The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Thursday started a two-day conflict management workshop in Aweil, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, to scale up the abilities of the 64 joint border peace committee members.
The committee members include paramount chiefs, women, and youth among others.
According to UNMISS’ Civil Affairs Division (CAD), the training intends to bolster peaceful means of resolving conflicts between especially the Dinka Malual in Aweil North, Aweil West, and the Luo communities in Aweil Center counties and the border communities from neighboring Sudan.
The state’s minister of local government and acting governor, Deng Liai, said the crisis management training will translate into the promotion of peace between the people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal and those of Sudan’s West Kordufan and East Darfur states.
“This special workshop on conflict management is all about peace in Northern Bahr el Ghazal and bordering areas between Sudan and South Sudan,” he said. “Our message as the government is that peace between the people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal and the Sudanese people in bordering areas must be maintained.”
Kon Uguak Kon, the representative of the paramount chiefs, said peace is the only solution to the coexistence of the Dinka Malual, Luo, and Rizeigat.
“Peace is the only thing that sustains us. We and our brothers the Rizeigat all want peace because we exchange goods such as sugar and veterinary medicines which come from Sudan’s Al-Dein town of East Darfur,” Uguak said. “We need peace but some elements from the Dinka Malual and Rizeigat confuse the situation by looting properties and these are outlaws.”
Angelina Nyankem Deng, a member representing women on the peace committee, said they want stability and schools for the children of border communities.
“We need stability and schools for our children and we want all corridors between the two countries to be opened so that there is peace,” she said. “