Greater Pibor convenes retreat for unity, reconciliation and peace

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Greater Pibor convenes retreat for unity, reconciliation and peace
Greater Pibor convenes retreat for unity, reconciliation and peace

Africa-PressSouth-Sudan. The political and community leaders gathered in Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) for a three-day political retreat to discuss their political differences, local community conflict, and strategies to address

cattle raiding, age-set youth violence and child abduction. The Chief Administrator of Greater Pibor Administrative AreaLokoliAmee Bullen in his opening remarks said that their gathering was for peace, unity

and reconciliation. “We are gathered here to have peace, unity, and reconciliation in Pibor, and to stop the fighting. We need this to be the outcome of this retreat. If we

become one, we will move out of this retreat with one voice and ask the community, especially the youth to stop raiding our neigbours’ cattle or abduct

children. To stop all negative activities, we have to become united as one,” he said. The Chief Administrator further emphasized the need to provide alternative livelihood for youththrough adult learning opportunities and

agriculture. “We also need to get out and dialogue with the youth in different counties, to understand why they engage in these vices and how we can help

them,” Lokoli said. “The narrative of the Greater Pibor area had for too long been negative, I am extremely encouraged to hear that, over the next three days there will be

discussions on how to cement peace in the interest of the entire community,” said UNMISS Head of Civil Affairs Hazel De Wet. The three-day political gatheringwouldbe from 14-16 September 2021,

hosted at the Kabarthe Women’s Peace Centre in Greater Pibor. UNDP, with support from the Government of Sweden, constructed the Women’s Peace Centre to

further solidify the impact of the Kabarthe women on community cohesion and peacebuilding in Pibor. Since its launch in June 2021, the centre had become

the centre for important community meetings and gatherings. The GPAA Political Retreat was the latest conventions. “Greater Pibor is very rich with resources, but we are not seeing these

resources because of the crisis and the conflict between Murle, Nuer, Dinka, and so forth. We need peace to see the fruits of our resources in Pibor. We

need to focus on the agenda and let us commit ourselves to whatever we discuss. Let us take forth the agreements of this conference. I request that the senior

leadership of Greater Pibor follow the recommendations which will come up from usduring the retreat, and then the implementation they will take forth,” said the

Deputy Minister for Information Baba Medan Konyi. Planned sessions for the next days include group work and presentations on addressing age-set violence, child abductions, and cattle raids. Dialogues would

be held on strengthening GPAA’s social cohesion with neighboring communities. “A society will not thrive without peace. If we can give all that we have

towards peace, then we build a foundation for development. I want to encourage all of you in this retreat, to look beyond what the history has written, no

matter what we’ve done to one another. Recognize that South Sudan, and Pibor specifically, can be in a place of reconciliation and peace,” saidthe UNDP

Resident Representative Samuel G. Doe addingUNDP’s pledge to continue fostering partnerships with communities and leaders seeking to achieve development goals.

The retreat was led by the GPAA Chief Administrator LokoliAmee Bullen, Deputy Chief Administrator JohnAbula, Deputy Minister for Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services Baba Medan; members of the

Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly DavidYauYau, David Akuer, LawuryenIbon; members of the Council of States Kennedy Gayain; Francis

Lekanyang, and Judy Jonglei and all key constituencies representatives needed to sustain peace. It was supported by UNMISS Civil Affairs Division, and UNDP’s Peace and Community Cohesion Project with funding from the Government of Sweden.

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