Three S. Sudan governors sign cattle migration accord
November 5, 2016 (WAU) – Governors from South Sudan’s Tonj, Wau and Gogrial states on Saturday signed an agreement aimed at minimizing and controlling conflict among cattle keepers and farmers in the Greater Bahr-el-Ghazal region.
controversial issues during the cattle migration season to lead their communities to peaceful co-existence and to solve conflict related to the movement of cattle in a peaceful manner,” partly reads the agreement.
At the beginning of this year’s cattle migration season, top leaders from the three states discussed and led members of their cabinets to finalize a policy that guides oversight of the implementation of peace accord between cattle
keepers and farmers in the sub-region.
According to the deal, the policy document and budget that
will allow it to be implemented is expected to be discuss by the council of ministers from the three states before end of year.
The agreement further states that the peace agreement between cattle keepers and farmers in Wau’s Bussere payam in 2013, was reviewed and agreed upon in 2014 and that will be debated on this month to see if it meets needs of the farmers and cattle keepers.
“The meeting in November will primarily aim to bring communities together to dialogue and to begin paving ways for an agreement on the
arrival time of cattle headers in Wau state,” reads the agreement.
The meeting, it is expected, will bring the conflicting communities on one point to agree over the level of compensation or damages caused by cattle.
The three governors also agreed on the control of small arms in hands of headers as well as protection of civilians and their properties.
Recently, the Tonj state governor started a campaign to disarm civilians who often carry fire arms while looking after their animals.
(ST)