Chiefs from warring tribes of Lakes and Western Equatoria states today met for a peace dialogue in Juba to lay strategies mitigating cycles of conflict created by cattle rustlers.
Today’s dialogue followed a series of peace meetings in both states under the auspices of Community Empowerment for Progress Organisations, a local NGO that advocates for the respect of Human Rights in South Sudan.The UN reports that the conflict between the farmers of Mvolo County, in Western Equatoria, and pastoralists of Yirol West, in Lakes State, displaced thousands of people and killed many more in recent years.
Madol Mathok, paramount chief of Mapourdit in Yirol West, said through a translator that the presence of guns among cattle keepers has washed away the peaceful co-existence that once reigned between the two tribes.
Wilson Majak, paramount chief of Mvolo County, accused the pastoralists from Lakes for misbehaving while in Mvolo County in search for pasture and water for their cattle.
He said that they do not ask permission to bring their cattle and steal honey from beehives.
Madit Maker Gum, another paramount chief from Yirol West, did not deny the accusation from the Mvolo paramount chief.
He said that among them there are criminals.
Mr Maker blamed the criminals for escalating the conflict between the two communities.
Community Empowerment for Progress Organisations director Edmund Yakani said the peace dialogue also wants to campaign for legislations that will ease cattle rustling in the country.
The two groups agreed to set up a committee made up of members from both groups to further look in to how cattle rustling can be controlled.