Security agencies urged to act
South Sudan’s Ministry of Mining has ordered the National Security Service and the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces to mount a joint operation against unauthorised diggers in the Jebel Iraq–Kulipapa corridor, after clashes that killed four miners this week.
Tensions simmer at goldfields
Eyewitnesses say violence erupted when soldiers tried to expel artisanal crews perceived to be occupying lucrative veins, allegedly to clear ground for foreign investors. The confrontation, the second in two months, left three more miners wounded and deepened mistrust between troops and residents.
Undersecretary Matiok Santino Akuei led an inspection in September that catalogued widespread informal pits and growing tension. His preliminary dossier now guides a ministerial inquiry, with investigators ordered to establish individual responsibility for both the shootings and the unlicensed extraction.
Elite links firmly denied
Reports implying Senior Presidential Envoy Adut Kiir Mayardit holds stakes in Jebel Iraq have been rejected. The Ministry said its cadastre shows no licence bearing her name and affirmed that she has neither applied for nor operates any concession anywhere in South Sudan.
Observers note that The Sentry’s 2022 study, which first linked her to a local firm, has not led to confirmed regulatory filings. Industry analyst James Bullen argues the disclosure “removes a distraction, letting authorities focus on restoring order and formalising the sector”.
Community fears over militarised response
Small-scale miners accuse certain uniformed officers of participating in off-the-books digs, claiming security deployments sometimes serve private interests. Veteran miner Nyoka Lado told local radio that “guns around the pits only create panic”, urging instead for transparent licensing and shared infrastructure.
The Ministry insists enforcement will be “proportionate and accountable”, adding that state governments remain empowered to issue artisanal permits and mediate disputes. Civil society groups welcome the pledge but ask for independent monitors to track any future operations.
Toward a regulated gold economy
South Sudan’s leadership views structured small-scale mining as a potential engine for youth employment and local revenues. Officials say the Jebel Iraq incident underscores the urgency of formal frameworks, better geological data, and clear revenue-sharing mechanisms to avoid further bloodshed over the resource.
A final report on the killings is expected before year-end. Stakeholders hope its recommendations will feed into the long-awaited Mining Act amendments, offering a roadmap where artisanal diggers, investors, and security forces coexist under transparent rules.