Pastoralists from Bor in Jonglei State who crossed over to Kajo-Keji County of Central Equatoria State in search of pasture earlier this year have agreed to leave the area within seven days to allow local farmers to cultivate.
Religious leaders mediated several peace dialogues between the farmers and the pastoralists in the area in a bid to mitigate conflict and allow peaceful co-existence between the two communities.
Anyik Chaplain Mogga, a community youth representative told Radio Tamazuj that over 20 leaders drawn from the youth, cattle camp leaders, women, the SSPDF bosses, farmers, chiefs and the county commissioner participated in a one-day meeting on Friday to prepare the pastoralists to leave the area peacefully.
“One of the resolutions is that the pastoralists have to go back home because it is now time for cultivation. Most of the crops in the field like cassava have been destroyed because the cows were grazing in their gardens. Both sides agreed that the pastoralists and their herds will leave the area,” Anjik said.
He added that the farmers and the pastoralists agreed to allow safe passage for the pastoralists to leave the area so that IDPs and returnees can embark on farming activities this first crop cultivation season.
Abraham Makur, the secretary of the Bor community confirmed to us that the cattle keepers have agreed to return to their homeland and requested the local community not to attack or raid the cattle of the pastoralists.
He said the cattle keepers also requested the county authorities to provide security and relief assistance while they leave Kajo-Keji County.
“We have understood that we are in villages where farmers are also living in and now that the rain has started, we are ready to return to our homeland and this is what we have agreed and as we are going back home,” Makur said. “The cattle keepers requested the community not to take anything from our side as we are going home.”
For his part, Wani Charles, the Kajo-Keji County press secretary, said the commissioner of Kajo-Keji County has issued a provisional order reinforcing previous orders issued by the president in 2017 and a recent decree issued by the state governor demanding all pastoralists to leave farming areas.
“The provisional decree was issued about previous orders and if there is no respect and turn up on this order, the commissioner and the security agencies will be informed and good enough they are all on the ground,” Wani warned. “A report will be given to the governor after the seven days because the commissioner meant for the cattle herders to leave the area within seven days starting from today, Friday.”