Dr Riek Gai Kok, former minister of health - Photo Courtesy

President Salva Kiir has assigned ex-health minister Dr Riek Gai Kok to head the peace and reconciliation committee to the Greater Bahr el Ghazal.

In a decree read on the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), President Kiir appointed Dr Gai Kok to spearhead a peace and reconciliation mission to the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region.

The region has been marred in deadly inter-communal violence involving communities of Twic of Warrap State and Abyei Administrative Area, and those of Jur River, Western Bahr el Ghazal State and Gogrial East County, Warrap State.

Dr Gai is deputized by Makiir Gai Thiep a business tycoon from Warrap State.

Members of the new committee include Martison Mathew Oturmoi, retired Anglican Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul, Ambassador Garang Diing Akuang, Anthony Charles, Bor Philip Wutchiok and representatives from Warrap and Western Bahr el Ghazal governments.

President Kiir tasks the committee to conduct consultative meetings with all the communities affected by inter-communal violence and identify the root causes of their grievances, a step that aims to forge peace and stability in the region.

Its activities shall include initiating dialogue among the communities and ensuring that their grievances are settled through grass-roots approaches.

The committee is directed to complete its work and report back to the president within 90 working days.