Local government authorities in Aweil North County in South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal State have confirmed the arrival of Sudanese pastoralists and their herds ahead of the start of the seasonal cattle migration.
The Aweil North County Commissioner, Victorino Ken Akoon, told Radio Tamazuj earlier in the week that Rizeigat pastoralists crossed the Kiir Adem River last week ahead of the planned pre-migration peace conference between the Dinka Malual and Rizeigat communities.
“Yes, the Rizeigat herders have arrived yet we wanted to first hold the pre-migration peace conference but their cattle defied the odds and entered our areas because their time has come for grazing,” said Ken. “I got the information on Monday that they crossed to the southern bank of the Kiir Adem River and are now grazing in the Akoong, Malek Miir, Kak Abar, Kiir Pal, Magedi, Kak Bek, and Juopa areas and they are still heading to the south.”
Meanwhile, the Rizeigat community representative, Alhadi Abdalla Akec, confirmed that his people and their cattle have crossed into South Sudan in search of pasture and water.
“The Rizeigat cattle have arrived in South Sudanese territories and I am currently situated in Malual North Payam in Gokmachar. There is a huge and uncountable number of our cattle grazing in the western part of Aweil North County in South Sudan,” Abdalla said. “We hope to stay in peace and tranquility.”
However, the Northern Bahr el Ghazal State peacebuilding minister, Abuor Gordon Nhial, said the state’s peace partners will meet to discuss and find ways of funding the pre-migration peace conference between the border communities.
“The peace partners from the Government of South Sudan, International Nongovernmental Originations, and local organizations in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State will hold a final meeting this week to discuss issues to do with the number of delegates who will attend the peace conference among the Dinka Malual, Luo and Rizeigat communities,” he said.