Rup Peace Conference in Lakes State. (-)

Three sections of the Rup community in Rumbek Centre in Lakes State have agreed 24 resolutions on ending all forms of violence including revenge killing, banditry, cattle and marriage related conflicts among themselves.

The peace dialogue organized by Peace Canal Organization brought together over 100 plus participants including chiefs, women, cattle keepers, youths and intellectuals from Tiek, Ajiek and Boor communities of Rumbek Centre.

Gordon Majuec Ayen, Peace Building Manager for Peace Canal said the dialogue between three sections of the Rup community was sponsored by peace Peacebuilding Opportunity Fund (POF) to resolve conflicts issues that occurred in May 2024.

“One of the resolutions is that all the culprits must be surrendered to the government to ensure due legal process is followed,” he said in an interview with Eye Radio on Saturday.

Parties to the dialogue also agreed that individuals spreading hateful and false information to fuel communal tension will be investigated and prosecuted.

“Anybody found composing hateful songs targeting others will face arrest and prosecutions, and these are a few of the resolutions that I have just picked up from the 24 resolutions as example of what the three sections have agreed as from today onwards.”

Mr. Majuec said the Peace Canal started the initiative with a pre-dialogue engagement in which the parties were brought together to discuss conflicting issues.

“This is not the first time for Peace Canal to support peace dialogue activities among Rup community. It has facilitated a lot of peace dialogues among communities in greater Agar and other communities in Lakes State and Warrap States.”

Addressing the concluding event, Napoleon Maker Phech, Chairperson of Ajiek Section of the Rup community in Rumbek Centre County commended the three parties for reaching an agreement on living in peace among themselves.

Maker underscored that the sections of Rup community had been involved in communal fighting for more than one year and thanked them for choosing the path of peace and reconciliation.

“We are one community of Malek Payam. We have to compromise within ourselves because we are one body. It is only the issue of naming that divides us, but we are one community under one payam and that we have to forgive each other.”

“We have to continue with harmony to coexist within our payam so that we can work on development, promoting education and other development initiative.”

“One very important thing in human life is forgiveness. We have to forgive each other because there are a lot of mistakes actually, but we have to forgive.”

On her part, Nyanhok Malou Marial, Minister of Peace building in Lakes said a major cause of conflict among the communities is girl elopements and cattle related factors.