South Sudan policemen abandon duty due to hunger

By Godfrey Olukya  6-5-2013

Over 500 policemen in South Sudan have reportedly abandoned duty due to lack of food.

The policemen who have  abandoned their jobs because of a lack of food have been working in  Gumuruk, Manyibol and Voveat areas in Pibor County, Jonglei State.Joglei state governor, Koul Manyang Juuk, said that after realizing that they could not get food, the policemen abandoned their work stations and  relocated to Anyidi Police training detachment in Bor.’We are starving. We last received food in February this year and the food got finished long time ago. ‘one of the affected police officers said but begged for his name not to be mentioned.

Governor Koul said that for sometime the army has been giving some food to the policemen. He called upon the Interior ministry to provide the policemen with food so that they go back to their stations.

Koul said, ‘I understand that they have no logistics. They have no food. They had run out of food and it was the army that was actually helping them.

The policemen were deployed to Jonglei last year under ‘Operation Police’ to boost security efforts against militia attacks.

Ever since they were deployed, security in the area had improved. The withdrawal of the policemen has left some residents panicking over fears that the militia might start looting their property and killing innocent people like they used to do before the deployment of the policemen.