Vice President Taban Deng Gai alongside Gen. Pieng Deng Kuol during the Abyei Youth Association Symposium on the Abyei File and Final Status in Juba, Saturday, August 29, 2026. | Photo: Courtesy of Abyei Youth Association

Vice President for Infrastructure Taban Deng Gai has urged Members of Parliament and community leaders from Twic County and Abyei to stop using war rhetoric and resolve their border disputes through peaceful and legal means.

Speaking on Saturday, August 29, at the Abyei Youth Association Symposium in Juba, Taban said MPs have the right to raise grievances concerning land and other disputes, but must not issue ultimatums threatening armed conflict.

He specifically criticized calls for war between the Twic of Warrap State and the Ngok Dinka of Abyei, describing such statements as unacceptable.

Taban called on both sides to pursue their grievances through the government, courts, or other legal channels, warning that anyone who violates the law will face government action.

“Members of Parliament should not speak about war; they can speak about grievances. Members of Parliament from Twic County in Warrap can speak about how Ngok Dinka in Abyei has encroached on their land, but they should not issue a three-day ultimatum declaring war. This behavior is unacceptable,” Vice President Taban Deng Gai said.

“The same applies to members of Parliament from the Ngok Dinka in Abyei; they can discuss regional issues peacefully, but they should not speak of declaring war against Twic. The two sides should resolve border disputes peacefully and legally. Do not assume that the Government of South Sudan is only fighting the Nuer; anyone who oversteps the bounds of the law will be dealt with by the government. You can submit your complaint to the President of the Republic or even hire a lawyer.”

Calls for Youth Conference and Envoy Action

The symposium brought together youth leaders, community representatives, and government officials to discuss legal, historical, and strategic approaches to resolving the long-running dispute over the status of the oil-rich Abyei region.

During his address, Vice President Taban Deng Gai called on the Senior Presidential Envoy for the Abyei file, Envoy Adut Salva Kiir, to prioritize the concerns of youth from both Abyei and Warrap State.

The message was delivered through Akoch Akuei Manhiem, Director for Regional and International Engagement in the Office of the Senior Presidential Envoy for Special Programs. Taban urged the Envoy’s office to spearhead peace initiatives by convening a comprehensive youth conference in Juba.

He noted that holding discussions in the capital would help build consensus among young leaders before government representatives engage directly with affected communities in Twic County and Abyei.

“Envoy Adut is a young, energetic leader, and I hope her office will consider the issues facing young people in Warrap and Abyei by holding a conference here in Juba. Afterwards, we should come up with resolutions and provide her with the necessary support to go to the field and meet with communities in Ngok Dinka in Abyei and Twic in Warrap.”