Nuer tribes finalise peace agreement in South Sudan

By

Dukhan Jundit

A peace meeting was held between the Lou and Jikany Nuer tribes in Ulang county, South Sudan last week.

The meeting was to iron out conflict between the two communities, the event led by Governor of Sobat State Duer Tut Duer.

On 11 April fighting broke out between CIE Kueth and Lou people following the Lou Nuer’s attempt to take CIE Kueth cattle ealier that evening.

According to eye witnesses more than 10 Lou Nuer white army were killed in the battle.

In the meeting all sides agreed to stop attacking each other and work to support a peaceful lifestyle among the communities.

The Sobat State government from the rebel side has set up a military forces post to separate the two rival communities from further attacks.

Governor Duer Tut told the traditional leadership from both sides to live peaceful and share grassing areas for their livestock as brothers.

Paramount chief in Ulang county, Gatluak Dak, said they will live in peace and his Jikany communities will never make any attacks, but thought Lou-Nuer do so sometime.

The conflict was due to grassing of cattle and land disputes by Lou in Jikany Nuer land of Ulang county.

Gach Garang from Lou Nuer in Ulang said they agreed to lay down their claim of being Lou Nuer while in Jikany Nuer Land.

In 1991 the Lou and Jikany Nuer fighting was the biggest cause of failure of South Sudan’s independent Movement/army led by Dr Riek Machar-Teny.

Dukhan Jundit

Dukhan is a freelance journalist in South Sudan having contributed to numerous publications and worked as News Editor for InterNews Radio in the Upper Nile State previously.