They said that Government should come with strategies whereby all weapons are kept in the warehouses and urged the Government to allocate land to the organized forces, the Mps further urged the Ministry of interior to immediately intervene to the Komiru crisis, as Central Equatoria state lack enough police to manage the capital city.
The Deputy speaker Hon. Daniel Awet urged the citizens to treat the incident as criminal case not tribal clashes. He requested the Parliament to enact laws that govern all resources of the country. He urged complete demarcation of Juba town and accused the responsible people in the Government of keeping guns in their houses. He said some people with high ranks have armed guards who are carry guns. He said that some time the body guards use the guns for different things. And he said that eighty percent of the organized forces are illiterate. He urged the people not to condemn the army, but correct them.
Meanwhile Hon. Henry Dilang Odwar blamed to the Government of been silent over the three days deadly clashes in Komiru. He accused the Mps of believing in tribalism. He said that even MPs have involved in land grabbing in Juba. And Hon. Joy Kwaje said that those people involved in the Komiru killings are criminals show the state tolerate criminal ruling. At that side Mary Kiden who closed that motion urged continues demolition. Land grabbing and cattle rustling are the most issues in South Sudan which claimed over thousands of lives since the Signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. In 2010, 600 cases were reported to South Sudan court and 30% percent of the cases were handled. Beside land grabbing in some people who are not inhabitants of Juba County have involved in illegal selling land, residents in Gudele complained.