An Open Dialogue Will Resolve Greater Jonglei Crises

An Open Dialogue Will Resolve Greater Jonglei Crises

''We are for peace, there is no any other option for people to coexist,
''Dengdid said, 'It is understanding and has a dialogue on where the
violence comes and everybody takes responsibility for wrong doing. ''

  

The only way forward now is to resort to implementation of the provisions of the Greater Jonglei Peace Agreement signed in late 2016 by Jonglei and Boma states.

By Manas James Okony, Bor, South Sudan

 (Thursday Mar 16, 2017 )-open dialogues will Resolve Greater Jonglei Crises.

Jonglei state minister for information and government spokesperson,   Jacob Akech Dengdit, says   an open dialogue on ways to resolve problems and holding perpetrators
accountable is imperative in resolving Greater Jonglei crises.


''We are for peace, there is no any other option for people to coexist,
'' he said, 'It is understanding and have a dialogue on where the
violence comes and everybody takes responsibility for wrong doing. ''

Dengdit says the only way forward now is to resort to implementation of the provisions of the Greater Jonglei Peace Agreement signed in late 2016  by Jonglei and  Boma  states.
''Agreement is must for everybody because it is the only option and
this what Boma State and Jonglei State
is doing, we should share
common market in cross border areas to promote social interaction; we
should have a joint integrated police made up of men from the Boma,
Jonglei, Bieh and Fangak to create buffer; and holding perpetrators
accountable--this is the agreement, '' Akech explained.


Mr.  Achan John, the Boma’s minister for information agrees and says lack of
ownership of the agreements aimed at resolving the issues of cattle
raiding and child abduction accounts for collapse of many agreements
and persistence of atrocities.

Research made by Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies, University of Nairobi  on role of communities in resolving conflict in Jonglei Canal   partly
attributed continuation of conflict on weak conflict prevention, resolution and management mechanism (CPRM).


The  study  has  given recommendations  on  areas  of  improvement  in  solving conflicts in Jonglei Canal that includes; youth empowerment such as economic
empowerment including venturing into agriculture.

Effective engagement of the donors such as investing in community-based peace initiatives.
Also, the continued disarmament process by the government of  South
Sudan  that  should  be  done  in  a  more  humane  way.  

Respect  for the  rule  and development  of  relevant  legislations  like policies
 that  guarantee  child  protection.

Improved security in the community by increasing the number of law enforcers. Finally, the study recommended that there should be public education on conflicts
through awareness campaigns.

With conflict at its peak between herdsmen   from Murle
and Dinka communities.

Anyanya   and   SPLA   liberation struggles in the   then Sudan,
cattle raiding, child abduction and fighting over water  and grazing
points marked the daily phenomena  among the Greater Jonglei
communities of  Dinka,  Nuer, Murle and Anuak.


Those   and many other atrocities   did not,  however, cease with   the  signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that  ended more than twenty  (20)
years  of the civil war between the Sudan' s   People Liberation  Army
 and  the Sudanese government,  and that   subsequently led to    the
independence  of  South Sudan from  the Sudan in  2011.


Just   one year   after South  Sudan' s  independence,  peace in the Greater
Jonglei  remains  vanishing,   despite  many endeavors by both the
state and   national governments, the international community,
churches, and   local traditional leaders.


The  presence of armaments in bulk in  the hands of civilians,  perceived failure of
the government to protect  civilians and provide security and justice;
forcible disarmament;  inequitable distribution of resources;   and
unequal political representation at the state and national levels
sparks grievances that leads to  routinely cattle raiding leaving
affected community  expose to adverse  conditions.


Between January 2011 and September 2012 conflict in Jonglei State left more than 2,700
people dead and displaced more than 200,000   with particularly
Akobo, Bor and Pibor counties of the former Jonglei State
hard hit.

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