Greater Pibor, Jonglei State authorities exchange former abductees

Local authorities in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) and their Jonglei State counterparts on Monday exchanged 10 former abductees.
The former abductees, mainly children, were abducted by youth groups from both sides in parts of GPAA’s Gumuruk County and Jonglei’s Duk County during recent waves of inter-communal violence.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Julia James, the GPAA gender, child, and social welfare minister, said the exchange of the former abductees was a gesture of peace and that abductions were criminal.
“On Monday afternoon, we received a woman with her breastfeeding baby girl plus four other children from authorities of Duk County in Jonglei State. From our side, we gave them four children,” Minister James said.
The gender minister said child abduction is a crime and that they are committed to ending all forms of child abuse with their Jonglei counterparts.
The Pibor Town Mayor, Nyang Korok, who was at the handover ceremony Monday, said arrangements are underway to reunite the former abductees with their families.
“We are happy because this development will build trust among our people. My message to the people of Jonglei is that they should show more commitment like what we have been doing because they have hundreds of our children, not only 6,” he said.
For his part, John Chatim, the Duk County commissioner, applauded the handover and said they are committed to recovering all the abductees anywhere in the state.