South Sudan discuss conflicts over grazing rights
May 9, 2006 (NAIROBI) — Governors of the 10 southern Sudan states met in Juba last Wednesday 3 May to discuss among other things how to prevent conflicts over grazing areas, water points and agricultural lands, which have fuelled violent inter-tribal border disputes in the south.
The governors discussed the current state borders, which were drawn up by UN relief agencies during the war. The UN also attended the meeting, referred to as the governor’s forum.
The chairman of the meeting, Central Equatoria State governor Clement Wani, criticized the current state borders and maps saying they were drawn without consulting with the local authorities. Wani also criticized the change of names of rivers, mountains, valleys and international borders.
Meanwhile, the governor of northern Bahr El Ghazal state, Joseph Maring, said that maps drawn by the colonial Anglo-Egyptian government should be used as references to justify any new maps as states dialogue with their neighbours.
Unity State governor Taban Deng Gai termed the border issue as “a big headache”, citing the oil wells in his state annexed to southern Kordofan, which he said is unacceptable.
(SRS/ST)