IDPs who fled clashes among Terekeka cattle-keepers around Juba shelter under trees and primary school classrooms in Mauna residential area in Juba on Dec. 7, 2020. Credit | Michael Daniel/ Eye Radio

A peace and reconciliation conference has started in Terekeka County following months of sectional killings.

This is according to Philip Ladu Jembeke, the Chairperson of the Impact Response Committee, a group of youth tasked with identifying the root causes of conflict among the Mundari community.

Mr. Ladu says the conference is meant to restore calm amongst the Mundari cattlemen and other communities of Central Equatoria State.

“Since last year in December, our youth have been in conflict and fighting around Juba and that fight has extended into communities, and from the community, it has affected the other communities that are rearing their cattle,” Ladu Jembeke told Eye Radio on Friday.

“The initiative is to talk to our youth to stop confrontations and to allow dialogue and today (Friday) we managed to bring them together so that we listen to their grievances and so that we iron out the problems that have been leading them to the killing of so many young men in the cattle camps,” he added.

Tensions began in October following the killing of the son of former Central Equatoria governor Clement Wani Konga.

Unknown armed bandits kidnapped and later killed the son of Clement Wani Konga in an area called Mantogu between Juba and Terekeka County.

This reportedly resulted in revenge clashes where three people got killed at a cattle camp near Jebel Ladu.

Security forces were deployed to quell the situation but violence has escalated into other areas of Central Equatoria State.

Three weeks ago, 13 people of Terekeka origin died following a cattle-related conflict in Lainya County.

The state governor, Emmanuel Anthony Adil then formed a committee to reconcile the Mundari communities.

The committee, headed by the Archbishop of the Central Equatoria State Internal Province, is tasked with visiting various sections of Terekeka and to come up with tangible solutions to the conflicts.

Since November last year, communal clashes among Terekeka inhabitants have so far led to the killing of over 50 people.

In Juba alone, more than 15 people died and hundreds were displaced into schools and churches last month.

This prompted the national police service in Juba to forcefully return the cattle keepers and their animals to their places of origin.