Biemnom MP assassinated in Juba

By Ngor Arol Garang

March 14, 2010, (KHARTOUM) — Honorable Bol Deng Kot was slain by unknown uniformed men on Wednesday, March 10, resulting in condemnation by authorities and the citizenry of Biemnon county of the southern state of Unity.

Honorable Bol Deng Kot was a member of parliament in the regional legislative assembly in Juba, representing Biemnom constituency as a member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

During the selection and endorsement process of official party nominees in January 2010, Hon. Bol Deng Kot’s name never appeared though reportedly he had been selected by the state electoral college.

Without the endorsement of the SPLM Political Bureau, he chose to stand as an independent candidate. But his popularity in the area compelled SPLM leadership to promise him a parliamentary seat from among the 40 seats allocated to SPLM after the latest negotiations with the ruling National Congress Party.

Last Wednesday at 2 a.m., a group of armed men allegedly entered his accommodation at Jebel Kunjur, west of Juba town, fired bullets indiscriminately to scare family members and relatives living in the same compound and forcefully made their way into his room.

According to his wife, five strong armed men in military uniforms with AKM rifles and pistols wrapped her up and muzzled her mouth to stop her from making loud noise. "They rushed straight into our bed and started seeking where my husband was on the bed," she recalled.

She said she was forcefully removed from her husband. "I was removed and thrown away by two men holding my throat and mouth tightly," she said. "I tried to cry but could not as my throat and mouth were tightly held by two strong men while three others were wrestling with him."

Then they shot her husband to death.

Others gunmen were said to be outside the house. All the family members and relatives including the brother of the MP were confined to their living rooms as they had no guns. The group left and were never traced as they vanished into the mountains.

The government is quiet about whether it is launching any investigation procedures. Relatives say they brought Bol Deng Kot’s body to Bentiu awaiting transportation to his village of birth for burial.

(ST)