By Alex Digi
Majority of the cattle reported to have been roaming the vicinities of Western Equatoria State, destroying farm crops in greater Mundri, are reportedly leaving the area.
The State Governor, Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba had issued a 7-day ultimatum for the herders presumed to be from Bor in Jonglei State to vacate Mundri areas.
Governor Futuyo’s order was pronounced to the armed herders after a meeting between the farmers and cattle keepers under the mediation of state authorities.
Early last week, governor Futuyo, in his directive to the herders, also issued a stern warning that any cattle camp that violates the order will be driven out of the state by force.
However, only three days after the order, most of the cattle keepers reacted positively and swiftly to the governor’s order, reportedly vacating the area with their animals to their places of origin.
Speaking to journalists in Mundri, Daniel Ariak, the youth leader of cattle keepers, said he is now leaving as per the order of the governor.
He appreciated the three states’ leadership for accepting them crossing into their areas.
“I saw some politicians giving money to youth to fight instead of telling them to cultivate; in my village, there was conflict that the politicians instigated while they had their money and stayed comfortable, so I don’t want problems; I am here going back to my village,” Daniel said.
He advised his fellow youth to stop the circle of violence in South Sudan, urging them to go do cultivation and fishing to earn decent lives.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Western Equatoria State, Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba, appreciated the cattle keepers for respecting his order.
He, however, urged those still lingering within the area to leave and follow their colleagues to their places of origin.
“I have now pushed out cattle in my state; in a day or few days, there will be no cattle in the state; they will be with Riny Tuney of Lake State, and then from there, they will proceed to Bor Jonglei State,” Futuyo said.
He challenged citizens from Western Equatoria State that not everything can be done on the phone or in the media, saying they should go down on the ground to work things out as he has done.
“You should work and let people see; if we were to keep in the state headquarters and others in Juba daily on media that there are cattle in Mundri and they are destroying farms, those cattle would not go. But we came and went up to the cattle camp site, eating with them (herders) together, which proved to them that we are not enemies.” Futuyo lamented.
There has been a dispute between the farmers and cattle keepers in the last three months in Greater Mundri, whereby the cattle were reported to be destroying the farmlands, which the local communities of the state depend on mostly as a source of livelihood.