The UN Refugee Agency orUNHCR welcomed the commitment of communities in Jonglei and Greater Pibor Administrative Area to end abducting women and children, and return those affected safely to their families.
The commitment was reached during the three-day dialogue to establish committees on tracing abductees and mechanisms for returning abducted people.
The dialogue organised by UNHCR, that brought together Twic East, Bor South and Duk community leaders, representatives of state and national governments and international community agreed to engage youth in alternative livelihoods activities.
“There is no parent or child in the world who would not be filled with dread at the prospect of abduction”, noted Arafat Jamal, UNHCR Representative for South Sudan.
He added that “while there is still much more to do to end cycles of violence, this event shows that we can come together as the people, government and international community to solve a problem.”
Affected parents also appealed for an end to the cycle of violence and advocated for trust to be built across communities.
One of the said “my children were taken from me many years ago. Now, we will give back their children, and I hope my children will be returned to me.”
State Minister of Peace Building, Malual Gabriel Kon, emphasised the role of community leaders in cementing peace and the need to continue to engage them in the process.
He noted that “for peace to prevail, we need to support traditional leaders. They can be mobilised for war, but they can also be mobilised for peace”.
“In Jonglei, we are ready for peace”, promised Diing Akol Diing, Acting Governor In whose words were met with applause.
UNHCR is part of a consortium with UNMISS Human Rights Department, Save the Children, and CEPO working to prevent female and child abductions and support their reintegration in Jonglei/GPAA.
The dialogue forms part of a broader effort to end the cycles of violence in Jonglei and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.