Ngok-Twic community dialogue agrees to end hostilities

JUBA – A community initiative to end the conflict between South Sudan’s Ngok and Twic Dinka has adopted a roadmap to end violence which has resulted in the killing of dozens of people and displacement of unknown number in southern parts of the disputed Abyei region.

The dialogue being held in Western Bahr el Ghazal State capital Wau was initiated by the two communities themselves, funded by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and being facilitated by the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO).

Delegates, a Sudans Post reporter attending the dialogue reports, have agreed for an “immediate cessation of hostilities between the two communities, stop hostile propaganda, continue dialogue on contested issues about border disputes in accordance to the 1/1/1956 border and also set a plan for community safety and security.”

The communities have also agreed to “spread culture of peace, avoid government interference on the community approach for peace and stability and performance of rituals as a sign of reconciliation” between the two communities.

‘POSITIVE GESTURE’

In a statement, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) welcomed the agreement between the two communities and described it as a positive gesture for peace and stability between the two sisterly communities.

“CEPO welcomed and appreciates the positive gesture demonstrates by the communities for Twic and Ngok Dinka in their community-led dialogue for seeking declaration of cessation of hostilities and finding practical solution for making their peaceful co-existence prevail after the deadly incidences between them in the past weeks,” the CEPO statement extended to Sudans Post reads in part.

Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of CEPO, said the dialogue between the two communities is a genuine roadmap for enhancing peaceful co-existence between the two communities and said political interference complicates the situation.

“As a lead facilitator of the dialogue described the dialogue as genuine roadmap for the enhancing peaceful co-existence between the Twic and Ngok Dinka following the deadly violence that is clearly fueled by the political elites of the both communities. Having a grassroots approach for finding peaceful co-existence among the Twic and Ngok Dinka is the best approach,” Yakani said.

“It is good that the communities of Twic and Ngok Dinka since do the peaceful co-existence in the past history and use that rich positive history for seeking solutions for their ongoing political motivated violence,” the activist stressed.

The civil society watchdog further urged “the political elites of both communities to respect and honor the decisions of both the communities for embracing peaceful co-existence.”