Jonglei youth respond to calls for cessation of hostilities
May 17, 2017 (BOR) – The youth of Jonglei have just withdrawn from South Sudan’s Boma state, in response to the calls for a ceasefire proposed by First Vice President Taban Deng last week, the state governor Philip Aguer said.
“In accordance to calls of the first vice president for peace, the youth had accepted the withdrawal, they have left Boma state and they are now preparing to defense themselves within the territory of Jonglei state”, he told Sudan Tribune Tuesday.
Aguer urged Boma state authorities to do the same to the youth still in Jonglei state.
“This is unique in the sense that the youth of Murle are still around, yesterday, one person was killed in Pariak, and cattle were raided in Pakon. The youth of Murle are still lingering around, still killing people, ambushing people”, he said.
The communal peace talk will be held in Juba, under the chairmanship of the First vice president who will also provide the accommodation. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) will transport the youth leaders and communities leaders from both side to the capital.
More than 12 communal peace agreements had been abrogated between Dinka Bor and Murle youth, in the last decades, including the last one signed in December 2016.
“The authorities in Boma should this time be serious, and try their best to call back the criminals that are on this side. I don’t know they call them since they refer to them as criminals. Those who have adopted cattle raiding and child abductions years as means of life, should be oriented through civic education” Aguer said.
Although political leaders are in support of peace and stability as called for by the presidency, some elements at the side of Boma, whom Governor Aguer described as “beneficiaries of cattle raiding and child abductions”, may oppose that.
“The beneficiaries of cattle raiding and child abductions will at the other side of Boma. On our side we had never been beneficiaries of cattle raiding and child abductions, it is not a habit in Jonglei. I belief even those politicians in Boma will abide by the demands of the country that we want peace not cattle raiding. They had raided cattle in Ethiopia, they had raided cattle in that had not given them political kingdom”, he added.
The proposed date for the peace talk is to be communicated by authorities.
(ST)