Mayen’s OPP condemns killing of 169 civilians in Abiemnom

JUBA – The Other Political Parties (OPP) under the leadership of Peter Mayen Majongdit has strongly condemned the “heinous and coordinated attack” which left at least 169 people, including two senior government officials, dead in Abiemnhom County in Ruweng Administrative Area on Sunday.

According to the OPP chair, Peter Mayen Majongdit, the two slain officials, Paulino Wal, Awarpiny County Commissioner, and the Executive Director of Abiemnhom County, were “murdered while heroically attempting to defend their community from invaders.”

“Entire neighbourhoods, government facilities, and vital markets were reduced to ashes in a calculated campaign of arson,” he added.

The party echoed the concerns of Ruweng Administrative Area Chief Administrator Stephano Wieu De Mialek, describing the attack as “a well-organised and coordinated massacre.”

The coalition warned that the violence is “a deliberate attempt to sabotage hard-won peace” as South Sudan prepares for national elections under the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

The OPP called for “immediate independent investigation” to identify the perpetrators, their financiers, and political enablers.

It also demanded “strategic security deployment” to Abiemnhom, “emergency humanitarian aid” for displaced civilians, “high-level political intervention” from President Salva Kiir Mayardit, and a “root-cause dialogue” between traditional leaders and youth from both Ruweng and Mayom.

“Fellow South Sudanese, our path to prosperity lies in the ballot box and our shared brotherhood, not in the barrel of a gun,” the statement read. “Enough is enough. Justice now, peace forever.”

Stafano Wieu, Chief Administrator of the Ruweng Administrative Area, earlier said: “Today, Sunday, at around 4:29 a.m., a group of white-armed militia from Mayom County, with the element of SPLM-IO, launched a heavy attack on Abiemnohm County.

He condemned the barbaric act, declared it a rebellion, and called for accountability on the Commissioner of Mayom.

In response, SPLM/A-IO, through Acting Press Secretary Puok Both Baluang, denied involvement: “The leadership of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army – In Opposition (SPLM/A‑IO) unequivocally rejects and condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the unfounded allegations…”

“We categorically deny any participation in or responsibility for the incident and emphasise that SPLM/A‑IO has no military presence in the area concerned.”

The situation in Abiemnhom remains tense, with calls for accountability, urgent humanitarian assistance, and the implementation of a state of emergency in Mayom.