A legal storm is unfolding in Jonglei State after youths from Northern Bahr el Ghazal filed a lawsuit against the Jonglei state government, accusing it of failing to apprehend attackers who recently assaulted Bahr el Ghazal traders in Bor Town.
The traders were attacked last week in Panliet suburb, Bor Town, where assailants reportedly inflicted serious machete wounds on several victims and looted property. The injured are currently receiving medical treatment in Juba.
George Atem, chairperson of the Northern Bahr el Ghazal Youth Union, said the legal action is a wake-up call to end the recurrent targeting of Bahr el Ghazal traders in Jonglei.
“As a youth body, we are actually raising an alarm, both to our government and also the government of Jonglei state, to bring to an end the current crisis… or to reach amicable solutions to the problem that has happened,” Atem told reporters.
He further recalled past incidents where Bahr el Ghazal traders were humiliated and stripped naked during the launch of the “Nigga crackdown” in Jonglei, saying the pattern of attacks has never been addressed.
Ngor Deng Matem, one of the complainants and a concerned youth, revealed that the Bor County Mayor, Jacob Achiek, had admitted the attackers had been identified but were never arrested.
“For him (Bor Town mayor), as a government, he confirmed that the suspects or the attackers are identified, but they are not arrested. It beats my understanding why the government, which is supposed to protect the citizens and the property, would see the attackers there and be unable to arrest these people,” Matem said.
He added that the lawsuit is not only to secure arrests but also to ensure accountability and justice.
“We will not cancel. What we are looking for is not only an arrest. We are seeking justice. We have already engaged advocates to act on our behalf,” Matem emphasized.
Repeated attempts to reach Bor County Mayor Jacob Achiek for comment were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to phone calls.
The case has sparked wider debate over government responsibility in protecting citizens and whether accountability will finally be enforced in Jonglei after years of similar grievances.
