Warrap, Unity states to conduct peace conference in Mayom – Tutkew

JUBA – A peace and reconciliation conference between Warrap and Unity states in South Sudan is set to begin next year in Mayom County, Presidential Advisor on Security, Tut Gatluak announced on Friday.

The conference will present an opportunity for the people of Warrap and Unity States to dialogue and address their grievances including border issues.

The communities of Warrap and Unity States have witnessed attacks on villages and cattle camps over years, resulting in numerous civilians’ casualties including women, children and elderly.

In his key remarks during a three-day peace forum between Warrap and Unity State held in Juba on Friday, Gatluak said the conference will be a significant step towards resolving the issues of cattle raiding and killing between two sisterly states.

“We are going to conduct a peace conference between Warrap and Unity in February next year in Mayom County to resolve problems facing the two communities,” Gatluak said on Friday.

Decades of conflict in South Sudan has led to the widespread proliferation of small arms throughout the population that are often used to settle disputes and continue to threaten the safety of communities and limit wider socio-economic development.

Gatluak said the proliferation of arms has directly contributed to the violence and instability that have plagued the Warrap and Unity states for years.

“The proliferation of firearms at hands of civilians has contributed to insecurity in Warrap and Mayom County. People are killing themselves in Warrap and Mayom County,” he said.

He disclosed the government will carry out disarmament against civilians who are killing each other on communal and tribal lines in several parts of the country.

“The government is going to launch nationwide disarmament before we can start the peace conference. After the graduation of unified forces which is going to take place in one month’s time, the forces are going to disarm the civilians across the country,” he said.

He directed the lawmakers to end cattle raiding, killing civilians including women, elderly and children in two counties.