Community members and internally displaced people residing in Rokon in Jubek State are urging the warring parties to respect, uphold and implement the newly signed peace agreement.
Manowa Ladu Jade, Deputy Chief of Rokon, is cautiously hopeful about the newly signed peace pact.
“Very often, I hear that peace is signed, and without knowing why, war breaks out once again shortly thereafter. This time, we demand more than just lip service from our leaders, translating into services on the ground,” he said.
Many other community members echoed his message during a visit from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and a team from the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM), who recently reached Rokon to assess the security, economic, and humanitarian situation.
Over 5,000 internally displaced people currently living in the area are yearning to return to their homes across various locations in Amadi, Terekeka, and Jubek. Some people fled to Rokon to escape violence between opposition and government forces in their area. Others fled due to food insecurity caused by cattle keepers in Terekeka who grazed their livestock on farmlands, destroying the crops and livelihoods of farmers.
All community members expect their leaders to usher in an era of peace that will allow them to resettle back home and give way to the development of the country.
As the teams from UNMISS and CTSAMM bid farewell to the people of Rokon, they heeded their calls and pledged their support and commitment to working with all parties to achieve a lasting peace in the country.