Good Afternoon, Its 1:00 Pm. This Is Radio Miraya News with Susan Dokolo
Good Afternoon, Its 1:00 pm. This is Radio Miraya News with Susan Dokolo.
The Headlines
- Army confirms more than 20 casualties in Lakes State clashes with youth
- Three suspects arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a WFP staff member
- Six killed in Mundri West cattle camp attack
The army has confirmed that more than 20 soldiers of different ranks were killed by armed youth from Rumbek North County of Lakes States.
Last week’s fighting occurred on Friday in a cattle camp in the Malek area, 40miles from Rumbek town.
Army spokesman Col. Philip Aguer says the cause of the clash is not yet clear and state authorities are expected to report on the issue.
Aguer: “Yes, SPLA soldiers have been attacked by armed civilians and it is very unfortunate that we have lost a number of soldiers and officers, but we are still awaiting the details of the report. But more than 20 SPLA soldiers and officers were lost in that clash but we are waiting. Possibly today we will know.”
Meanwhile, Aguer has spoken out on the health of the SPLA chief of general staff.
Aguer has not revealed the condition, but says Lt Gen. Paul Malong Awan is in a stable condition and is receiving treatment abroad.
Aguer: “The chief of general staff is well. He is continuing with treatment abroad. He has traveled for further diagnoses and treatment abroad and he has been in contact this morning with his deputies in general headquarters. And he is ok. He is stable but he is continuing with further medical examinations up to yesterday. And this morning he is in Kenya. That is the information we have.”
Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the recent kidnapping of an aid worker at Malakal airport.
The WFP staff member was reportedly picked up at gunpoint by men in plain clothes last week.
Army Spokesperson Col. Philip Aguer confirms the arrest and says investigations are underway.
He says the whereabouts of the relief worker are still not known.
In Western Equatoria State, the death toll from an attack on a cattle camp in Mundri West has reached six.
Acting State Police Commissioner Brigadier Richard Aban Diing says one woman is also reported missing after armed youth opened fire in a cattle camp in Amadi payam yesterday.
Diing says security organs are on the ground trying to contain the situation.
Diing: “The information we got is that at least six cattle keepers were killed and three were wounded. There is a woman also who is at large. A hundred cows have come back and then the others; people are looking forthem now. The authorities of Mundri West County and our security organs are looking for those who made that issue, but otherwise it was a long issue. And earlier we advised the cattle keepers to move back but because of intransigence of other people this thing has happened now.”
President Salva Kiir has stressed the need for state governments to coordinate with the national government for effective service delivery.
Speaking at the opening of the 4th Governors Forum in Juba, President Kiir noted a lack of communication between the two levels of administration.
The President also lamented the failure of the state governments to realize resolutions drawn out in last year’s governors’ conference.
Kiir: “The country is losing a lot due to lack of effective coordination and efficiency from the state governments. It is regrettable that both national and state governments have no achievements to register today as per our last year’s resolution. We concluded the 23rd Governors Forum in this room the 29 November 2013.”
Speaking at the same forum, the Chairperson of the National Election Commission called on the state Governors to educate their people on elections.
Prof. Abednego Akok said the civic education is the responsibility of the state leaders.
Abednego: “The will of the people, the sovereignty, is not with the government. The sovereignty is with the people and that is why the governors here are to be told that the people, that they are the power, that they have the votes and they have to be sensitized now. We need voter education which they can do. We need civic education such that we change our mentality from a hostile one to a peaceful one, using your ballot to say this is the person I am going to vote for. This is our duty as people in the government and as leaders of this nation.”
The next general elections were scheduled to take place next year, 2015.
Two people have been arrested in connection with fighting that erupted at the Protection of Civilians site 3 at UN House in Jebel, along Yei road.
More than 60 IDPs were injured when clashes broke out between two groups on Sunday morning.
UNMISS Spokesperson Joseph Contreras says 20 IDPs have been hospitalized, four in a serious condition.
