Cows in a Bor Cattle Camp - April 2009. Photo: Koang Pal/Eye Radio

The governor of Jonglei state says he has advised Central Equatoria government to use its police to drive back cattle keepers from his state.

Farmers in Central and Eastern Equatoria states including their governments have been complaining of threats caused by presence of cattle keepers in their areas.

Governor Kuol Manyang told Eye Radio that he is unhappy with the insecurity the pastoralists are posing to the state especially to the farming communities:

“….if they resist the police, then the Central Equatoria should ask the national government to provide the army to drive these people back.”

Governor Kuol added that “I do not feel comfortable when my people desert me….I need them with the cattle because they even deprive the elders and the children of milk.”

Central Equatoria state authorities are yet to respond to the call.

Thousands of heads of cattle owned by pastoralists from Jonglei are currently in Eastern and Central Equatoria states.

The animals are said to destroy crops of the host communities which are predominantly farmers.

This often causes clashes between the two communities.

In 2011, Madi community of Nimule, EES, clashed with Jonglei cattle keepers, an incident which forced the authorities to return about 4,000 heads of cattle to Jonglei.

Recently, Kajo-keji County Commissioner Prof. Ben Yengi threatened to resign if Central Equatoria government failed to sort out the issue of pastoralists from the neighboring Jonglei State encroaching on land in his territory.

He argued that armed cattle owners from Jonglei pose security threats in his county.

Jonglei cattle keepers, who are mainly from Bor and Twic East Counties, allegedly move to Equatoria region where they find plenty of pasture and water for their animals.