Lakes State governor unveils new security strategy
December 2, 2021 (JUBA) – The governor of South Sudan’s Lakes State has unveiled a security strategy aimed at addressing perennial communal conflicts.
The new strategy has been dubbed, “Security without compromise”.
The Executive Secretary in the governor’s office, Paul Cabiet Ayang said the strategy followed two successful conferences Governor Rin Tueny Mabor and members of his administration conducted in the capital, Juba and in the state.
“One was a general community conference that discussed methods on how to bring about an end to the plethora of devastating intercommunal conflicts in the state for nearly two decades. The second meeting was for political leaders and intellectuals of Lakes State to analyze and augment the resolutions of the general community conference held on June 22, 2021, at Freedom Hall in Juba and suggest strategies on how the governor could implement the resolutions”, he said.
According to Ayang, the third meeting involving traditional leaders, community elders, state and national leaders took place in the state capital, Rumbek to further deliberate and endorse the resolutions of the Juba conference as well as solicit for unwavering commitment to the implementation of resolutions adopted.
“These resolutions fundamentally form what is now referred to as Lakes State Policy Framework (LSPF),” he stressed.
The aide further explained that apart from community conferences, the leadership of Lakes State toured the eight counties of the state to further engage and disseminate peaceful messages and strategies enshrined in the LSPF.
“LSPF is fundamentally grounded in the philosophy: Lakes First, which is further expounded as Protection of Lives and Properties of the people. It is also pronounced as SECURITY without COMPROMISE. With assertive, consultative, and inclusive engagement from the state leadership, the people positively responded and this is manifested in the relative calm and stability in the state,” he said.
Intra-communal conflict is rife in many parts of the young nation, especially in the cattle-keeping communities, with cattle raids often leading to violent conflicts.
According to routine reports, inter-communal violence is rampant in most parts of South Sudan due to lack of an efficient justice system in the young nation.
(ST)