The Apuk-Giir community of Warrap State and the Marial-Wau of Western Bahr el Ghazal State have resolved to end their inter-communal hostilities.
The communities made the resolution during a three-day dialogue that ended in Wau town on Saturday.
The dialogue that brought together 90 participants from both sides, also resolved to allow the people who had fled for the past two years to return home.
The talks were facilitated by the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) in collaboration with the two states’ ministries for Peace-building and the Lakes State Peace Committee, with support from USAID through Shejeh Salam program and Caritas Germany. The theme was, “Dialogue is a Pathway for Sustainable Peace and Development”.
A Marial-Wau community representative, Justin Makuac, told Radio Tamazuj that both sides had agreed to cease hostilities to allow the displaced to return to their homes.
“We have agreed with our relatives from Apuk-Giir that people have to return to their homes and nobody should attack another, and no one should loot others’ properties,” said Makuac.
“We have also agreed that the humanitarian organizations should start providing plastic sheets, food, medicines and drinking water, because the water sources were no longer safe for consumption,” he added.
Makuac said the security of the contested Manyang has been referred to the government. He said the 5th Infantry Division from Western Bahr el-Ghazal and the Division 11 from Warrap would control the area.
The two communities also agreed to open the roads closed during the conflict.
Apuk-Giir representative Thiik Ring Giir said they agreed to stop the violence and handed over the matters fueling animosities to the resolution conflict mitigating committee.
“We have agreed to cease the hostilities. No one should attack the other,” said Giir.
Stephen Robo Musa from CEPO said the dialogue had identified the cause of the conflict as the ownership of the Manyang’ areas.
“We are trying to play a mediatory role for the national committee to come and finish up the matter. There are some issues we cannot handle in this forum,” he said.
Last May, a delegation of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Santino Deng Wol, Gen. Atem Marol, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Gen. Akol Khor Kuc, Director General of the National Security Service, visited Wau to study the causes of the conflict between Warrap and Western Bahr el-Ghazal states.
The Apuk-Giir and the Marial-Wau have been in a cycle of conflict over two years, leaving more than 100 people killed, homes burnt and properties lost, with over 35,000 people fleeing their homes.