Gogrial State adjourns inter-communal reconciliation conference
March 9, 2018 (WAU) – A peace and reconciliation conference between the local warring communities of Aguok and Apuk of Warrap region has been adjourned sine die and no further date has been set.
Gogrial State Information Minister Amet Amet told Sudan Tribune that financial constraints were behind the adjournment of the confidence-building meeting between the Apuk of Gogrial East and Aguok of Gogrial West.
The peace and reconciliation conference aims at rebuilding trust, confident and
bring lasting peace after a year of inter-communal fighting.
The meeting had to take place on 5-7 March.
“Our plans are still to bring together the youth, intellectuals, politicians, sons and daughters as well as faith-led groups of this state to come together for a lasting peace among their communities”.
He further asserted that the state government did not abandon this crucial process to end the inter-communal violence.
” The Government Gogrial State is focusing on restoring peace in the hearts and minds of its people as ever before,” he said adding that “nothing could divide the people of Gogrial”.
In June 2017, President Salva Kiir who is a son of Gogrial ordered a disarmament campaign across two communities but the process criticised and created more mistrust between the two clans because some local officials had been accused of favouring their communities.
Also in September 2017, UNMISS gathered around 150 political, community, women and youth leaders as well as traditional chiefs and cattle farmers to discuss the best ways to settle peacefully their disputes and avoid violence.
(ST)