Jonglei initiates consultations between Nuer and Dinka

March 14, 15 (BOR) – The government of South Sudan’s Jonglei state through its commissioners, has started consultations between the Lou Nuer and Dinka Bor tribes ahead of the country’s next round of peace talks scheduled for April.

Civilians of Duk county receiving the govt officials in Duk airstrip March 14, 2015 (ST)

The commissioner of Uror county, Mabior Bol and his counterparts Nyang Chuol (Nyirol), Akech Deng (Duk) and Dau Akoi (Twic East) approached their communities to accept face to face peace talks.

Commissioner Deng said his county administration was facilitating the peace process.

“When I arrived in Duk as a commissioner, I felt that I should add more value to it, in a way that all the people in Duk should hold key position to be ambassadors of peace”, Deng said on Saturday.

He said peace with neighbouring communities was vital in the world’s youngest nation.

“We are the gate way and our bilingual and harmony will help us in realising it”, stressed the Duk county commissioner.

The commissioner of Nyirol county was also one of the key persons who strongly lobbied for peace to prevail between Dinka and Nuer.

“Our intention is to bring our people together, to make them live together, to make them forgive one another”, said Nyang.

He advised communities in the country’s largest state to continue living as one regardless of the political events engulfing South Sudan.

According to Nyang, the December 2013 political crisis affected social lives of people in all communities, an issue that needed to be addressed.

“Our peace internally is very important, because that one which is being negotiated in Addis Ababa has not brought back any positive impact on the people of South Sudan,” stressed the commissioner.

“We can make our own peace in Jonglei”, he added.

Mabior Bol, the commissioner of Uror, said he would make it a reality for peace to be mediated and internally signed by the Nuer and Dinka.

According to Mabior, the communities of Lou Nuer had already assured him that they would send representatives to negotiate with Dinka Bor chiefs and youth provided they are assured of a peaceful process.

Duk county paramount chief, Chuei Leek, said he accepted peace with Lou Nuer to be negotiated so that his people start to rebuild their houses that were completely burned by the rebels in April 2014.

“You have started well. I surely need peace with Nuer so that my people feel sure. If the peace is rejected by Nuer, we will need the army to be deployed around our borders so that the rebels don’t come again”, said Leek.

TWO REBELS SURRENDER

Meanwhile, two South Sudanese rebel officers reportedly surrendered with their families to South Sudan army in Duk county.

John Uyual Kuek who defected from SPLA Division Two in Jonglei state at the rank of a captain returned with his family on Friday.

Another rebel, Manyang Machot also surrendered with his family.

Baba Medan, the deputy governor of Jonglei said government would continue supporting the peace process to bring back the lost trust between these two tribes.

(ST)