Warrap authorities to reconcile warring communities in Tonj East county
October 24, 2015 (JUBA) – Authorities in South Sudan’s Warrap state have unveiled peace plan to reconcile the warring communities in its Tonj East county, where tribal clashes involving two sections of Dinka ethnic group broke out early this month.
Warrap state information minister told Sudan Tribune that the caretaker governor, Akec Tong Aleu spent two weeks at Romic, the county administrative headquarters, where clashes between Luacjang and Thiik claimed 92 lives and left 144 wounded.
“The caretaker governor exhibited strong leadership by traveling to the area where he spent two weeks talking to both communities. His engagement has resulted to the formation of several committees given clear mandate to identify the culprits and to come up with how best conflict could be resolved”, said minister Ariec Mayar Ariec.
“These are our people. We need them to come together so that the dispute is resolved and unite them”, he added.
Ariec cited differences between the incumbent administrations and its predecessors, claiming that the new administration had changed the way conflict was managed.
“There is a clear evidence of difference now from the previous state governments. Because we value our people and their lives, we go to them and seek solution from them to their problems. When this misunderstanding occurred and there was a loss of lives and properties, we did not wait. We went in straight away. The governor was in Juba and because of the conflict; he had to stop and cut short his mission and returned to the state. And instead of coming to the state headquarters, he went straight to the area where the clashes erupted,” explained the information minister.
“The cabinet moved in and the situation was brought under control”, he added, further stressing the role that was played by community leaders in Tonj East county.
The caretaker governor, the information minister said, assigned his security advisor to investigate the root causes while another official from the area identified as Maper Marier has been tasked to make necessary efforts to reconcile all the two sides.
Meanwhile, chiefs from the area and heads of various youth groups reportedly expressed willingness to cooperate with the investigation committee and back reconciliation efforts.
(ST)