By Hou Akot
Peace committee in Aweil North County, Northern Bahr El Ghazal State, is calling for the promotion of peaceful coexistence despite unfolding local feuds.
This call comes amid reports that at least 20 cattle belonging to Rezigat nomads were looted earlier this month, and the suspects are believed to be from the Dinka community.
The secretary-general of the Dinka Malual peace committee, stationed in Gok-machar, Aweil North County, Northern Bahr El Ghazal State, revealed that they are working to identify the culprits from both sides.
Latest reports indicate that a motorbike has been looted from a local youth by Rezigat in the border areas, and both incidents have sparked fears of a return to reprisal attacks.
Majok Deng Akuacdit, the secretary-general of the committee in Gok-machar, says reports are emerging regarding counter-thefts occurring between the Rezigat and local communities in the area.
He revealed that some reports indicate 20 cattle were forcibly taken from the local community and driven to Sudan, and vice versa.
In addition to this, the latest report concerns a looted motorbike belonging to a boda boda rider, allegedly taken by local Arabs living along the border.
Deng stated that reports are still sketchy regarding the actual owners but that they have dispatched members of the peace committee to checkpoints along the border lines to inspect buses crossing into Sudan’s Darfur and Southern Kordofan regions.
“We have sent a team to the checkpoints to stop buses or cars going to Sudan and conduct investigative work on the identities of the suspects whose names have reached us,” he noted.
The secretary-general appealed for sustainable peace to be realized in the communities of both the Dinka Malual and Rezigat or Misseriya, as they have strained relationships that are sometimes broken and then mended through peace accords, although these accords are occasionally abrogated.