S. Sudan’s Kiir forms committee to settle communal violence in Greater Bahr el Ghazal

JUBA – South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit announced the formation of a peace and reconciliation committee on Friday night to address escalating communal violence in his home region of Greater Bahr el Ghazal.

In a presidential decree broadcasted on the state-run South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), Kiir appointed a nine-member committee to spearhead the peace and reconciliation process.

The president appointed former minister of health and influential Nuer figure Riak Gai Kok as the head of the committee, with wealthy businessman Makiir Gai Thiep being appointed as the deputy head of the committee.

The committee’s mandate includes conducting consultative meetings with all communities affected by inter-communal violence to identify the root causes of their grievances.

It is also tasked with initiating dialogue among the aggrieved communities and ensuring that their grievances are addressed through community-based processes and solutions.

The nine-member committee is charged with recommending alternative solutions to the government and communities to restore peace, reconciliation, and healing.

It has been granted authority to address the grievances of conflicting communities and to prevent the occurrence of violence.

Kiir then instructed the committee to submit its findings within 90 days from the date of the decree.