Lakes State Minister of Peace Building, Beny Matur (left) and Warrap State Minister of Peace-building Piol Buoi speak to Eye Radio. | Photo: Charles Wote

Authorities in the states of Warrap and Lakes have announced plans to conduct inter-state peace conferences to end cross-border crimes and hostilities.

The neighboring states in the Bahr el Ghazal region have continually experienced cross-border cattle raiding perpetuated by armed youth from both sides.

In December 2022, armed raiders believed to be from the Lakes State attacked a cattle camp killing a man and injuring two others in Tonj South County.

A similar incident was reported this year, after which Rumbek intervened and returned more than 100 cattle raided on March 10, 2023, to their rightful owners in Tonj South county of Warrap State.

The cattle were collected from Cuibet County by Lakes State authorities.

Lakes State on the other hand had also arrested one suspected raider during a crackdown around the same time in Tonj South County.

Speaking exclusively to Eye Radio, Warrap State Minister of Peace-building Piol Buoi said the peace dialogue will bring together youth and intellectuals from both states to address these concerns

“Actually, what causes insecurity is just the presence of these weapons in the hands of civilians. We are planning to bring these people together, especially Lakes State, we have started,” Buoi said.

“We have carried out a consultative meeting with intellectuals in Tonj South County of Warrap State, and the youth from both communities, from Lakes State and Warrap State will be participating in the dialogue that we are going to organize.”

On his part, Lakes State Minister of Peace Building, Beny Matur confirmed the arrangements for the peace conference between the two States.

“There is no any other way that they are surviving, they are using [cattle raiding] as a means of survival, and the State government is trying to bring these communities together,” Matur said.

“We have not yet set the date, but it is not more than two weeks, so it will happen in one week’s time and the venue has been set. It is going to be conducted in Tonj South county of Warrap State.”

Meanwhile, a similar peace conference is also being planned between Upper Nile State and Jonglei State – where factional conflict left hundreds of people dead and thousands displaced in the last quarter of 2022.

Upper Nile State Minister of Peace-building Jeremiah Deng said the proposed peace conference will target communities living in the border areas including the political leaders.

“We are now proposing a peace [conference] between Upper Nile and neighboring states like Jonglei,” he said.

“We have the proposal that the Jonglei government and Upper Nile government will sit down and form the border committee for peace and also we want to engage those neighboring communities within the state at the border also.’

“Within the state itself, we are engaging politicians so that they may restrain themselves from preaching negative propaganda against one another.”