The conflict between the Ngok and Twic communities of Abyei Administrative Area and Warrap State was agitated by political leaders from both communities, an investigation by the Council of States reveals.
The seven-member committee led by veteran politician Angelo Beda was constituted in March 2022 following a series of communal conflict between the two communities.
The team members are legislators Riaw Gatlier, Okello Odongto, Simon Majak Deng, Genivie Eliaba, Paul Thomas and Masua Madanza (deceased).
“The committee observed that the conflict between Ngok and Twic Dinka has been heavily politicized by the politicians representing the two communities in the States, administrative areas and the national levels,” Riaw Gatlier, a member of the committee read out the findings to the Council of States on Thursday.
The independent inquiry also indicates that the communities blame the national government for failing to provide durable solution to the conflict in the areas.
The Abyei people, the report says, felt the government of South Sudan does not stand with them in their quest for freedom from Sudan and the persistent conflict with Misseriya in the North and the neighboring Twic community in Warrap State.
“There is blame from both sides towards the leadership of the country on why it is not able to provide a durable and final solution to the conflict between the two communities,” further reads the report.
It also found that lack of communication between the former Chief Administrator of Abyei and the former Governor of Warrap State escalated the conflict between the two sisterly communities.
The committee also believe there was no targeted killing against Twic inhabitants in Abyei or Agok, and that the people of Twic fled Abyei for fear of the unknown.
This is contrary to the reports by UNISFA and the Twic community in Abyei.
According to the committee, the government of Warrap State did not take any measures to stop the conflict – leaving Twic youth astray to decide and mobilize one another towards the war.
As a result, the Abyei authority put security measures in Agok Area to monitor the movement of the Ngok Dinka youth and to prevent them from carrying out any attack against Warrap State.
The finding established that the Ngok and Twic Dinka were peaceful neighbors for centuries after they had migrated to the present territories of Abyei Special Administrative Area and Warrap State.