The Arab herders from Sudan’s East Darfur and West Kordofan States have entered South Sudan via Northern Bahr el Ghazal State ahead of the usual season due to the Sudan conflict and drought, a local government official said.
The war which erupted in Khartoum on 15 April quickly spread to other regions and saw the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) make gains in West Kordofan and East Darfur States in October.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj over the weekend, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Peacebuilding Minister Abuor Gordon Nhial confirmed the arrival of Arab pastoralist groups.
“Of course, every human being must have complaints and this means that the Arab herders; Messeriya from West Kordofan State, and Rezeigat nomads from East Darfur State in Sudan need to come to South Sudan because they are affected by the war and drought,” he said. “So, they decided to enter South Sudan although the agreement among the Dinka Malual, Messeriya, and Rezeigat communities says the cattle migration season should start around February every year.”
The minister thanked the Dinka Malual Community in Aweil East County for welcoming the Messieriya and reopening the Warguet Corridor to make life easy for the Arab pastoralists.
She warned the Sudanese herders to leave the guns behind and allow the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and other regular forces to protect them and their livestock.
“The people of Aweil East County have accommodated the Arab pastoralists to come through the Warguet Border Corridor ahead of time but we are only urging them to stop coming to South Sudan with firearms,” Gordon said.
For his part, Anguei Noon Atak, the representative of the Dinka Malual Joint Border Peace Committee, confirmed the arrival of the Arab Rezeigat and their cattle via a border area that connects Aweil North and Aweil West counties in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State and Raja County in Western Bahr el Ghazal State.
“I heard that the Rezeigat herders have arrived via the western corridor between Aweil North, Aweil West, and Raja Counties,” he stated. “I wish they send their representatives to meet us if they have some pressures on their arrival.”
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