Clashes in Cueibet last weekend that killed over 30 people, including some SPLA soldiers, were caused by a false alarm issued an unnamed man described as an “agitator riding on a motorbike.”
The man is said to have announced that people from Dinka Rek community had raided cows from Southern Barghel following a raid on Tonj cattle by Cueibet youth, Radio Good News reported.This has been revealed by the Commissioner for Cueibet, Kongor Deng Kongor, during his meeting with Bishop Caesar Mazzolari in Cueibet.
Bishop Mazzolari of Rumbek however added that the second root cause of the unfortunate events in Cueibet was hunger that made many people in Cueibet resort to looting.
Bishop Mazzolari added that at least 32 thousand people have been dislodged by the clashes and are in dire need of aid.
The bishop appealed to the international community to assess the situation and come to the help of the displaced by the black weekend clashes especially children, women and the elderly.
The Cueibet clashes claimed over 30 lives, among them a paramount chief. Houses around the town were burned to the ground. However it is not clear who was behind the burning: local witnesses blame the SPLA while the commissioner says it was the youth who did it.