LARKANA:Tribal disputes in Ratodero taluka have claimed over 40 lives since past one year and nobody has so far taken the pains to resolve the issues. However, Larkana police record claimed that only 14 persons have been gunned down in 2020 and 2021.
These disputes are continuing between various communities including Jalbani, Brohi, Lolai, Joyo, Junejo, Sianch, Mandrani, Katohar, Jeho and others. According to independent sources, seven people have been murdered in the feud between two groups of Junejo community in Pawro Junejo village located within the limits of Waris Dino Machi police station. This feud started over burning of a wooden fence.
Sianch and Jamali communities fought over an accident in which a bike was hit with a buffalo and one person was gunned down. Matrimonial dispute claimed a life between Joyo community. 17 people have been killed over extortion of a stolen buffalo in Yaqoob Jalbani village in one and half year period. A jirga was held under the chairmanship of Mir Manzoor Ali Panhwar to settle the dispute but one more person was killed.
One man was killed over a dispute on a street between Joyo and Sianch communities. Seven persons were gunned down between Lashkari Lolai and Lolai communities over a dispute of a plot. One woman was murdered on the pretext of Karo-Kari on the allegation of the Brohi community in Sabz Ali Brohi village. Two people were murdered in Masudero village in a dispute between two groups of the Jalbani community.
These murders started over petty matters that have not yet been resolved which has challenged the writ of the law. Police should have taken strict measures to prevent further escalation of the conflicts but they did nothing to stop them with iron hands of law.
Larkana police said that in 2020, three murders were reported which include one from Junejo and two from Jalbani communities. They said that 11 people had so far been gunned down in 2021 which include three of Lolai, two of Jalbani-Katohar and six of Junejo communities. They said other murders of the disputing communities may have taken place out of Larkana district.
Even the elected representatives have ignored the ongoing disputes between various communities in Sindh. Only those feud were resolved where both sides were willing to decide their old issues and live in peace.
Notables and members of civil society have constantly been raising their voice and visiting the disputing communities to end these disputes in which blood of so many people have been wasted but the powers that be are still reluctant to resolve their issues for one reason or the other. Many peace-loving people had either shifted to other safe areas or were trying to get out of the disputing communities for fear as the disputes had created panic in the affected areas ruining their kids education and other necessary things.
SSP Imran Qureshi was contacted but he did not attend the call. Chief of Jalbani community Sardar Ali Nawaz Jalbani said while addressing local newsmen in Ratodero that Sindh is the land of Sufis and saints who had always preached for peace and love. He said towns and villages remained deserted after the tribal disputes. He said murder of one person was equal to killing entire humanity which should be prevented at all costs. He said that he was trying to end the disputes which had ruined education and trade in the conflicting areas.