Jie children in Buma | Credit | Merlin.org.uk

The Government of Buma State says it is planning to hold a conference for the Jie people to decide whether to remain in Buma state or fall under Kapoeta state.

There have been wrangles over the location and administration of the Jie.

The Jie are a minority ethnic group living on the Kathangor Hills.

They live across the boundaries of Kapoeta East and Pibor Counties.

Speaking to Eye Radio this afternoon, the Information Minister of Buma State, John Kaka says a conference is being organized to seek views of the Jie community on the matter of the boundaries.

“Jie is in the leadership of Buma state. We are supposed to have a conference within October,” Kaka told Eye Radio on Tuesday.

“This conference is to give a chance to the Jie people to make their own determination whether they want to remain in Buma or they want to be in Kapoeta.”

In 2015, the government and the Cobra faction of David Yau Yau signed a peace deal which established an independent administrative area for Pibor County.

The administrative area was made up of 6 Counties from the Pibor and Pochalla Counties.

The agreement said the Murle, Anyuak, Kachipo and the Jie communities would be governed by the new administration.

This is because a section of Jie fell under Pibor, while another clan fell under Kapoeta East, but the Jie Community had said they were not consulted.

Hon. Benjamin Lopeyok, member of state legislative assembly who represents Mogos and Jie Payams, had said the Jie community fell under Kapoeta East County.

The mediators of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area peace talks announced that only those who fall under the 1956 boundaries will be considered part of the Buma administrative area.

The Council of States was expected to approve the agreement, including the new boundaries of the Pibor area.

The church that mediated the talks later said the Jie agreed to be part of Buma state.

Some leaders of the Jie community have, however, complaint of marginalization by the Buma administration.