Lwak Nelson Reports On Peace Keeping Mission in Magwi County

A joint team comprising government and UN agencies visited Magwi County which recently experienced clashes between cattle herders and the host community. The team, headed by Deputy minister for foreign affairs, Deng Dau was on a mission to assess the situation on the ground and the conditions of the IDPs. On Tuesday, the 19th of April  they met with county authorities, youth representatives and Eastern Equatoria State Governor Luis Lobong Lojore. More in the following report by Lwak Nelson  

TRANSCRIPT:

In February armed cattle herders and host communities clashed in Magwi County resulting in many deaths, destruction of property and displacement of people.
Over 120 thousand have been camping in Magwi Town and over 8 hundred in Pajok. Community leaders in Magwi estimate that over one hundred people from the community were killed in recent cattle raids in the area. Anyek Rose, a women’s group leader in Magwi says among those who were killed was a mother of a 4-month-old baby. She said several women were raped and more than 20 of them have since been abandoned by their husbands.

“We have a lot of bad things that happen when cattle herders brought conflict to us. We have people who were killed, among them women. Now we have a four-month-old child whose mother was killed. Government brought milk for the child but since then there is no more assistance. Secondly our women who sexually abused in the bushes, more than 20 women were raped in the bushes and now their husband have abandoned them and the stranded. Can government take care of these women. This is what is making us unhappy. We as the community of Magwi County if government want us to reconcile or stay in peace government must do something good that we can see so that we can sit without down”

This joint visit comes at the backdrop of violent confrontation between armed cattle herders and community of Magwi County and some surrounding areas which displaced thousands of people from from Agoro, Amee, Abara, Owiny Kibul and surrounding areas. The aim was to assure the community of Magwi of government’s commitment to relocate the cattle herders and to encourage the displaced people to return to their homes.
Governor Lobong said the incident could have been avoided if there was immediate response to early warnings by the state authorities.

“The people of this County have spoken; you have heard all their concerns and all that they said is reality. The truth is that people have lost lives and property on both sides. As State government we are not happy that South Sudan people lost their lives and property in Eastern Equatoria State where we are the government. As usual people come after people died if were to receive support when I was calling for dialogue. I needed resources so that we could bring those people together we could have not lost lives”
 
For many years, armed cattle herders have been roaming in Equatoria freely and they have been blamed for the destruction of (food?) gardens and prevailing insecurity. In 2017, President Salva Kiir issued a decree ordering cattle keepers to move all their livestock out of the greater Equatoria region. 

Young people in Magwi were pessimistic about the implementation of the Presidential order. However,  Deputy Minister for foreign Affairs who represented national government, Deng Dau said this time there is no negotiation, the cattle herders must relocate to their places of origins.

“The cattle came and caused problems in your own community here. It has damaged our image as a country because of this reason our President have directed all the camps in Eastern Equatoria, in Central Equatoria to move back to Jonglei and to move back to Lakes State. When they came the problem was caused so I want to say our condolences to people who have lost their lives and we are story to the destruction. Community of magwi are peaceful people they don’t want problem, so we are sorry for what happened in your county. There is no negotiation between herders and yourselves. The herders must move back to their county and States”

On their part, representative of United Nations called for a peaceful coexistence in the community. UNMISS director for Civil affairs, Hazel Dewet says they want to be part of peace-making efforts. 

“the most important part is that we are coming because we want to part of peaceful efforts where the entire community and South Sudan can leave in peace and harmony with each other and that is our main purpose for being here”

UNHCR country representative, Arafat Jamal says he understands the pain of Magwi people and added that government and UN are working to see that peace prevails 

“I would like to say first of all that we have listen to what you have said, and we have heard you. We have heard when you have spoke about your pain about being heartbroken and we have also heard when you spoke about violence, killing and rape so when I hear you said and then when said we cannot coexist understand your emotion but off course the reason, we are here is for peace. We are here together government and United Nations to see what we can do for peace in Magwi”

Although cattle herders have started relocating their animals away from Eastern Equatoria immediately after the conflict broke out in February, community members say a few cattle camps are still present in Magwi.

Lwak Nelson Radio Miraya.