Yambio County Commissioner Hussein Enoka Ibrahim told Radio Tamazuj that a committee of healing and reconciliation set up earlier this month has held talks with an armed group comprising members of the Zande tribe fighting the SPLA.
Hussein said the committee includes religious leaders, youth, women and elders from the Zande tribe.
The county official pointed out that the group complained about marginalization, saying it was the main reason for them to fight against the government.
Hussein said the armed youths demanded that they should represented in the national government, the national army, police, and national security, besides the provision of development services in the area.
“They said they should have top leaders in the government, they complained that why the Zande tribe has one general in the army,” he said. “They want to have a general in the police, that is their complaint, they want to have a general in the national security.”
The top county official explained that the mediating committee is now talking with Zande youths, while another committee is also negotiating with the Muro youths in Maridi County and in all counties. He confirmed that all these demands will be presented later to the national government in order to look for solutions.
Photo: ‘Arrow Boys’ in Western Equatoria in 2012, by Pulitzer Center/Trevor Snapp