Agaar peace initiative concludes for parts of Lakes state
By Manyang Mayom
January 28, 2009 (JUBA) — The three counties hosting a peace initiative for Dinka Agaar communities reached the concluding phase of the conference last Saturday in the Lakes state capital, Rumbek.
The consultation peace conference brought together all three counties inhabited by Agaar communities in Lakes state: Rumbek East County, Rumbek North (Maper) County and Rumbek Central County.
The reconciliations were attended by 40 Agaar spear-masters and the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) Minister of Interior Affairs, Paul Mayom Akec, as well as the Governor of Lakes State, Daniel Awet Akot, local chiefs of Lakes state plus honorable members and advisors, including members from the government of national unity and key youth leaders from Khartoum and Kenya.
According to the chairman of the organizing committee, Dr. Makur Matur Kariom, 20 bulls were slaughtered as sacrifices while 57 cows were given to spear-masters.
Makur affirmed that the contributions of funds came directly from Agaar communities and Agaar friends for an outlay of 1.4 millions Sudanese Pounds for running the conference.
However, Lakes state government officials who are working in the GOSS capital in Juba were absent from their duty for about 32 days, since they were attending the Rumbek forum.
Nevertheless, Rumbek north (Maper) county has seemingly accepted the peace program while Rumbek East county and Rumbek Central County are questioning the mediation, making claim to compensations for people whom they had lost during inter-clan fighting.
The three counties hosting Agaar communities have not yet made available the resolution document from the conference.
Now that this phase has ended, the peace and reconciliation conference program has been shipped to Yirol East County, the eastern part of Lakes state. The Yirol peace and reconciliation conference brought together three states governors that include Warrap state, Upper Nile state and Lakes state, in order to brainstorm a way forward for peace in the three respective states.
(ST)
Malual Jongbai
Agaar peace initiative concludes for parts of Lakes state
It would be a great move for Lakes states if that peace initiative would concluded like the 1999/’00 Wun-liet Peace Agreement between Dinka-Nuer.The tribal-inter-clan clashes doesn’t pay and taking law into your own hands will never bring peace in the Great Lakes and forgiveness will bring justice and peace amongst the Children of Akon Buoi and Great Lakes at large.
Firstly, In order to bring peace in Lakes states, the Governor must be elected by the people of the Lakes states to represent them and be accountable for any unlawful action in the state.By conducting unbaise and fair election, we need to get ride of Mr. Ltn. Awet Akot although he has been a great hero in the past,his govenance has failed to address this issues of Insecurity,development of roads and hospital in the state to resuscitate civilians. The government must creates beter police,health and better roads for the states to reflect the historical view as it is now going to be the last in rank of development in the South.
Secondly, the Lakes states Government and its intellectual from home and abroad must introduces a legislation where criminal should be punished based on individual and not collectively as a clan,tribes or county and any one interfering in unlawful act will face justice separately.
Lastly, but not least, We hope and wish the Agaar Initiative will bring atleast peace if we forgive eachother as saying goes, ” Let bygones be bygones”. I appreciate those working together tirelessly to bring peace there and stop fuelling the war in the state.
God Bless The Great Lakes!
David De Dau
Agaar peace initiative concludes for parts of Lakes state
It is not peace initiative that we need but the good results of the peace initiatives. There are many peace initiatives made in the name of the waring communities but the results have always been devastating!
Geovanny
Agaar peace initiative concludes for parts of Lakes state
What was the reason of killing the inocent lives of 20 bulls pretending to make the so called Agaar Peace initiative which i hope will fail within no time.
This peace initiative is a waste of resources and a chance for other groups to create another fighting so that people come back for another conference. People like conference in order to get some money from that conference.
You’re only interesting for the peace among yourselves as Rumbekants but leaving other neighboring counties that you have cause havoc to like Wulu which you attack afew days ago.This peace initiative through which 20 bulls were killed and other 57 cows given to Bany Bith spiritual leaders was barbaric and decision made by fools not wise decision.
I wonder if spiritual leaders are the cause of any fighting and killing going on in the community. If not why giving them 57 cows? For what? and by who?. Another thing, killing of 20 bulls was another crime committed amounting to lives of people lost.
Paul Mayom Akec is a weak and a man who claim to be the minister of interior affairs which he didn’t fulfil in the eyes of people. Police is lack equipments to help protect any out broken conflict among the communities like tear gas and other equipments needed by the police.
All policemen that are currently work, are too old to catch anybody. police needs strong and young peole free from alcoholism.
Daniel Awet Akot is too senile to make any decision for the top security in the state. otherwise the conference is useless and a criminal act by those who are involved in this process.
Majur Ador
Agaar peace initiative concludes for parts of Lakes state
Good initiative but not inclusive of the youth who are the ring leaders of all attrocities and at the same times fall as victim. what will your spear masters contribute to reconciliation instead they work hard to see that they support idea that come from youth like one clan wanting to defeat another, a person who wanted to kill another, a person who wanted any evil thing done to another to mention but few. Mind you these Spear masters do all these things at a cost so, they will not be so foolish to render their livelihood business go like that.
I tend to believe that the above reason of not involving the Youth as i earlier mentioned led to the intense killings in Wulu and Mvolo Counties while the conference was on going then i am forced to ask which kind of peace? or was the peace initiative meant to instigate more killings or Agaar community to unite for such activities.
I think my point is the peace and reconciliation cannot be made negative project for community acquaintance by those who have not been able to be known by the people, who decided to be out of the community’s visibility for one reason or another.
I proposed that what can bring peace in Lakes state is not about killing thousands of cattle, goats, sheep, chicken, name them or having all the spears masters of the whole state in their numbers, but disarmment of the civilian in any form whether peacefully or otherwise. Secondly to return the powers to the traditional leaders and having able police and prison departments which are not tribally controlled. I mean these units should be at the transfer basis and controlled at the headquaters it doesn’t make sense to have almost one tribe who are native to the same state to fairly enforce law and order.
My conclusive remark is that we should learn from experince, like what happened in Akot in September 2006 where a reconciliatory meeting convened without involving the Youth which latter on turned to what every citizen of lakes have heard with their two ears. And for the interest of those didn’t hear what happened as a result a chief was shot down after that meeting resulting into many being killed in revenge.
Please leaders and organisers be proactive.