W. Equatoria holds meeting on security, good governance
Feb 2, 2006 (YAMBIO) — The local authorities in Western Equatoria State last week held a 4-day planning meeting to establish and consolidate security and good governance in the region.
The meeting-held in Yambio-brought together participants from all the counties in Western Equatoria and focused on the establishment of basic government systems through the mobilization of human and financial resources.
Speaking to Sudan Radio Service, during the meeting the minister of finance for western Equatoria state, John Dabi, said that the state authorities are planning to start the rehabilitation and development of infrastructure including roads, bridges, basic government structures and communication systems so that people of the state can realize peace in their areas.
Dabi urged the southern Sudanese in the Diaspora and the people of western Equatoria in particular to come back and join hands in rebuilding their country… for Sudan Radio Service, this is Gibson Bullen Wande reporting from Yambio.”
Representatives of international aid agencies, indigenous NGO’s, as well as church leaders, attended the meeting.
Clashes between communities in have left several people dead and forced humanitarian agencies to evacuate international staff.
The southwestern Sudanese state of Western Equatoria witnessed for several months fighting between the Dinka and the Zande, who form the majority of the population in the Yambio region near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo
The pastoralist Bor Dinka were displaced during Sudan’s 21-year civil war and settled in the region inhabited by agriculturalist Zande. Tensions have been rising between the two ethnic groups following the decision by Bor Dinka to stay rather than go back to their area of origin in Jonglei State.
(SRS/ST)