The newly appointed chief administrator of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) has been counselled to prioritize peace among the local communities and their neighbours as tension remain high following last month’s bloody inter-communal violence there.

On Thursday evening, President Salva Kiir named Lokali Amae Bullen as the new head of the troubled GPAA, replacing Gen. Joshua Konyi who served in the leadership position for barely 11 months.

President Kiir’s decree, which was announced on the state broadcaster, SSBC, gave no reasons for the changes.

Several locals who spoke to Radio Tamazuj on Friday welcomed the changes and called on the new appointee to prioritize peace and services delivery.

“As women, when such changes happen, our call is that we want healthcare services and schools for our children,” Mary Agut, a Pibor resident, said.

David Ngero, another local, said: “We expect the new chief administrator to prioritize peace. Within ourselves, there is no peace, you cannot move freely outside Pibor town because of insecurity. So, we want peace within GPAA and beyond.”

For his part, Gen. Kennedy Gayin, the head of the Murle community, welcomed the changes, saying they will cooperate with the new administration for peace and development.

“As a community, we welcome the changes. Appointments and sacking are normal political changes. We are not opposed to the changes. We will work with the new leader. So, our message to him is that peace and development should be prioritized,” he said.

GPAA has been plagued by deadly violence involving Murle youth and their neighbours from Jonglei State over the past weeks.

According to reports, a week of the clashes which left villages torched, have forced 15, 000 people out of their homes and they are in dire need of food and shelter.