The governor of South Sudan’s Terekeka State, Augustino Laku has ordered all cattle keepers from Mundari community to evacuate farm lands in Jubek state amidst ongoing tension between the farmers and pastoralist communities.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Thursday evening, Governor Laku said at least one herder was killed in a clash between local farmers and herders in one of the cattle camps in Jubek on Tuesday.
“As part of the implementation of the presidential order, I was accompanied by the Lado County commissioner to Mundari cattle camps in his state (Jubek). I preached messages of peace to the locals there and urged them to return home. Now, some began returning peacefully since last week. One cattle camp has reached Kuda area in Terekeka,” he said.
The top state official urged the two neighboring communities to maintain peaceful relations.
In October 2017, President Salva Kiir ordered all cattle keepers from Jonglei, Terekeka and Eastern Lakes states to evacuate the Equatoria region.