Jonglei Governor and Buma State officials have called on youth in both Jonglei and Buma to stop violence and give chance for the community chiefs to discuss security issues.

The statement comes after reports of clashes in Buma State this week between the youth of the two states. No casualties have been reported.

The cause of the attack is unclear, but youth in Jonglei say they entered Buma State to recover their stolen cattle and abducted children.

Their spokesman, Ayuen Guet, says they were taken by youth from Buma. They say the cattle were taken from Gadiang, Jalle and Duk padiet in December last year.

Mr Ayuen told Eye Radio on Tuesday that their past appeals to the two state governments have been ignored.

“We are following our cattle up to the areas,” he said. “Now I’m talking to you on our border with Buma state, looking for our cattle and our children.”

However, Mr. Aguer said he had been speaking on phone with the deputy governor of Buma, Rachael Anok Omoto, over the security issues.

He said he reiterated his commitment to peace and to immediately resolve conflict related to cattle rustling and child abduction.

In the statement he issued Tuesday evening in response to media inquiries, Mr. Aguer said the way forward is to bring the community chiefs of the two states on the table to discuss, recommend and implement mechanisms to resolve the matter.

He said these mechanisms should be quick, urgent and comprehensive solutions to the ongoing cattle raiding, child abduction, and killing.

“It’s a process”

Meanwhile, Buma Coordination officer peter Lebelek called on the youth from Jonglei to be patient.

He said his state government was working on returning those stolen cattle.

“It’s easy to destroy, but to build can take time. We told them that they have to wait because you know to do something is not easy,” Mr Lebelek stressed.

“So, what the government of Buma state is doing is to bring these cattle back to them. It’s a process.”