Jacob Mayar
Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Jonglei State Deputy Governor Jacob Akech Dengdit presided over a peace dialogue bringing together at least 74 representatives from six counties and paramount chiefs to discuss the state’s security.
The paramount chiefs were drawn from Akobo, Ayod, Bor County, Duk and Uror. The dialogue was aimed at mitigating sources of conflicts such as cattle raids, child abductions, revenge killings, forced marriages, and road ambushes in Jonglei State.
The representatives involved women’s organizations, IDPs, civil society, Members of Parliament, and intellectuals from Juba to participate in building consensus for peaceful co-existence in Jonglei.
Dengdit said peace is paramount and should be the foundation of all communities in Jonglei State. He added that peace should come from the grassroots level to every household and that everyone has a role to play.
He said, “Our diversity is an asset that we ought to embrace and use as a vehicle for development and growth, and the youth have a duty to focus their energy on things that are productive. The government will work with development organizations to implement a program that will empower youth and women to start small businesses, farms, and build capacity.”
The state boss said that insecurity had stifled the growth in the state since many traders feared moving along the roads for fear of attacks.
The Jonglei State minister of peace building, Malual Gabriel Kuol, called for peaceful coexistence among the communities, warning the revenge killings were dangerous.
“There are some cases of revenge killing in areas of greater Lou and greater Fangak… and here in greater Jonglei (which has to stop); everyone has to be responsible to implement peace in our communities,” he said.
For More News And Analysis About South-Sudan Follow Africa-Press
