WITCH DOCTORS’ REVOLT

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1928, Page 4

WITCH DOCTORS’ REVOLT

KHARTUM, J'an. 20. Messages from the Balir-oil-Ghazal province of Southern Sudan, state that the Xuer Xuong tribesmen who last month murdered Capt. V. H. Fergusson, the District Commissioner of tlie province, have retreated with their cattle to islands amid the vast swamps. Columns of British and Sudanese troops arriving from three direction' have drawn a cordon round the area. To avoid unueeessav loss to tin tribes efforts are being made to inform the Nuors that only individuals concerned on the murder will be punished. With the exception of the Xuongs all other tribes in the province which is inhabited by the X tiers are loyal. Tt has now been definitely established that there is no connection between Captain Fergusson's murder and the revolt stirred up by witch doctors in the Upper Nile district. In the area between the Nile and the Sobat river the witch doctors have for some time been conspiring to impede road-making and progress generally. The organised resistance of the witch doctors and the tribes which they deluded broke down at the speedy arrival of British and Sudanese troops, and R.A.F. demonstrations. Many local chiefs have submitted...' One .tendered ibis'. s,',|>mission with his followers, including 17 riflemen and 100 spearmen. GAYER AND POK. 'l'iie chief rebel leaders still at large are Gwek and Pok. but tlieir following is dwindling. Patrols of troops are hunting them. Military movements are extremely difficult in this wild, marshy area. The forces engaged are a flight of the R.A.F., a detachment of Engineers, a company of mounted rifles, a machine gun battery, five coinpan ics of the Equatorial Corps, and two companies of the Camel Corps oi the Sudan Defence Force.