A group of South Sudan soldiers attempted to hijack a truck being used by the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek at a road block outside Rumbek on the Wau road but the intervention of UN and diocesan personnel stopped the action.
The truck, hired by Sign of Hope to deliver goods to the various missions of the Diocese of Rumbek, was returning from Tonj on Friday.A scared Kenyan driver Mike Musundi told Good News Radio that the soldiers forced him to take them to Rumbek, adding that some wanted to be taken to Malou barracks some 15 Kilometers South of Rumbek while others wanted the truck to bring them to Atiaba in Rumbek East County.
He said he phoned the diocesan field coordinato, who instructed him to drive the truck to mission compound, close to the roadblock.
Mr. Musundi explained that the soldiers got off the truck after the intervention of the Vicar General of Rumbek, Fr. Andrea Osman, and a UNMIS staff.
Mr. Musundi was already stopped by armed soldiers along Juba-Yirol road and by thugs along Tonj-Rumbek road.
He said these incidences have scared him so much that he is thinking to end his trips into South Sudan when he returns to Kenya.
The driver appealed to the government to improve security on the roads.
Fr. Andrea said he helped the soldiers by carrying their luggage to Rumbek while they followed on foot.
The vicar general said this was the third incident in which SPLA soldiers forced Rumbek Diocese truck drivers to take them to their destinations.