Contreras says the United Nations Mission, UNMISS, is investigating the cause of the fighting.
Contreras: “Investigations are underway to establish what triggered the fighting. It may have been a domestic dispute but we are yet to establish what exactly triggered this fighting, which lasted for good hours of Sunday. According to the figures that I have seen, over 60 internally displaced persons were injured in the fighting. Twenty of them have been hospitalized and four as of this morning were in a serious condition. My understanding is that two people who have been suspected of instigating the fighting yesterday have been held and are currently being detained.”
Contreras says two UN police sustained minor injuries as they tried to intervene.
Contreras: “Also, two Nepalese UN Police officers suffered minor injuries in the mayhem. In the course of the day our police personnel who are specially trained in crime management went into the area of the Protection of Civilians site where the fighting was taking place and seem to have sustained injuries as they were trying to separate the two groups and calm down the fighting. Also, I believe a tear gas was fired at one point to disperse the crowd to calm down such matters at the Protection of Civilians site.”
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The newly appointed chief whip in the Northern Bahr el Ghazal State legislative assembly has been sworn into office.
Benson Upuoth Malo was appointed by the Caretaker Governor to replace Daniel Akol Diing, who was recently appointed Minister of Parliamentary Affairs in the state government.
Speaking at the swearing in ceremony, Deputy Governor Salva Chol Ayat advised Malo to act as a vital link between the state government and the legislature.
Ayat: “Something I want to give you as an advice as chief whip of the government, you are responsible for coordination of our activities, the executive and legislature, because without you, I think a gap may be created out of nothing. So we are going to stand with you and we are going to listen to you at any time and at any moment that you call for this assistance.”
Outgoing chief whip, Daniel Akol Diing said Malo is capable of performing effectively.
Diing: “I want to assure the government and the people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal that all that they need to be delivered, to be actually forwarded to the government, you come to Upuoth Malo. Upuoth Malo is capable, is able, he is a committed member of the party, he is a disciplined person in the party and he is one of the red army. He knows all the vision and mission of the party and therefore, as party senior members, we trusted him and that is why he was recommended and swiftly he was appointed by the Caretaker Governor.”
Before his appointment, Benson Upuoth Malo chaired the health committee in the state Legislative Assembly.
The government has been asked to preserve the cultures and heritage of the people to safeguard them from extinction.
This, as the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports considers ratifying the UN Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Stephen Chifunyise, an expert in cultural policy formulation working with the UN cultural organization, UNESCO, says heritage and cultures provide identity for the people of South Sudan.
Chifunyise says the government should put in place measures to ensure the cultures are preserved.
Chifunyise: “The measures are quite many, but first would be to research the entire nation among all the ethnic communities to know what they have, whether in music, dance or skills. Then go into transmitting that information from older generation to new generation, what we call ‘inter-generational’ transmission to ensure that the communities can continue to conserve these traditions by practicing them, also safeguarding through research and documentation in form of audio visual, films and books”.
The French embassy in Juba is sponsoring secondary school French teachers on a training program in France.
The teachers will spend three months in France, learning about the French language and culture.
The first batch of six teachers left Juba over the weekend.
The Educational Affairs Manager at the French embassy, Antoine Dutarte, says the training is part of a three-year programme to encourage teaching of French in schools.
And in sports
The governor’s football tournament kicked off last evening in Torit, Eastern Equatoria State.
Some 24 teams from the first, second and third divisions will participate in the four-week competition.
In the opening matches Young Stars beat Nile FC 4-1, while Rabita team defeated Torit United 2-1.
Today Jazeera FC takes on Hilal and Malakia will play against Kediopa United.
All matches are taking place at the Torit Freedom Square.
To end the news the once again the main stories.
- Army confirms more than 20 casualties in Lakes State clashes with youth
- Three suspects arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a WFP staff member
- Six killed in Mundri West cattle camp attack
You have been listening to Radio Miraya News. I am Susan Dokolo.
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