Displaced persons from Fashoda County camp in Kodok area. December 2022 (Photo: Courtesy.)

The governors of Jonglei and Upper Nile states disclosed in a meeting with the King of Chollo Reth Kwongo Dak that they discovered the whereabouts of children abducted from the Kingdom by a spiritual leader in late 2022.

James Odhok and his counterpart, Mahjoub Biel visited King Kwongo at his residence in Juba on Sunday and discussed ways to maintain inter-communal peace and return the missing children.

Governor Odhok said the children are known to be in Duk and Ayod County of Jonglei State.

He added that the ministers of peace building from both states will lead a joint committee to the home of spiritual leader Makuac when the floodwaters subside.

“We would like to inform our citizens in Upper Nile State that we have met with the governor of Jonglei State regarding our children who are still under the spiritual guidance of Makuac,” Odhok said.

“The ministers of peace will lead a joint committee from both states. Once the flooding subsides in November or December, the committee will travel to spiritual leader Makuac’s headquarters to retrieve the children.”

“We now know where these children are, and we’ve marked them. Some of the children are located in Duk, while others are in Ayod, and our plan is to bring them together.”

Governor Odhok expressed optimism that all the children still with the spiritual leader in Ayod, Jonglei, will soon be reunited with their families.

He called on the state citizens and South Sudanese communities at large to embrace peaceful co-existence and shun the negative culture of child abduction.

On his part, Jonglei Governor Mahjoub Biel said he welcomes the King Kwongo’s message of peace, adding that he plans to visit him at his palace in Fashoda in 2025

Further, the King called for peace between communities of the two states, adding that he wonders why people even fight among themselves in the holy month of December where the birth of Jesus Christ is marked.

A UN inquiry found that at least 594 civilians were killed during a cycle of violent conflicts in which “serious” atrocities were perpetrated by armed groups in the Upper Nile region between August and December 2022.

The report jointly published by the UNMISS and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on December 1, 2023 – contains findings of investigations into human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law during the confrontations between armed factions.

According to the report, the warring parties are the Kitgwang faction of General Simon Gatwech and the Agwelek Forces of General Johnson Olony, as well as their respective militia groups along the White Nile Corridor.

UNMISS said it has reasonable grounds to believe that “both parties committed” gross violations and abuses of international human rights law, and serious violations of international humanitarian law.

The investigation further said at least 258 civilians were abducted comprising 108 women, 80 girls, 42 boys and 28 men, while 43 women and 32 girls were subjected to sexual violence.

An estimated 62,000 civilians have been displaced from their homes since the beginning of the clashes as tens of thousands taking refuge at both Malakal PoC site Kodok, among others, UNMISS said.

UNMISS Human Rights Division further identified at least 22 men who may bear the greatest responsibility for violations committed during this period.