Moli-Tokuro village in Eastern Equatoria is peaceful again after a land conflict opposed Acholi and Madi communities in Magwi County on Thursday leaving two people dead and one woman seriously injured.
Emmanuel Radio correspondent in Magwi County reported that the dispute started on Wednesday following an attempt by some people to survey the area at Amee Junction.The activity was stopped when a serious dispute broke out over the ownership of the land.
Following the disagreement over the land ownership, some individuals stormed the residence of a local chief, beat him up, set his three houses on fire and looted 17 goats.
The violence against the chief provoked a group of youths who blocked the Nimule-Juba highway and checked each passing car.
An eyewitness said the matter turned bloody when the youths stopped a bus heading to Juba with some armed men among the passengers.
The armed men in the bus started shooting at the people that had gathered by the roadside: two people were killed on the spot and a third was seriously injured.
The source disassociated the shooting from the conflict between the two communities but blamed the armed men in the bus for the deaths and injuries.
Although the situation is calm, the two communities demanded the state government’s intervention in the Moli-Tokuro matter to find a lasting peaceful solution.
Last year, a similar conflict sparked off between the two communities in Magwi County over a border issue and the Nimule-Juba road was also blocked, bringing the highway traffic to a standstill.
The problem was later settled by the Eastern Equatoria state government.