W. Equatoria and Lakes states to hold reconciliation meeting

February 16, 2011 (YAMBIO) – The governor of Western Equatoria state Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro has said that he hopes a reconciliation conference can be held with neighbouring Lakes state after clashes between border communities left over a dozen dead last week.

The clashes in Mvolo county of Western Equatoria and Wulu county of Lakes state, which began on February 9 are believed to have killed fifteen people.

Bakosoro said he was working with his Lakes state counterpart Chol Tong Mayay to find amicable solutions to the disputes. He said that he was due to meet Tong in Mvolo county, together with delegations from the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).

He said they are working to hold a reconciliation conference in either Wulu (Lakes state) or Mvolo (WES) between the communities of Yirol West and Mvolo counties.

He called upon citizens to remain calm and in peace with their neighbors, citing that such differences should not divide southerners.

Tribal clashes erupted in Mvolo County on the 9 February between the farmers of Mvolo and cattle keepers of Yirol West county of Lakes state. Reports indicate that 15 were killed and many more displaced.

Greater Equatoria Meeting

The governor of Western Equatoria state Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro arrived in Yambio on Wednesday after meeting with the president of the government of Southern Sudan Salva Kirr Mayardit and the governors of Central and Eastern Equatoria states.

Speaking to the press, Bakosoro said, “the meeting with the two governors tackled discussions on the future of greater Equatoria after the referendum and the position of Equatorians in the new nation that have been granted.”

South Sudan voted to become independent in a referendum in January.

Bakosoro said the three Equatoria governors met Kiir to congratulate him for taking southerners to the “promised land” of independence and to ensure him that “Equatorians are behind him.”

He disclosed that this time needs all greater Equatorians to be united in order to focus for “the future of the states more specially preplanning of the fate of the government in the next five months before declaration of the new nation.”

“We (the three governors) recommended all Equatorians to stand firm and lay support to the current president”, of South Sudan.

He added that president Kiir hailed the success of the referendum in Western Equatoria state in spite of the insecurity of the Ugandan rebels group the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the nomadic Ambororo cattle herders whose presence has caused conflict with local people.

“Everybody in the Juba appreciated the efforts exerted by the citizens of Western Equatoria for their commitment to make the referendum a success” he added.

The governor also noted that president Kiir prioritized the unity of Southerners because “the south still have a long way to go before the declaration of the independence of south Sudan on the 9th July 2011.”

Bakosoro further revealed that, the three Governors’ of Equatoria (Central, Eastern and Western Equatoria) will meet in Yambio on 24 February “to discuss how to take the current government ahead and to help the SPLM, the mother and southern ruling party ahead because with the independence of south more political parties will emerge.”

The SPLM are the political branch of the SPLA, which fought against successive Khartoum governments for over two decades. Since a 2005 peace deal the SPLM has governed the South, solidifying their control of the region in elections in April last year.

Bakosoro called upon all Equatorians residing in Western Equatoria to turn up in big numbers on the 24 February to embrace their leaders with traditional dances when the meet in Yambio.

“Let us forget the Northerners theme that Southerners cannot rule their selves, time has come to prove to the world that we can” Bakosoro said.

(ST)