Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The Council of States has appealed to the presidency to form a permanent independent border commission to tackle the rampant border disputes across the country.
The concerns were raised on Thursday during the deliberation on the report of the inter-communal conflict between Ngok Dinka of Abyei and Twic Dinka of Warrap.
The lawmakers said the possible way to tackle border conflict between states lay in having an independent border commission tasked with handling such issues.
The Deputy Chairperson of Land Infrastructure and State Boundaries in the Council of States, Dr Petro Machar, said there are several border disputes among communities across the county.
According to him, having one committee for a particular community was not the best way to address border disputes.
“There are problems everywhere regarding the issue of borders in Bahr el Ghazal and in Upper Nile State. There is a need for the former border commission to handle the internal disputes,” said Machar.
He said the formation of the committees had proven ineffective as most attacks had gone unabated.
“I am appealing to the president to form the border commission. There is no need for our people to continue to die because of the land. There is a need to have an independent border commission that will only deal with borders between South Sudanese communities,” he appealed.
He revealed that there are still clear maps developed by the British that can show which area belongs to whom. However, the lawmaker appreciated the ad hoc committee formed by the Council of States to investigate the Ngok and Abeyi conflict.
James Magok, a member of parliament representing Lakes State in the Council of States, echoed the calls for the establishment of a border commission to handle the disputes.
“There is one important mission of the border commission, and if the border commission is formed, our work as the Council of State is to discuss the report of the border commission,” Magok said.
“Without this important border commission, it is very hard. I recommend that my colleagues and I appeal to the presidency to form the commission and appoint people there to immediately look into this issue,” he added.
Magok appealed to the elite to shun inciting messages that could lead to conflict.
Source: The City Review South Sudan
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