CEPO Condemns Renewal of Deadly Violence between Twic Mayardit and Abyei Communities

In a strong statement, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has condemned the renewal of deadly violence between the conflicting communities of Twic Mayardit and Abyei. The organization also highlighted the involvement of violent-minded armed Nuer youth in the recent attacks.

On Saturday, January 27th, 2024, multiple armed attacks took place in various parts of the Abyei Administrative Area, including Nyinkuac, Majbong, Kol-Ngol-Nyang village, and the UN Mission base in Agok. 

These attacks resulted in the deaths of 42 individuals, including a UN Mission peacekeeper. CEPO finds these incidents deeply disturbing and considers them to be crimes against humanity and an attack on UN peacekeeping efforts.

Mr. Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of CEPO, has stated that genocide and crimes against humanity are occurring in the ongoing violence between the Twic Mayaradit and Abyei communities, with the involvement of armed Nuer youth. He emphasized the need for a strong response from the country’s top political leadership. Urgent preventive measures should be taken to avoid another deadly revenge attack, which would have devastating consequences. The implementation of the recent presidential order on this conflict is crucial and should be carried out without delay.

To address the situation, CEPO calls for the formation of a committee tasked with handling the recent presidential order on the Twic Mayardit-Abyei conflict, as well as conflicts involving parts of the Bahr el Ghazal communities. This committee should be responsible for preventing further violence and resolving the grievances of the conflicting communities through dialogue.

CEPO respectfully urges the president to adopt an aggressive strategy to prevent further deadly violence and to establish mechanisms for justice and accountability for the atrocities committed by the leaders of the conflicting communities.