Governor of Western Equatoria preaches peace and reconciliation
September 22, 2010 (NZARA, W. Equatoria) – The Governor of Western Equatoria state, Col. Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro, has launched a peace and reconciliatory mission across the state.
Addressing the masses who had gathered to cheer up their head of state, Bakosoro in a euphoric mood said his “trip to Nzara was to thank the citizens of Nzara County for electing him as the governor of Western Equatoria state and foster unity as the citizens of the state under [my] administration.”
Bakosoro emerged as only Independent canidate to have won the April gubernatorial contest in Southern Sudan. As former SPLM top official, he campaigned successfully to deny SPLM candidate victory in state.
Bakosoro said that, “people should forgive and forget the past election differences incurred during the April polls and prepare for the forth coming historical self-determination referendum exercise come Jan 2011.”
He exerted that he will not tolerate any kind of segregations in the state, cautioning the citizens to “be united as sons and daughters of WES with one tribe as Western Equatoria.”
Bakosoro appealed to WES citizenry to show 100% turnout to register for the upcoming referendum votes.
The Governor also called upon parents to send their children to school, saying education is the key to their “bright future.” He encouraged girls to “continue with their education even after giving birth.”
Bakosoro further added that the state government is working hard “to make laws that will protect girl’s education in Western Equatoria State.”
He urged the farmers to start planting palm oil trees to attract investors who are ready to reactivate the oil and ginning factory in Nzara County.
The Governor assured the citizens of Nzara County that, “as a government of the people, for the people and by the people, they will be closer to the communities.”
In his part commissioner of Nzara County Elia Richard Box assured the governor that, “citizens of Nzara County are peace loving people and peace makers despite the various cultural and ethnic diversities which are in County.
Elia reiterated the stand of the citizens of the County to vote for separation in the upcoming referendum exercise in 2011 to justify independence of what he referred to as “Republic of South Sudan.”
In a related development, the women representative of Nzara County, Madam Nadia Julius said that the women of Nzara County appreciate the current government for its initiative to cater for women activities, and she assured of women being behind the Government and will support in all ways.
Nadia also stated that as women whose children were killed in the more than two decades civil war, they are ready to register and vote for separation of southern Sudan, as the only golden chance.
In addition, the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of the three payams of Nzara County granted their millions of congratulations to the governor for the official visit being the first after elections.
LRA aggression towards civilians in Nzara County has created untold suffering and displacement.
Johnson Rika, one of the IDPs appreciated the present County commissioner Elia Richard Box for coming to the rescue of the payams by cooperating with state government to send troops to protect their villages from further LRA attacks that were out of hands during the previous government.
He hinted that “the IDPs are ready to return to their respective payams if more security arrangements are organized in place, feeder roads should be maintained and at least telephone network should be established for quick communications to the base.”
Johnson noted that, “Since the food aid being distributed is not enough they (IDPs) thought it wise to decide and return to cultivate in order to curb the food shortages in the state.”
(ST)