Authorities in Rumbek East county arrested farmers for investigation over cutting cattle in the farm.
Commissioner of Rumbek East Zechariah Malual Anyuon said the incident took place in Awan village. The cattle entered the family farm last two days ago.
He said both cattle were coming from Lake cattle camp.
” They entered into the farm and then the owner of the farm reacted by injuring 8 cows with pangas “, he said. ” The police entered into the scene of incident and secure the arrest of the suspect and that the accused is now under the police custody in Rumbek East county county headquarters. This is what happened on Saturday “.
He said the investigation is ongoing for the police to identify is this one only or are the more on that activities of the attempting to kill the cows and after the investigation than the case will be transferred to the court.
” Because, we have cows and they are our sources of livelihoods and property and also we have crops and they are all our sources of livelihoods. So, we don’t want anything to happen to each property. But we do give orders to control cattle not to destroy the farm”.
He said we also told the owners of the farm to protect their farms during the day time when the cows are released from the cattle camp to the bushes and then to the farm land areas.
” So, for them to protect their farms. But if happened like this the law will take it measures”, he said
Akuckerieth Marial Malual, a cattle owner in Lakes cattle camp, said that his cows were chopped with panga by the farmer.
He said the farm owner slash cows with panga and the reason why he did it so will be investigated by the government to explain.
” It is because I am a responsible person, and that’s why I didn’t get myself involved into the issues that can trigger violence in the community but to follow due process of law “, he said.
He said he will first pay a compensation of all the spoiled in his farm and I will also give him to compensate all my cows which he has chopped with panga.
” I am asking the government to investigate this person who slashed cows with panga about the mission of this person, what is his mission in this issue, is it not to provoke violence so that everyone gets back to previous violence “, he said. ” I wanted to report to the government that I have about 8 cows chopped with panga, and another person 7 cows which were chopped with panga. All are 15 cows and these are the total number of cows chopped with panga by the farmers “.
He said there was no ones who went to the police but after he realized that he has done a mistake he went to hide himself.
” So, we called the police in Rumbek East county, and was apprehended by the police and he is currently in the police custody “, he said. ” It was me who went for his search with police and he was caught and apprehended. He will explain in the investigation processes why did he cut cows with pangas “.
” I am asking the government to allow us to go with him to see what part has been destroyed in his garden because I am ready to compensate it meanwhile my cows which he has chopped with pangas will be handed over to him to compensate them and treat them “, he said.
He said the suspect who did this is a matured person and not a small boy he would have gone to report the destruction of his farm by my cows to the police instead of cutting cows with pangas.
Deborah Alek Akim, a local women’s representative in Rumbek East county condemned the incident in which one of the farmers chopped the cows with pangas after the destruction of his farm.
She said this is one of the biggest mistake to chopped cows with pangas after cows destroyed the farm.
She said this is something with no comparison to this world and it is a great mistake of all.
” It is a cow which was a source of wealth that brought independence of South Sudan,” she said. ” During the SPLA war of liberation struggle which culminated to independence of South Sudan, the Communities were the ones to mobilize cows in form of taxes that were given to the soldiers to fight the war. We were not having any other sources of wealth to fight. The cow was the only main source of wealth followed by dura and groundnut”, she said.” There is no reason whatsoever to kill cows because they destroyed the farm”.
She said it is better for the farmers to reach out gelwong youth leaders who are the cattle owners and the chiefs and open the case against them if their cows have destroyed your farms.
