The newly appointed Commissioner of rebel-held Akobo East County Tut Chot Rial has vowed to improve relations between the people of his county and neighboring tribes of Murle and Jikany Nuer.
Tut was sworn in as the first county commissioner of Akobo East on Monday after the partition of former Akobo County into three counties in the rebel-formed Bieh State.
County First Class Judge Peter Ruai Gatwech presided over the swearing-in ceremony at the County Executive Hall. Deputy Governor of Bieh State Mr. Koang Rambang Chol witnessed the event.
In his speech after being sworn in, Commissioner Tut Chot vowed to create good relations between the people of Akobo East and neighboring communities like the Murle and the Jikany Nuer of Ethiopia who live beyond their eastern border.
Meanwhile, trade has reportedly resumed among the triangle of communities of the Jikany Nuer of Ethiopia, the Lou Nuer of Akobo and the Murle of Pibor
Akobo East is controlled by the SPLA-IO rebels. It is part of Bieh State, which the SPLA-IO leadership decided to establish as one of the resolutions of the Pagak Conference held in December 2014.
Separately, sections of the Lou Nuer tribe in Bieh State signed a reconciliation document in Akobo East on Monday, after weeks of inter-clan fighting between the Chieng-Nyak and Chieng-Yol sections of the tribe which left nine people dead.
Chiefs and elders from the feuding sections of the Lou Nuer tribe came out with resolutions of harsh punishment for whoever is found to have killed anyone during the inter-clan conflict. They stressed the need for reconciliation and forgiveness.
The same document also requires convicted killers to pay high compensation of 60 cattle for person killed in accordance with Nuer customary law. The penalty will apply to all murders committed before 20 April, whereas all murders committed after that date will result in a penalty of life imprisonment.
Photo: Commissioner Tut posing with his wife after taking the oath of office in Akobo East
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New county commissioners in rebel Bieh State (16 April)