A number of Northern traders at Bunj, Maban County in Upper Nile State appealed to the Southern Sudanese and Sudanese negotiators in Addis Ababa to reach a fair peace between the two countries and open the border for trade.
Bunj market is supplied only by smuggled goods from Sudan via Renk in Upper Nile and Ethiopian goods from Asosa coming via Yabus in southern Blue Nile. Due to poor roads very little reaches the market from the rest of South Sudan. The direct North-South tracks are impassable this time of year and are cut off by conflict in Blue Nile State.
Traders in Bunj market in Upper Nile stated that they want to see peace between the two countries, adding that stability is of interest to both nations, and asked the negotiating parties to impose stability so that Northerners and Southerners can reach prosperity.
In addition the traders appealed for the opening of the border between the two countries, to help people in the provision of goods, and to facilitate the trade from North to all areas in the South so that the citizens have access to food.
One trader speaking to Radio Tamazuj also demanded security in the border between the two countries. He pointed to the abundance of goods in Upper Nile these days, and attributed it to the arrival of the goods from North Sudan which resulted in lower prices at the markets in Upper Nile State.
The traders from Bunj market, Maban County renewed their appeal to the negotiators to benefit their nations, instead of going into conflict, war and a lack of stability.