PEACE AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN JONGLEI AND BOMA STATES
An agreement to cease hostilities has been signed by two warring communities from the Jonglei and Boma regions in South Sudan in an attempt to end ongoing violence, including child abductions and cattle raiding.
The cessation of hostilities agreement comes in the wake of long-standing intercommunal tension and a deteriorating relationship since the violation of a peace agreement signed in December 2016.
A series of recent clashes between Dinka Bor and Murle youth have resulted in the killing of civilians, abduction of women and children, cattle raiding, road ambushes, the displacement of local residents, and the widespread destruction of property.
The Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), David Shearer, acknowledged the efforts of the National High Level Committee led by South Sudan’s First Vice President Taban Deng Gai and the contribution made by Jonglei and Boma leaders.
David Shearer said that, just days ago, several thousand young people from these communities were on a war footing, poised to fight each other. However, the signing of the cessation of hostilities agreement had “defused” tensions and offered an opportunity for lasting peace.
“This agreement is a first step. It is not the absolute answer. We need to go much further,” he said. “The cattle raiding and the child abduction needs to stop. We need to open the roads so that we can have the safe movement of goods, services and trade.”
David Shearer urged the National High Level Committee to put a monitoring mechanism in place to track progress on implementing the agreement to ensure it is honoured.
He noted the presence of ambassadors from five nations currently represented on the United Nations Security Council at the signing ceremony. Senior ministers of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), governors of both states and the Chair of the National High Level Committee also attended the event along with the First Vice President.
Taban Deng Gai thanked UNMISS for facilitating the peace talks and praised the two communities for working together to reach an agreement.
He said that ongoing insecurity in South Sudan was a national problem and, for that to change, communities across the country must learn to co-exist and live in peace.
“We must use this opportunity to forget about our differences. Let’s focus on what unites us,” he said. “What is important is that we leave our differences behind and attack the problem of insecurity.”