Greater Bahr el Ghazal steps up peace efforts for Lakes state
September 29, 2014 (WAU) – A joint intitiative has been launched by the state assemblies in the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region as part of effort to bring peace to volatile tribal tensions in South Sudan’s Lakes state.
The move, which was instiaged by MPs from the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region after a three-day meeting in Western Bahr el Ghazal capital Wau, has been welcomed by the state’s acting governor, Zackaria Joseph Garang.
Garang pledged his government’s support for the initiative.
“We, as the government of Western Bahr el Ghazal state are very happy for your step and will support it, as your move is targeting peace in Lakes state,” he said, adding that any moves to step up peace efforts and achieve unity were a positive step.
While presenting the so-called Greater Bahr el Ghazal peace initiative for Lakes state, Warrap MP Deng Makuac Kur call on the governors of Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal and Northern Bahr el Ghazal to take collective action to calm tribal tensions and curb ongoing road attacks and revenge killings in Lakes state.
“We cannot feel freely if our people in Lakes state are continuing killing themselves, including attacking people on the roads in a senseless meaning. We have to do what is possible to end such behaviours,” he said.
They are calling for the formation of a regional team to visit Lakes state, with the aim of engaging with the local youth, civil society organisations, religious leaders, traditional chiefs, government officials and other concerned bodies to come up with a lasting solution to the crisis.
“We need the three state governors to right away send an organised force to Lakes state to quell down the situation and hopefully protect the entire population there,” he said.
“We want to stop [the] senseless killing in Lakes state and revenge killing that is happening,” he added.
Northern Bahr el Ghazal state MP Garang Mawein Mawein said that the situation in Lakes state requires regional cooperation.
“Late Lakes state youth tell [the] people of Greater Bahr el Ghazal the reason of killing themselves; if it is a matter of cow, let them tell us so that the three states should send all their animals to Lakes state,” he said.
“If it is an issue of girls, we can also do the same to them by sending them girls from [the] three states, so that [the] senseless killing in Lakes state comes to an end,” he added.
Mawein said tribal tensions, cattle raids and revenges attacks inLakes state had been ongoing since the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which paved the way for the South’s secession from the north, saying the situation continued to threaten the security of the entire region.
Highway killings and revenge attacks have been on the rise since last month, with the local population increasingly disillusioned with military caretaker governor Matur Chuut Dhuol.
However, South Sudanese president Salva Kiir has so far overlooked calls for Dhuol’s removal.
(ST)