The members of the Pakam Community, comprising youth leaders, chiefs, intellectuals, elders and women from the Lith and Manuer sections who participated in peace dialogue last week urged the Government of Lakes State to create a special court to try cases of murder, revenge killings, blood compensation and cattle raiding in Rumbek North County.
The two sections also vowed to end intersectional violence in the county and embrace peace.
The peace dialogue, which ended on Thursday, was organized by Peace Canal with support from the Peace Building Opportunity Fund (POF) in collaboration with the Lakes State peacebuilding ministry.
Acimal Manyar Jam, a Pakam youth leader, told Radio Tamazuj that the Lith and Gak Sections agreed to reconcile and hand over criminals to the government for prosecution.
“It was also decided that people stop spreading rumors and inciting photos through phones, we signed the resolutions, and whoever breaches the agreed terms will be traced and handed over to the government for punishment,” he said.
The paramount chief of the Manuer Section of Malueth Payam in Rumbek North County, Mathiang Ater Chier, said the peace dialogue and reconciliation were not just between the Lith and Manuer Sections but included Niel-niel and other sections of the Pakam Community. He revealed that there was a fight among the Niel-niel Section and that the culprits from both sides have been arrested.
“This peace dialogue and reconciliation are not between Lith and Manuer alone, it includes Niel-niel and other sections of the Pakam community in Rumbek North”, he said. “It was resolved that the government form a special court to try cases within Rumbek North County.”
The chief also said that they agreed that it will be the police to search for girls who elope and not relatives, to avoid bloodshed.
For his part, the commissioner of Rumbek North County, Moses Maker Magok, said the dialogue agreed that losses during past clashes will be compensated.
“They all accepted that they are going to compensate for all the things which were destroyed during the clashes between the two sections”, he said. “Also, it is agreed that a special court will be formed by the governor and minister of local government, and the county commissioner will oversee how that court will settle pending cases.”
Meanwhile, Mary Aruon Gol, the area peace coordinator for Peace Canal in Lakes State, said that before the main peace dialogue, they held pre-dialogue meetings with the different sections.
“The main reason for the dialogue is that the Lith and Manuer have had conflict since last year, but we intervened and organized the peace dialogue. Some of the causes were related to road ambushes, revenge killings, and cattle raiding, among others,” she said. “Most of the problems have now been resolved by the participants who signed 21 resolutions. They also agreed to return all raided cattle and goats to their rightful owners and compensate all property that was destroyed.”
The paramount chief of the Lith Section of Meen Payam in Rumbek North County, Makim Dut, confirmed that they agreed to reconcile with the Manuer Section. He said that now there is free movement and grazing of cattle.
On his part, the minister of peacebuilding in Lakes State, Nyanhok Malou, among the resolutions they signed was the formation of a special court.
“All the parties gave assurance to their people that they will make sure that the resolutions of the peace dialogue are sustainable, and they pledged to have an exchange visit to build trust and confidence,” he stated. “In all, the peace dialogue has been successful.”