Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, Onyoti Adigo speaking to Eye Radio's Sundown Program. |31st May 2022| Credit: Lou Nelson.

The Chairperson of Democratic Change Party, Onyoti Adigo, has condemned the recent violence in Upper Nile State and called for the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators.

Mr. Adigo, the National Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, made the appeal on the 15^th anniversary of the founding of his Democratic Change Party, in Juba.

The killing of four youth by unknown gunmen on May 30, sparked days of inter-communal violence within Malakal town and the Protection of Civilians Site.

According to the state police commissioner, General Chol Atem, the violence claimed ten lives, wounded several others and displaced hundreds of into the banks of the Nile.

“We as the Democratic Change Party condemn this to the strongest terms. Whoever has done that needs to be brought to justice,” Adigo said.

“We are calling on the government of Upper Nile to trace the ring leaders those people who did these things. They should be arrested and taken to court and if there are people behind them, also the law will take the course.”

Adigo said the government bring the perpetrators to justice while, while encouraging the stare citizens to be calm as the perpetrators will be held accountable.

“We are appealing to the people of Upper Nile to be calm. We have worked very hard to bring peace and we visited so many counties, initiating peace and stability.”

“In fact, there was peace, but unfortunately, there are problems which have come up now. That’s why we say we don’t want such things to happen. If you have wronged your countryman, you should have the language of sorry.”

Upper Nile is also reeling from the horrific subnational violence in late 2022 in which a UN Report found that nearly 600 civilians were killed amid gross human rights abuses and serious violations of international humanitarian law by armed groups.

A civil society activist in the state said the renewed violence undermines peace-building efforts, and risks returning the region to widespread violence.

James Lwong said he believes that the violence has quashed all the efforts by peacebuilding partners to convince the IDPs to return to their homes in Malakal.

UNMISS chief, Nicholas Haysom, has warned that such violence can cause lasting harm to communities and also prevents the UN from continuing its protection and peacebuilding work.