By Bida Elly David
President Salva Kiir has warned citizens against connections with holdout groups saying that punitive and security measures will be taken.
He also showed commitment to ensure evacuation of cattle back to their places of Origin through dialogue with community leaders.
President Kiir made this statement at the closure of the SPLM National Liberation Council meeting held in Juba yesterday following disputes between herders and host communities.
The battle between pastoralists and host communities across the Country has been a trending activity that had contributed to murder of many souls, displacement of thousand and availability of food insecurity in the Country.
In several occasions, leaders had been issuing orders for the return of cattle back to their places of origin after several destructions being made on farms but the orders had not been respected and fighting became the order of the day between natives of the land and the pastoralists.
Speaking during the NLC meeting yesterday, President Salva Kiir Mayardit, said that some people through conflict between herders and some host communities have been influenced by the hold-out groups to carry revenge and promote violence.
“Some people are now supporting the hold-out groups because pastoralists were believed to have brought their cattle to spoil Equatoria. I don’t want. If I have cattle, I have kept them in far places to avoid destruction. Some people say that let us fight in support of some hold-out groups. What will hold-out groups bring. We don’t need such act and we can’t declare war against such people. We will not accept to go back to war,” the President said.
Kiir Promised to dialogue with the cattle owners and their elders to ensure evacuation from the region to mitigate disputes among people.
He said that the issue of pastoralism has become a trending and disastrous activity in the Country urging citizens to avoid labelling blames against one another rather work towards bringing peace to the Country.
At the same note, President Kiir warned citizens against high dependence on foreign relief calling them to focus on improving their food security through farming to reduce begging.
“We must work by ourselves so that we feed ourselves. We build our own schools, hospitals since no body will come and establish for us. Those who will be doing for you the work will not do it for free rather will get something in return of their efforts,” he appealed.
“Nobody should come and deceive you that they will do for you this and that. All of us should unite and work as well as avoid fight among us,” he continued.
President Kiir slammed citizens who deliberately think of waging attacks and revenge against perpetrators through the influence of some holdout groups.
“I am going to talk with the owners of the cattle herders and their elders. We will tell them that they are causing problems. We will even drive if it means driving there,” he said.