US Calls for Investigation into Chief’s Death

The US Ambassador to South Sudan calls for investigation into the incident that led to the death of the Ngok Dinka paramount chief and UN peacekeepers.

Speaking exclusively to Eye Radio on Sunday Ambassador, Susan Page expressed her sympathies following the death of Kuol Deng Kuol.

The US ambassador calls for investigation into the incident that led to the death of the Ngok Dinka paramount chief and UN peacekeepers.

“We urge the parties in the conflict of Abyei to use the  mechanism;  namely, the Joint Security Committee  which they have put in place to investigate this  act of violence  and to facilitate  a transparent and effective investigation  to bring those responsible to justice  and to ensure  this tragic  incident does escalate into further violence, “ said Ambassador Page.

Susan Page, US Ambassador to South Sudan

Madam Page added that this is the ideal time to establish an administration in Abyei and form a joint police force.

“One of the reasons this is incident is so serious is because it does underscore the absolute necessities to establish those administrative structure that were agreed upon back in 2011 and they still have not been put in place.”

The paramount chief of the Ngok Dinka, Kuol Deng Kuol, was killed in an attack involving Misserya tribesmen in Abyei.

It’s not clear how many UN peacekeepers were also killed.

The attack happened on Saturday night when a convoy belonging to the United Nations Interim Force for Abyei was returning to Abyei town after a visit to the north of the area.

Edward Lino, who represents South Sudan as the co-chair of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee said this incident would make people more determined.

“I think and believe that it is going to work contrarily to what they [Misserya] think. The impact of this is that it is going to encourage the people to stand together for the near future. It is going to generate new strengths to the people of Abyei ….”

At a press conference in Juba today Deng Alor, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs said that this incident would be a “setback for the peace process not only between Dinka and the Misserya but Sudan and South Sudan.”