Forceful Disarmament Is to Remedy Jonglei from Conflict: Report

JUBA - The Lou-Nuer and Murle ethnics fighting in Jonglei State according to community perspective research launched by Minority Rights Group International in collaboration with Boma Development Initiative at Juba Grand Hotel on Thursday assured the forceful and the comprehensive disarmament of all communities to be carried out.  The report launching was attended by both communities members of parliament in South Sudan Legislative Assembly, civil societies and church leaders of which the Project Coordinator of Minority Rights Group International Marusca Perazzi said that they are committed to ensure that no more escalation of violence takes place between the two warring communities.  The report underlined the major root causes of fueling conflict as rampant underdevelopment and political motivated in Jonglei State, of which some participants alleged the MPs in the areas and the State government officials of being behind the ethnic fights.   The report pointed out that establishing of security is one of the greatest challenges faced by the government of South Sudan after declaring independence apart from the violence on the border with its neighbor Sudan.   South Sudan must contend with a host of militia groups as well as a culture of cattle raiding and tensions between ethnic groups that often lead to deadly attacks, said the report.  Compounding such problems is the ubiquity of small arms left over from decades of war, which also militarized the society and broke down traditional structures of authority, pointed out that the marginalization of South Sudanese, which was a root cause of the war in the first place has left its imprint.  Perzazi added that little infrastructures and poor engagement between many ethnics group in Jonglei State also contributed to the ongoing violence in this new era of independence.   She urged the government of South Sudan to boost the traditional authority role in rural areas because they are essential to enforce useful customary laws, to open channel for communications and to use traditional mechanism of conflict mitigation.  The Member of Parliament James Taban argued that the allegations thrown on them by some participants that they are behind the conflict in Jonglei State between Lou Nuer and Murle are untrue and unfounded.  “We tried many times to build confidence between the two communities, but they are hostile to the extent that they have threatened us with guns, pointed that the development will not go to areas where there is insecurity and recommended the forceful disarmament process to all South Sudanese.  The MP in National Assembly John Luk said that the cattle rustling between Jonglei communities is not a new issue but the dimension that taken that led vulnerable people killed worries people that there is political motive behind the massacre.  He urged the International community to help South Sudan government in containing the situation soon because it will escalated to be a regional problem.  The report compounding Lou Nuer and Murle conflicts was funded by European Union under its peace building partnership, and by Irish Aid and it will reach International Community and the government of South Sudan in order to address the recommendations.