Rumbek Centre Commissioner Mawet Manuer says cross-border business has stopped two months ago between locals of Panyijar and Rumbek Centre counties of Unity and Lakes states respectively, after some civilians were killed by ‘criminals’ in a border area.
The communities have historically been involved in trade whereby cattle keepers from Panyijar County sell cattle to local traders of Rumbek Centre in order to get other mixed goods from the market in the Lake State capital.
Mawet Manuer said in an interview yesterday that the trade was affected by an incident in which suspected criminals allegedly killed people whilst on their farms in Rumbek Centre in a payam bordering Panyijar in December last year.
“Last time, they came and buy goods from Rumbek and transported them to Amok-piny and then transport them on heading to Panyijar but now they have spoiled their business relation at the border,” he said.
He also reported that the security situation among cattle keepers within Rumbek Centre is quite normal and nowadays they are grazing together without any problems.
Manuer noted, however, that the prices in Rumbek Centre are high compared to the past when a kilo of sugar was 5 SSP and now costs 30 SSP, while meat per kilo is 40 SSP.