By Makur Adut

A four-days inter-state peace dialogue between Warrap and Lakes State organized by the Peace Canal kicked off on Monday.

The discussions focused on cattle raiding and revenge killings, brought together close to 130 participants, including chiefs, youth, and women groups from the region.

Lakes State governor, Rin Tueny Mabor urged the participants in both states to cease conflict and raping of women and killing of elderly people.

“I heard that things that cause conflicts between Luacjang and Pakam communities are land because I heard there is a land you are fighting over,” he said.

“It is the land of Muony-jang and you will explain. Where is this that you are competing over it.”

He also said the renaming of historical places is the major cause of conflict among the communities in the two states.

“In the past, the ordinary Muony-jang used to get his cows through farming and marrying off his daughter, or business and not through stealing,” he said.

“Boys and girls looking after cattle are raided with cows and they later on get killed, while the blind or teenagers are killed, but why kill him? So, if you have taken his belongings, why kill him again? You kill them but they are your children?”

The UNMISS head of field office in Rumbek, Christopher Muchiru Murenga said dialogue between the communities of Lakes State and Warrap aimed to address some of the challenges that have been facing the communities.

He said it is extremely important that the common resources that the people have such as cattle should not be a source of conflict.

“I am urging everybody to ensure that peace being felt, and I am very sure with this conference, and dialogue, peace will prevail among the communities of Lakes and Warrap States,” he said.

“I just want to express the commitment of all peace partners, Kongkoc consortium that provides this platform but I would like to reiterate that UNMISS body and all the peace partners we are to support the community-led peace dialogue and we remain committed,” he said.

Warrap State Minister of Peace Building, and head of the state’s delegation, Mading Mawien Adhiik, said they believe that people-to-people dialogue is the only way to achieve peace in South Sudan.

“You have to talk. That’s why you are here today. You need to talk and present your issues and then you find a way of how to resolve those issues,” he said.

“Conflict has more disadvantages than advantages”.

He said for them to have peace as the people of Lakes and the people of Warrap States, they need to know that their safety and the safety of their people rely on them.

“Let us assume that the year 2025 will be a year of peace in South Sudan and it will be a year of peace not only in South Sudan but equally across the States,” he said