The move, announced through County Order No. 33/2025 on Thursday last week, ends a peace initiative that had initially been welcomed as a step toward easing growing tensions in the region.
The committee, established on September 26, 2025, was tasked with engaging the armed youth group in dialogue to address escalating insecurity.
Pech, who is the county’s chairperson for the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), said the Red Belt group disregarded his directive by ambushing a government convoy just one day after the committee’s formation.
“In exercise of the powers conferred upon me, I hereby dissolve the aforementioned committee because the matter is now to be handled by National Security and State Authorities,” Pech declared.
He explained that while he had intended to manage the issue at the county level before state authorities intervened, the September 27 ambush made the matter a broader security concern.
The targeted convoy included senior Government officials comprising the State Minister of Cabinet Affairs, alongside ministers of Education, Information, Parliamentary Affairs, Culture, Youth, and Sports. Commissioners from Bor, Awerial, and Yirol East counties were also part of the delegation.
The incident has heightened security fears across Jonglei, forcing authorities to reconsider local peace efforts.
Commissioner Pech further clarified that with the dissolution of the committee saying the intention of having dialogue with Red Belt has ceased.
The decision reflects the county’s shift from community-based peace initiatives to reliance on national security organs to contain the crisis.
