Unity, Warrap and Lakes MPs urge youth to stop old practice of cattle raiding
By Bonifacio Taban Kuich
April 12, 2013 (BENTIU) – Politicians from Unity, Warrap and Lakes state held a teleconference on Thursday sponsored by the United Nation Mission in South Sudan in an attempt to improve communication between the communities and end the practice of cattle raiding between pastoralist groups.
The conference involved participants from Tong East, Tong North, Puk, Gongrial East, Gongrial North in Warrap State; Maper, Yirol North, Yirol East, Rumbek Central in Lake State; and Payinjiar, Mayiandit, Koch and Mayom Counties of Unity state.
All those involved agreed to mobilise their young men to stop the cattle raids that create insecurity across state and county borders, preventing trade and other ties between the neighbouring communities.
Peter Jany Mut Deng, who represents constituency 26 of Mayiandit county in Unity state said that he and the two other MPs held the teleconference to discuss and assess recent incidents of cattle raids and other incidents along their shared borders.
The MPs, Deng said, agreed that “there must be a joint conference in one of the states that will involves legislatures, executives and judiciary organ” as well as youth, chiefs and civil society organisations.
The conference would allow laws to be drafted to prevent and control cattle rustling along the borders, he said.
George Mathony Leaw, who represents constituency 36 in Mayom county, added that the proposed agenda by members of parliament from all three states will play an important role towards discouraging deadly cattle raids.
Leaw says the three members of parliament from Unity, Lake and Warrap agreed to revise the 2002 WUNLIT peace talks that were signed by neighbouring chiefs along bordering states for reconsideration in order to eliminate cattle raiding.
While carrying out the teleconference at the offices of the UN Mission in South Sudan in Bentiu the three MPs states agreed that each and every state must try and persuade their youths to bring an end to the old practice.
Cattle raiding and banditry has remained an issue in South Sudan since the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement ended the South’s conflict with the northern government. South Sudan became independent as part of the peace deal in 2011.
The MPs from the three states urged international organisations to assist the government in terms of transporting of travels of young people and chiefs to any future peace conferences. They also asked for funds for civil society organisations to help enable them to train young people with new skills.
At the end of the teleconference the MPs agreed to meet face to face soon in either in Lakes, Unity or Warrap to follow up on the issue.
(ST)