October 10th — Something must be done!
I have had a few conversations by phone with Abraham Jok Aring, Commissioner of Bor County where my nieces were abducted; Dr. John Antipas, Minister of Education for Jonglei State, which contains Bor County and Pibor County, where we think the Murle gunmen took them; and Mamer Rouk, a former security officer for Jalle Payam.
1- Abraham Jok Aring, Bor County Commissioner-after talking to him Oct. 9, he informed my father to come visit him. I couldn’t call at the arranged time due to network difficulties. Anyway, my father left Commissioner Aring a few messages. First, my stepmother wanted her wounded leg to be cut off. Secondly, they needed money so that she can be transported to Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan autonomy. And thirdly, I asked the Commissioner Jok about the welfare of Yar and Ajak. He suggested there were no immediate plans to communicate with the Murle. I’m worried that the government will not act — or that it will overreact.
2.Dr. John Antipas Ayiei, Minister of Education, Jonglei State. Dr. Ayiel told me: “You should talk to the governor and pressure him to take an initiative. Something must be done to disarm the Murle by any means. You must push the governor to do something to bring law and order, especially in Pibor County. It is a responsibility of the GOSS (Government of Southern Sudan). We have both political and military joint committees to deal with this issues. The governor can negotiate with the local Murle chiefs that can be influential in their communities.” A lots of encouraging words … The Murle are very difficult to deal with. I said to him, “Sir, something must be done in order to stop this horrifying stuff.” We hung up afterward.
3.Mamer Rouk, former security officer for Jalle Payam. The first thing he told was to contact my father at the Bor County Commissioner’s house because they were together in the same place. He advised me to talk to the governor because all the security is under his control/power for the entire state.
* I am trying to get a hold of the governor but he is in a meeting according to the Bor County Commissioner….MORE TO COME.
