Wau state youth vow to cooperate with new governor
January 19, 2016 (WAU) – Youth from South Sudan’s newly created state of Wau have vowed to support Governor Elia Waya Nyipuoch in promoting unity among citizens
He urged the youth who took up arms against government to return home.
“You have to commit yourselves to talk to them so that they can return home for the sake of peace,” said Nyipuoch.
Santos Uyu, a youth who attended the meeting, said it was the first time a state governor ever conducted such a gathering with the youth focused on peace and unity.
“We are going to work hand in hand with this governor regardless to tribe, we need peace and unity among the people of Wau state,” said Uyu.
“The part of security and development statements, which the governor spoke about is very clear and very interested, am very sure that with such moves with youth, everything is going to change, outlaws are going to be dealt [with] according to the laws,” he added.
Randa Lawrence Romano, another youth member, said the meeting was vital because the youth needed peace and unity to prevail in the region.
Prolonging this useless kind of war is not improving anything on the people, but it has destroyed the whole nation, economically, security and politically. Therefore, we need our people to embark on peace among each other, he said.
Last week, the chairperson of South Sudan’s ruling party (SPLM) in Western Bahr el Ghazal state, Mark Nyipuoch urged youth who took up arms to lay down their weapons and join the new state government in the implementation of the agreement on resolution of the South Sudan conflict.
In December 2012, groups of youth in Western Bahr el Ghazal took to the bushes and have been involved in causing insecurity in the initially peaceful state. Most of the youth were allegedly angered by the then governor’s controversial decision to transfer Wau county headquarters to Bagari.
(ST)