Murle and Lou Nuer hold peace meeting in Jonglei

By John Actually

October 7, 2011 (BOR) – A two day peace building initiative between South Sudan’s Lou Nuer and Murle tribes began in Bor, the capital of Jonglei state, on Friday in an effort to restore relations after fighting and cattle raiding between the two groups has killed an estimated 1,000 people since June.

The event, which brought together at least 100 MPs from both the South Sudan national assembly and Jonglei state legislature, comes after Murle raiders from Pibor County attacked Uror County populated mainly by the Luo branch of the Nuer ethnic group in August.

Local reports indicate that over 600 were killed in the raid believed to be a response to attacks by Luo Nuer groups against Murle areas in June that killed around 400 people.

Organised by Sudan Council of Churches and chaired by Archbishop of Episcopal Church of Sudan Daniel Deng Bul, the meeting hopes to initiate a peace dialogue between the groups an find ways to stop the cycle of violence.

According to a statement released by Archbishop Deng on Friday, both the Murle in Lanaam and Lou Nuer in Pieri are mobilising themselves for further attacks.

Archbishop Deng, in his opening remarks, said the fighting was an insult to South Sudan, which became independent in July this year as part of a peace deal with the north. Despite a 2005 peace deal South Sudan has remained unstable fueled by a high proliferation of light weapons, widespread poverty and various rebel groups. The social status attached to cattle, which are used to pay dowries, has also exacerbated conflict between ethnic groups.

Anyone who instigates the murder of another is worse than the North Sudanese government that “our people fought so hard to be free from”, the Archbishop said. South Sudanese rebels the SPLM fought successive Khartoum governments for 22 years until the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed in 2005 granting the region the right to self-determination.

Deng described those taking part in fighting in the world’s newest country as “an enemy of this nation” and the people of South Sudan.

“We have gathered here in shame”, he said.

“We people were butchered across the ethnic communities and we stood by and watch it happened. This is the time to come together and acknowledge that we have all failed as leaders”, he said.

Deng told the participants that they must be committed to share the burden of setting the system to avoid a repeat of “evil” acts.

The meeting proposed that leaders from both communities tell their young men to stop the fighting and not to receive weapons from rebel groups operating in South Sudan. The MPs also agreed that both groups should be disarmed and extra security forces deployed along the borders with the two groups.

They also noted that the security services would be better able to respond to emergencies and attacks if Jonglei had a better road network and improved airstrips. Lack of investment and decades of conflict has left South Sudan chronically underdeveloped, especially in terms of infrastructure.

Jonglei’s state governor, Kuol Manyang Juuk, told the meeting he appreciated the peace building initiatives and urged the legislators of the two assemblies and the church leaders to come up with modalities of putting to an end the persistent violence in the state.

The meeting also decided that committees consisting of church leaders and MPs from both communities should meet with their youth to spread a message of peace in order to try and put an end to the violence.

One of the most disturbing aspects of the raids are the reports of the abduction of women and children. The MPs suggested that a campaign be established to facilitate the return of the women and children to be reunited with their families.

(ST)