Southern Sudan Dinka, Murle communities hold reconciliation meeting
Nov 11, 2005 (NAIROBI) — The Dinka Bor and the Murle communities are meeting in Bor town to reconcile. The governor of Jonglei State, Phillip Thon leek, members of the states parliament, women’s organizations and the church are attending the peace and reconciliation workshop.
The four day meeting is sponsored by the NGO Pact, it aims at bringing peace and harmony to the Dinka Bor and Murle people.
In a press statement to the independent Sudan Radio Service, Phillip Thon said peace and reconciliation is vital and should be given a chance in the state.
Thon said “peace and reconciliation is our priority in the state, so we have started with reconciliation that is sponsored by Pact which is targeting the people of Anyiedi in Bor south and Gumru in Pibor so participants came from different parts of the state including representatives from the two areas, we have MP’s from juba, MP’s from the state and women’s organizations and the church.”
On behalf of the people of Bor the governor of Jonglei State, Thon, has apologized to the Moru community in Mundri County for what he calls the unfortunate crisis involving the cattle-owning displaced Dinka-Bor and their host community, the Moru.
The governor of Jonglei was saddened by the fight that broke out between the Dinka-Bor and the Moru last month in Mundri. For over 5 years relationship have been sour between the host community of Moru farmers and the displaced Dinka-Bor cattle keepers over grazing land, the radio said.
Governor Thon said he met with the governor of Bahr el Jebel to resolve the crisis and it has been agreed that the cattle keepers be repatriated to Bor. He said the cattle are now in Rokon ready to move to Bor but there are 2 obstacles.
He says the crossing point at Mongala is not possible because the Mundari have camped there with their cattle, and that the alternative Juba-Bor road is heavily mined.
(SRS/ST)