Heavy fighting erupted between two Nuer clans in Jonglei State, Sudan

May 9, 2008 (Ulang, Upper Nile) – At least 20 people were killed and three injured following heavy fighting between two Nuer clans in Jonglei and Upper Nile states last week.

Speaking to Sudan Radio Service by phone from Ulang County, Executive Director James Gatluak Lual claims the fighting started when armed cattle raiders from Akobo and Nyirol Counties in Jonglei raided Dome, Wechtut and Yomding payams in Ulang between last week.

Mr. Lual threatened that Ulang County authorities may be forced to defend themselves by arming its civilians if the Government of Southern Sudan does not disarm neighboring counties.

[Galwak Lual]: “The killing and the looting of the animals will force us to arm ourselves if GOSS doesn’t want its government to function well. We, the Jikany-Nuer, will start buying guns and the hostilities will return.”

For their part, Nyirol County authorities say there have been no cattle raids on Ulang County. Nyirol County Commissioner William Kuol Chol said the fighting was the result of a revenge killing when two Nyirol fishermen on the Sobat River were allegedly killed by people from Ulang.

Meanwhile, Ulang County’s census supervisor, Lul Ruei, said the fighting interrupted the counting exercise in the county.

He says hopes the Government of Southern Sudan will extend the census to the areas affected by the fighting so that even those displaced can be counted.