Eastern Equatoria to conduct peace dialogue with Turkana neighbors 

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The Governor for Eastern Equatoria State Luis Lobong Lojore after meeting with President Kiir in Juba

The Governor for Eastern Equatoria State Luis Lobong Lojore is in Nadapal on the South Sudan border with Kenya to conduct a peace dialogue between the Toposa and Turkana.

This came after recent clashes at the border over a land dispute in February this year.

The government of South Sudan sent a high-level delegation to meet with the Kenyan President, Dr. William Ruto to address the ongoing border tension a week ago.

Governor Lobong (Left) and Minister of Presidential Affairs Dr. Barnaba Marial (Right) after briefed President on Border dispute – Photo by State House

 

Lobong says the situation is calm at the border and his committee is arranging with counterparts on the side of Turkana to organize a community dialogue but it’s unclear when the dialogue will take place

“Truly, I am in Kapoeta part, spending two days around Nadapal area in Narus, in Kapoeta East, my mission is related to issues of tensions of insecurity among our common border with Kenya, and I was directed by His Excellency the president of the republic to talk to our communities along the border to remain calm.”

So for the last two days, I was talking to the youths, I was talking to the elders and they have accepted to remain calm they raised their own issues which I will still take again to His Excellency the President, at the moment now the situation is calm, we are making contacts with my counterparts on the other side to organize bring dialogue between the two communities,” Lobong said.

The governor further reiterated the commitment of South Sudan and Kenya to resolve the dispute amicably.

Lobong is heading the joint Community committee to prepare the ground for the ministerial committee and the technical committee to begin doing their work peacefully without disturbance

“We wanted to make it very clear to our communities that the issue of international borders is a matter of the National government of the two countries, the government on both sides has made a lot of progress and they formed a joint committee.”

Lobong calls for the two communities to remain calm in order for the governments to address the border issue peacefully

“My appeal really to the people of Eastern Equatoria is to remain calm and allow our government to address the issue of the common border and let us create a conducive environment as neighbors.”

“These Turkana and Toposa are people of the same origin, and the same culture, they speak the same language and they have been there on this border in the time of memorial and they will continue to be there even if the issue of the border is identified.” he highlighted.

Eastern Equatoria State Legislators have called for the National government to intervene and resolve the border issue between Kapoeta South and the neighboring Kenya

South Sudan and Kenya have discussed ways to resolve the Nadapal and Nakodok border disputes following recent communal violence between Taposa of South Sudan and Turkana of Kenya.

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