Crime barricade tape. | Courtesy.

The leader of Kachipo people in Greater Pibor Administrative Area raised concerns about cattle-related violence at the South Sudan-Ethiopia border, adding that 30 members of his community have been killed in cross-border conflicts since the beginning of this year.

Kachipo Community Leader John Dunyi said, in an interview with Eye Radio, that the loss of lives occurred in three incidents perpetrated by armed men from the Ethiopian side of the border.

The situation was disclosed days after border governors and administrators from the two countries reached an understanding on a wide range of issues including infrastructure, security, and trade, in a meeting in Addis Ababa.

Mr. Dunyi said 17 people were killed in the first incident when the Ethiopians pursued their raided cattle up to Maun village, while 13 more were killed in another raid that followed.

“Concerning the number of people who were killed, 30 people died within this year. It happened after they followed their cows previously raided and followed them up to Maun nearby,” he said.

“Many people were killed, about 17 in the first round. Then in the second round, they went again and then 13 people were killed between Boma and Maun.”

The community leader is calling for peace dialogue between the border communities in South Sudan and Ethiopia to end the cycle of bloodshed.

“Now we say this message to our brothers, please our place is not the field of fighting or cattle raiding. We need peace initiative to know who is a criminal because the innocent lives have been lost.”

Another cause of rising insecurity, Dunyi said, is the influx of people into the area to pursue gold mining activities.

“We are the people living within the border. There are a couple of issues of insecurity. That’s one of the things, also displacement of the people because of the conflict within majorly.”

“Also this place has gold and a lot of people want to get this gold and a lot of issues have been raised. So, these are the issues that I will say affects the community.”