Otto David Remson, Commissioner of Magwi County addressing the IDPs who were displaced by cattle herders from their villages around Magwi in February Photo credit: Richard Kamao

Efforts are underway to reconcile cattle keepers and farmers following the recent violence in Magwi County of Eastern Equatoria state, the government has disclosed.

The plan to appease the two communities was unveiled during a meeting in Torit between the governor of Eastern Equatoria state and Bor community leaders.

In recent weeks, cattle keepers, raiders and the host communities there have been engaged in violent conflicts that led to loss of lives and destruction of property.

The national Minister of Information, Michael Makuei Lueth, who led the delegation of Bor leaders to Torit said the cattle keepers have been directed to withdraw their animals from the area.

Makuei also said they also agreed to initiate a dialogue forum for the two communities to continue co-existing in the due course.

“We also agreed that there should be a dialogue between the two communities so that other issues are stressed out not because of anything but to maintain a good relation between the two communities”, Michael Makuei spoke over the weekend after the meeting.

Makuei stated that the date of the conference will be fixed as soon as the cattle start leaving the areas of Eastern Equatoria.

“Other issues will be discussed in the dialogue that we have agreed upon, the time for the dialogue will be fixed as soon as the cattle begin to move from there.”

For his part, Governor Louis Lobong Lojore directed local communities in the area to allow unhindered passage for the herders to return home.

“The political leadership  will support the state government to talk to the community and particularly the Magwi community to allow cattle herders to pass through their territory and raid cattle”, Lobong disclosed.

In 2017, President Salva Kiir issued a decree ordering cattle keepers to move all their livestock out of the greater Equatoria region.

A committee was also set up to ensure that the animals were returned to their respective states.

But this didn’t bear fruits.