JUBA – The communities of Unity State and the Ruweng Administrative Area of South Sudan on Monday held a two-day peace and reconciliation dialogue in the capital, Juba.
The dialogue, organized under the auspices of the Brethren Global Service, the Church of the Brethren, aimed at addressing the root causes of recurring conflict and forging a path toward peaceful coexistence.
The dialogue provides a platform for local leaders, elders, women, and lawmakers to engage in open conversation about longstanding issues that have fueled violence between the two neighboring counties.
Speaking during the opening of dialogue in Juba on Monday, Gordon Jagei Thareal, Chairperson of the National Democratic Forum, emphasized the need for legal frameworks to hold individuals accountable for violence.
“If you people of Abiemnom and Mayom do not come together, there will be no future,” Gordon said.
Gordon said cattle raids have led to death, displacement, and food insecurity in the restive region of Upper Nile.
“I urge you to form a committee to investigate the root causes of this conflict. The judiciary must later step in to judge the situation. We cannot continue struggling over land that our future generations are meant to inherit.”
Agnes Ikayak, a member of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, blamed the ongoing insecurity and violence threat on economic drivers, including the high demand for dowries.
She noted that such demands often push young people to take up arms and engage in cattle raids to fulfill societal expectations.
Elders from both communities echoed the call for reconciliation. Samuel Mabuok Nahier, a respected elder from Mayom County, urged leaders and youth to seek peace by acknowledging the shared history between the two groups.
“We want to get back together and revisit the benefits we enjoyed years ago,” Nahier said.
“This requires honesty and a commitment to addressing the root causes that have destroyed the peace.”
Kur Kuol, a chief from Abiemnom, also stressed the need for national government intervention to address the proliferation of firearms in the hands of civilians.
“If the issue between these two communities is guns, then we must talk about it. We need the government to step in and help us rebuild peace,” Kuol said.
Representing women at the dialogue, Angelina Choul expressed hope that the discussions would lead to tangible outcomes for the community.
“This conflict has caused immense suffering—displacement, deaths, cattle raids, and cycles of revenge. This must stop,” she said.
The dialogue is expected to conclude with a set of community-led recommendations, including the formation of a joint peace committee and proposals for law enforcement and judicial engagement to tackle the root causes of conflict.
