The chief administrator of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), Joshua Konyi Hirer, has promised to end the vicious cycle of inter-communal violence in Greater Jonglei, emphasizing the importance of peace in paving way for development and economic prosperity.
He made the remarks last Friday while addressing the media after the end of a 3-day Murle community peace conference held in the town of Pibor to disseminate the recently concluded GPAA-Jonglei State peace resolutions.
“We resolved that we return all the Dinka Bor and Nuer children abducted by our people and we also want our children returned by the Dinka and Nuer. We also agreed to control the movement of our youth to neighboring communities,” Konyi said.
He decried the decades of deadly inter-communal violence, emphasizing the importance of peace in the conflict-stricken region.
“We tried fighting among ourselves and we got nothing. So this year let us try peace. I appealed to the government authorities in the states whose civilians are fighting the Murle to also copy this initiative and disseminate peace messages to chiefs and youth,” he added.
Nyagath Amum, a woman leader in Pibor, appealed to the communities in Greater Jonglei to accept peace, saying women and children bore the brunt of inter-communal fighting over the past years. She urged the communities to avoid being dragged into violence by disgruntled groups.
For his part, David Ngero, the external secretary for Boma Youth Union, urged his counterparts in the neighboring areas to desist from violence, adding that they have been engaging youth groups to embrace peace.
Communities in greater Jonglei have for a long time been warring over child abductions and cattle raids.
Last month, a peace conference aimed at pacifying the communities of Jonglei State and GPAA was held in the capital Juba. However, it remains to be seen if the conference will deliver on its objectives.