A three-day peace conference involving the Murle Community of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) and their neighboring Jonglei State counterparts concluded in Pibor town on Monday with a recommitment to peaceful coexistence.
The event was organized by the NGO, Jonglei Canal, and it brought together about 30 participants from the communities of Murle, Lou Nuer, and Dinka.
The GPAA chief administrator, Lokali Amae, told Radio Tamazuj that the communities agreed to peacefully coexist and discussed ways of overcoming hurdles in implementing the resolutions of the Pieri peace conference.
“In March, there was a call to end violence and reconcile during a peace conference in Pieri. Now, we left it to youth, women, and chief to discuss the way forward,” Amae said. “There was a call for the return of remaining abductees, deployment of security forces, and establishment of courts.”
The chief administrator said he will work with the Jonglei State counterparts for the implementation of resolutions of the Pibor peace conference.
John Gatjuol, the Uror County representative, said the conference was fruitful and reiterated commitment to peace despite recurring violence.
For his part, John Chatim, the Duk County commissioner, expressed optimism that peace will return to Greater Jonglei as peace conferences continue between the warring communities, blaming recurring attacks on groups working to disrupt efforts to restore calm to the troubled region.
Communities in Greater Jonglei have a long time been wrangling, raiding cattle, and abducting children.