The authorities in the border towns of Yirol East, Yirol West in Lakes state, and Panyijiar County in Unity State over the weekend agreed to establish a joint border mobile court and a shared police station to restore tranquility among the communities there.
The resolutions were reached during a 5-day inter-state peace dialogue which started on Monday last week and brought together local chiefs and state government officials. The meeting was supported by Shejah Salaam and Clip Poverty Organizations under the theme ‘promoting trust, healing, and cohesion between communities.
The two state governments also agreed to provide a road security network in the Karer area along their common border.
The commissioner of Yirol East County, Manyang Luth Lueth, told Radio Tamazuj Monday that the peace initiative helped iron out some of the challenges facing the two states.
“They came together with some resolutions and they proposed that if there is a conference, the community of Panyijiar County will also come to Yirol to meet and do the same with the people of Yirol here,” he said. “There was no new complaint because people are calm and they talked about the development of the road network.”
Luth said the peace dialogue was meant to restore the relationship which was initially fractured by revenge-related violence among the communities of the two neighboring states.
For his part, the commissioner of Panyijiar County, Gabriel Majok Bol, described as fruitful the dialogue between the two states.
“We reached some 17 resolutions and even signed them. If anyone is found to have raided cattle between Unity and Lakes, he has to be put in jail and it was agreed also that border chiefs have to be given the power to solve all cases,” he explained.
Bol stated that the dialogue also recommended for return and recovery of raided cattle.
A legislator from Lakes State parliament representing Yirol East County, Aping Malel, who attended the inter-State border peace dialogue said the two border communities have agreed to live in peace.
“The two communities have also agreed to return any raided cattle, establish a joint mobile court and pay blood compensation for those who have been killed on both sides between Lakes and Unity States,” he said.