Sudanese pastoralists who returned to Sennar State after conflict erupted in South Sudan’s Upper Nile in December last year are reporting shortages of water, basic services and lack of schools in the state.

The Sennar governor previously identified Kokari and Turus villages, which are about 30 kilometers from Mazmum town, as the resettlement sites for the returned pastoralists and farmers.

Omer Abu Rouf, a member of the nomadic tribes’ committee in the state, told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that the returnees are suffering badly owing to shortages of essential services and lacks of pastures as well as water source.

He noted returnees’ children could not go to school due to absence of educational facilities constructed in their areas.

Omer also accused the state governor Ahmed Abass of failing to integrate the nomads into communities and provide them with services despite huge funds earmarked by the presidency for resettlement of nomads in the state.

Cross-border conference in Renk

A peace conference between Sudanese pastoralists and South Sudanese comminutes living in Upper Nile was concluded yesterday in Renk town.

The conference aimed at consolidation of social peace in order to mitigate potential conflicts and to control cattle thefts, according to sources in Renk.

The meeting was organized by the British organization Concordis and attended by sultans and sheikhs from communities in the border region.

File photo