A three-day post-migration peace conference between Dinka Malual and Misseriya communities concluded on Friday in Aweil East County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, with the communities pledging to promote peace and reconciliation.
More than 70 community members from the Dinka Malual and Misseriya took part in the conference which resolved to secure corridors, address conflict, and pay outstanding blood compensations.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, the chairperson for the Dinka Malual peace committee in Aweil East County, Majok Riing said the peace conference ended with a joint commitment to promote peace and restore relations.
"This conference is considered peaceful coexistence conference and we have already reviewed all that occurred during the migration season and the conference ended successfully because we killed people from Dinka Malual and Misseriya and we committed to pay blood compensations. Despite all these challenges, we don’t have any option except every party shall commit itself to implement the agreement,’’ Riing said.
Ibrahim Ali, a Misseriya Chief disclosed that the conference has resolved issues among them, and restored relations.
"Thank God. We attended the peace conference between us and the Dinka Malual and it concluded in a good manner and we discussed all the compensations. Our relations have become strong," he added.
Ali also thanked Northern Bahr el Ghazal State authorities and the UN for organizing and facilitating the conference.
For his part, the acting state peacebuilding minister Kiir Chan Wol said, "The conference was attended by peace committees from both countries with support from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan plus other international non-governmental organizations. And the resolutions were that paramount chiefs in South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal and chiefs from Sudan’s Western Kordofan State will secure corridors and they also agreed to pay blood compensations in December."
Maria Inecita Montero, UNMISS Civil Affairs Division team leader in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, said they empower the communities to live in peace and harmony.