Government deserves credit for ending inter-communal conflict in Equatoria

Calm has returned to Central and Eastern Equatoria states after several government orders and pressure for the cattle herders to vacate the areas to allow farmers to grow food crops for local consumption.

The influx of cattle herders from the Bor community due to heavy flooding in Bor led to social instability and disruption of agricultural activities in the two states. There was unusual human migration and unnecessary tension between the cattle herding and crop farming communities which made a mockery of the fact that South Sudan is blessed with abundant natural resources.

South Sudan is typically characterized by significant pasture and natural resources of any kind such as agricultural land, domestic animals, wildlife conservation, and minerals such as Marble/Dolomite, Aluminum, Iron Ore, Gold and Petroleum which account for 98 per cent of our country South Sudan government revenue.

It is crucial to note that one of our country’s major natural resources is agricultural land which is ever rich with efficiency that can support food production and ensure green pasture for livestock and wildlife conservation.

The cattle herders’ conflict with farmers of Central and Eastern Equatoria, specifically in Lokiliri, Mangala Dolo and Kajo-Keji, and Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria has been put to rest through government efforts. The conflict between farmers and cattle keepers in Central and Eastern Equatoria should be marked as an eye-opener for the government in regulating cattle herders’ movement. So, it is to avoid any future inconvenience.

The agricultural season and the food production which have been at risk, including the displacement of thousands of farming communities as well as retaliation attacks on cattle herders’ camps by the farmers, have been put to rest.

There have been no more conflicts since the evacuation of cattle herders from the farming areas. No more bloodshed, no more displacement, no more tears, no more outsiders’ mockery and, no negative spot found; it is just calm, peace and stability that now reign.

Kiir government together with Bor community elders and the farming communities from Central and Eastern Equatoria have found an amicable solution. Calm and peace have now returned and have prevailed between the farmers and the cattle herders.

Happiness, security stability and agricultural success for this year in Central and Eastern Equatoria State is paramount. Therefore, the cattle keepers have to keep the cattle far away from the agricultural lands to avoid what had happened in the past. We must learn from the errors of the past to do good for peaceful coexistence within the communities of South Sudan. Let us appreciate the government effort as “One People, One Nation, the Republic of South Sudan.”

South Sudan has a total land area of approximately 644,300 square kilometres and over 90 per cent of this land is agriculturally productive even though only 5 per cent of it is under agricultural activities.