PIBOR – Sometimes, getting decision-makers together to openly discuss differing views and how to reconcile them can go a long way.
As it concluded, a three-day forum for political, traditional and community leaders in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, plagued by decades of conflict, seemed like a prime example of that.
“Together, we will, across all seven counties, crack down on child abductors and help survivors recover. New special courts will hold criminals accountable,” declared James Allan, County Commissioner in Buma.
In a part of South Sudan where a cycle of attacks and revenge attacks, often related to cattle raiding, child abductions and mutual distrust, has dominated daily lives since the 1970s, any resolutions reached to change the narrative are welcome.
Add hardship caused by food insecurity, floods and a lack of both clean water and access to essential services– there are only two secondary schools in the entire area – and the precarious situation for residents becomes even more pronounced, particularly for women and children.
“We want and need to restore relations between our different communities to what they once were, to make it possible and safe for anyone to move freely and for trade to flow,” asserted Othow Okoti, Commissioner of Pochalla North County.
A sense of urgency characterized the forum and contributed to participants adopting no less than 41 recommendations on how to address the multiple issues that insist on affecting most people living in the Greater Pibor area. Apart from the pledges mentioned by the Buma County Commissioner, deploying adequate security forces and improving the delivery of basic services were among the key conclusions reached.
“There is a need for collective responsibility across all levels of government to sustain peace and stability in the area,” commented Khalif Farah, a Civil Affairs Officer serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), adding that accountability and the rule of law were other central themes debated during the forum.
The justice system in Greater Pibor is already set to receive a welcomed boost, with a permanent court scheduled to start operating shortly. In a bid to prevent cattle raids and child abductions, customary laws are also expected to be reformed.
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By Mach Samuel
