A retired Catholic bishop told SCR News that violence against the Jiye community was carried out last week by the army without respect for innocent civilians.
The violence was allegedly triggered by cattle rustling among Topotha, Jiye and Murle communities.The SPLA had taken the stolen cattle to keep it under military custody.
On April 2 there were reports in the media that Jiye youth had confronted the SPLA over stolen cattle and the SPLA had crushed down on them.
During the operation, the village of Naoyapuru was burnt down and innocent civilians killed.
Bishop Paride Taban has confirmed that the houses of the Jiye were totally burnt down with people locked inside.
He said the military are there to protect the civil population, and if they do harm to the civil population, they could be compared to “mad shepherds” .
Bishop Paride has stood at the side of civilians in South Sudan during the long years of the war, and lives now in the Peace Village of Kuron, Eastern Equatoria.