Authorities in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area have urged communities within the area to refrain from raiding cattle or abducting children from neighboring areas including Bor County of Jonglei State. The appeal follows a meeting between politicians of Pibor and Bor in Juba a month ago.
Pibor Area Security Advisor Peter Guzulu says that the two areas must work together in order to combat crimes. Speaking on Radio Miraya, he said that the cattle raiding between Pibor and neighboring areas must end.
“We also talked to our people on the ground that the issue of child abduction and cattle raiding should come to an end. And we placed some rules on the ground that if anyone of you goes and bring a child, the child will be taken back and you will be punished.”
During a joint security meeting last month, leaders from Bor and Pibor Administrative Area resolved that any person caught stealing cattle or abducting children should be jailed and fined in accordance with the laws of South Sudan.
Pibor Administrative Area is inhabited by the Murle and several other tribes. Previously there have been tensions between the Murle and the Dinka Bor tribe, which occupies territories in southwestern Jonglei, west of the Pibor area.