Upper Nile: Warring Ulang clans reconcile after year-long feud

Two warring clans in Ulang County of South Sudan’s Upper Nile State involved in clashes for over a year have been reconciled through a peace initiative concluded at a conference held in the county headquarters, Ulang town, from 9 to 10 March 2022.

Two warring clans in Ulang County of South Sudan’s Upper Nile State involved in clashes for over a year have been reconciled through a peace initiative concluded at a conference held in the county headquarters, Ulang town, from 9 to 10 March 2022.

Violent clashes involving the Chieng-Khor and Chieng-Gwandong communities started in March last year following an attack by youth on an SPLA-IO boat convoy along the Sobat River in which seven soldiers including an army general were killed.

Since then there have been several revenge counterattacks involving the two communities which have left at least 46 people dead on both sides.

Gabriel Odol Othow, the county executive director, told Radio Tamazuj Wednesday that the belligerent clans reconciled last Thursday after months of dialogues.

“We started engaging them in May last year,” he said. “From 9 to 10 March, we concluded a peace and reconciliation initiative in which it was agreed that there be blood compensation and return of all looted items like boats and cattle.”

He added: “Now the blood compensation process is ongoing. The 46 killed from both sides will each be compensated with 50,000 cows except for the slain general whose blood compensation was agreed to be 300,000 cows.”

Lam Duoth Lam, a participant in the reconciliation efforts, said he is hopeful that the peace will hold because both sides are frustrated by the violence. 

An Ulang businessman, Juma Kier, applauded the two communities for forging peace, saying it will provide a conducive business environment.

“In the past, there used to be panic in the town, now there is peace and we are happy as business people,” he said.