Unity State returns raided cattle to Lakes state owners

RUMBEK – Authorities in Unity State have returned 20 head of cattle raided from Lakes State last week, officials said on Wednesday.

Moses Maker Magok, commissioner of Rumbek North County in Lakes State, told Sudans Post this afternoon that armed youth from Panyijar county in Unity State raided 37 cattle in Panom-achot Boma under Madol Payam of Rumbek North County a week ago.

He said youth from Panyijar county residing in Rumbek North County, along with some youth from Mayom county in Unity State, collaborated to recover some of the stolen cattle.

“Some of the cattle which went missing were 37 cows and now we have received more than 20 cows, and 10 cows are still missing,” Magok said.

“We are still respecting the resolutions of the agreement signed sometimes back and that’s why some raided cattle are being returned to Rumbek North County,” he added.

Magok emphasized the harmonious relationship between the communities.

“We are in harmony with people of Unity State because the traders from Panyijar county and traders of Rumbek North County are doing their business normally,” he said.

“There are people from neighboring Panyijar county who are in Rumbek North specially within Maper county headquarters where I am now in and they are doing their business freely, and they have freedom of movement, this is harmony which we need among ourselves.”

Gabriel Majok Bol, commissioner of Panyijar county, explained that “some groups of criminals” went to Rumbek North County and raided 30 cattle. He said authorities in Panyijar County managed to recover 20 of them.

“We do dialogue to make assured everybody that we are living in peace and that’s why we returned the cattle back to the owners from Lakes State,” Bol said. “If there is no peace than there will be no way to return the raided cows. Panyijar county in Unity State and Lakes State had peace dialogue 3 or 4 years ago.”

He added, “We engage youths for peace and not to go and attack their counterpart communities in Lakes State.” He said authorities had conducted “a lot of peace dialogue” among the youth of Panyijar county, advising them against cattle raiding.

Bol said authorities in Panyijar county had arrested one of the criminals involved in the raid, while others remained at large near the border.

“We are working hard to make sure that the remaining 10 cows must return to their owners,” he said.