More than 50 payam administrators, cattle camp leaders, and chiefs in Tonj North County of South Sudan's Warrap State attended a peace training last week.
Ayom Majok Giim, the Executive Director of Tonj North County said, "You see our county has experienced violence since 2019 up to now. The county authorities with support from World Vision brought 27 cattle leaders, 18 local chiefs, and 18 local government Payam administrators from nine Payams and trained them on the importance of peace and unity to them especially people of Majook wut (Cattle camp leaders) are the source where the conflict starts," he said.
Anthony Anei Kuot, Akop Payam administrator says he will conduct peace rallies across his payam to sensitize the population on the importance of peace and unity.
"The peace conference we have attended will be successful because the people of Akop Payam respect the peace. I brought two chiefs and three cattle leaders to this peace conference and when I go back, I will carry out peace rallies in all Bomas of Akop Payam," Anei said.
"I urge women to stop inciting their children to get involved in the cattle-related conflict and all guns should be collected and stored at chiefs' houses as agreed," Aliek Payam administrator Moses Maring said.
Samuel Yel Deng, Pagol Payam administrator says he will engage his community and disseminate the conference resolutions.
"The peace training is successfully agreed by nine payams, we are six here three cattle camp leaders, two chiefs, and myself. I will go and conduct a peace rally at Pagol Payam explaining to the community about peace and the resolutions of the conference," he said.
About 18 resolutions were reached: disarmament, mobile peace conferences between conflicting communities, improved communication between chiefs and authorities, ban on alcohol consumption, and the establishment of 130 community police committees in the county.
18 payam administrators, 18 chiefs, and 27 cattle camp leaders gathered at the state headquarters on Thursday and Friday for the training, against the backdrop of increased communal clashes in the region.