Kiir urged to immediately intervene to end escalating communal violence

JUBA – The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has appealed to President Salva Kiir Mayardit to immediately intervene and end the escalating intercommunal violence that has killed hundreds since the start of the year.

This comes after at least seven people were killed in Torit County of Eastern Equatoria state by a group of suspected armed men.

In a statement to Sudans Post, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization said it condemns the violence that killed the seven people in Eastern Equatoria and urged President Salva Kiir Mayardit for immediate intervention to address the non-political violence.

“CEPO strongly condemns the recent killing of 7 people in Torit County by armed groups. This is unacceptable act and the country is seriously breaking down into deadly communal violence that is mostly politically motivated,” the CEPO statement reads in part.

“This trend of deadly communal armed violence across the country requires urgent intervention of the president on prevention,” the statement added.

ROLE OF WOMEN IN PEACE-BUILDING

Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of CEPO appealed to donors to invest in financing of women’s role in peace-building to promote peace among communities which he said is one of the best ways in preventing communal violence.

“CEPO is raising concern to her donors and partners of peace building to think of investing on financing the role of women as peace builders in prevention of the armed deadly communal violence,” Yakani said.

“Less investment was carried on targeted empowerment of communal women on armed deadly communal violence prevention,” Yakani said.