Gunmen Kill more than 70 in South Sudan after a Dispute at a Gold Mine

Gunmen killed more than 70 people in South Sudan over a gold mining row on the outskirts of the capital over the weekend, police said Monday. 
   
The gold mining site at Jebel Iraq in Central Equatoria State has in the past been the site of violent clashes involving illegal miners. Gold mining in South Sudan is largely unregulated, with state governments operating their own sectors independently of national authorities. 
  
A local civil rights group, the Nile Institute for the Study of Human Rights and Transitional Justice, condemned the attack and called for “effective governance and oversight in resource-rich areas.” 
  
“This horrific act represents a grave violation of the fundamental right to life and highlights the continued vulnerability of civilians in areas affected by a weak security presence and unregulated resource exploitation,” the group wrote in a statement. 
  
Human rights activist Edmund Yakani urged the authorities to address the emerging trend of communities competing for natural resources. 
 
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