Public Statement
July 17, 2010 (Malakal) — An eye witness in Lul reported that SPLA gathered the community in Alel Lul, of Fashodo County on July 9, 2010 and shot dead ten (10) men in front of the community. The source said wives of the dead men were raped by SPLA when they wept on the dead bodies of their husbands and community prevented from burying the dead bodies.
The men massacred were identified as:-
1. Opal Othiek
2. Burac Olwal
3. Chol Awol Deng
4. Tipo Othow
5. Deng Awang
6. Oboki Chol
7. Obunan Odhok
8. Onak Thowkuc
9. Oyo Oto
10. (Name missed out)
Connected with SPLA atrocities in Collo villages, a source in Malakal reported that an interest vested group from Collo community, met with the new commissioner of Fashodo County, Othu Akoc, in Malakal, on July 8, 2010. The source said among the speakers in the meeting was a fellow called Akwoc Dok who advised the new commissioner saying,’’ The former commissioner, Paul Arop has done his part in Fashodo County. You will not rest in Kodok if you do not burn down Owekiel and the surrounding villages’’. Akwoc Dok was confirming that Paul Arop was collaborating with the SPLA to carry out the crimes against humanity of torture, killing, rape, looting and burning of villages in Fashodo County and that the new commissioner must do the same. Owekiel is the village of late King, Ayang Aney Nyidhok, which is alleged by Akwoc Dok to be a base for Collo Youth. The new commissioner accepting the advice of Akwoc Dok said,’’ I will not go to Kodok until the SPLA clears the whole Fashodo County from Collo Youth’’.
Immediately after the meeting, Owekiel was set ablaze by the SPLA on the orders of the commissioner. Owekiel is a village among the villages of late Collo Kings which were burnt down by SPLA. The other three villages: Kijo, Padwol and Otwelo were burnt by SPLA on June 25, 2010 after they were defeated by Collo Youth in Lul fight. At the same time, civilians who fled to the forest from Kwom village were called back home by the SPLA. When the civilians returned to the village, all women and girls were raped such that three women were damaged severely and had to be taken to Malakal for treatment. Kwom is the village of Akwoc Dok himself, and is not spared from the atrocities of the SPLA as long as it is a Collo village.
The group which met the new commissioner in Malakal is the one advising Pagan Amum on how to torture Collo people as a punishment for humiliating the SPLM, in April 2010 National Elections. Pagan Amum is saying,’’ What happened in Collo land so far is not enough. A lot of work needs to be done, including destruction of Fashodo’’.
In order to play the dirty game with the enemies, Pagan Amun is daily on the phone directing County commissioners to continue with the destruction of Collo land. It has to be recalled that the father of Pagan, Amum Okiec, was once a great chief under the authority of Collo King. Like other chiefs, the first duty of Amum Okiec was to resolve disputes, maintain justice and preach peace and love among the Collo people.
Now Pagan is the minister of peace in the government of southern Sudan. But here he is, collaborating with the real enemies of peace, to burn down villages, plant seeds of deceit, greed and hatred among Collo people, at the time he should be preaching peace, justice and love before the referendum. Should we say history has repeated itself?