Governor Adil persuades counties to engage holdout groups
The Governor of Central Equatoria State, Emmanuel Adil Anthony, has urged counties to re-engage the holdout groups so that they can embrace peace.
Adil issued this call when he met the Commissioner of Kajo Keji County, Erasto Kenyi Gale, who reported stable security in his county.
In a statement from the governor’s press unit, Adil reiterated his call to the counties to continue re-engaging the holdout groups to denounce violence and join the peace process being implemented.
He promised his government’s commitment to joining hands with other counties to end issues of conflicts between herders and farmers and illegal logging.
“Governor Emmanuel applauded Commissioner Kenyi for maintaining the security of the county and reiterated his government’s commitment towards supporting his efforts in addressing the ongoing cattle and loggers related issues in the county through re-enforcement of the security apparatus to handle the issues holistically and forevermore,” the statement read in part
The commissioner of Kajo Keji County, Erasto Kenyi Gale, said the influx of pastoralists and illegal loggers was a threat to security in his county.
He said the influx of cattle herders and illegal loggers in the county were serious security threats to the locals and called for consolidated efforts to end the vices.
Kenyi briefed the leadership on the general security situation and described the situation as normal with few pockets of insecurity reported in the past weeks.
Community dialogue
In December 2021, Adil urged communities living in Morobo and Yei River counties to embark on a dialogue with the holdout groups.
The state’s minister for information and communication, Dr Andruga Mabe Saverino, said the state government was working hard to restore peace in order for the refugees and the IDPs to return.
“The conflict has completely devastated the area. We came here with the idea of the communities’ returning home so that the development can go to their area,” Dr Mabe said.
“We want to encourage peace and we are going to visit all the countries, preaching peace because we want them not to continue with war, especially the youth,” he added.
The visit was in line with the call during the governors’ forum for the governors to disseminate messages of peace among local communities to enable refugees and the internally displaced persons return home.
In April 2021, Adil said the holdout groups, armed groups and herders instigated insecurity, therefore, blocking the return of refugees and IDPs.
Rome talks
It came at a time that President Salva Kiir reactivated Rome talks at the closing ceremony of the governors’ forum in November 2021.
The Real SPLM led by Pagan Amum, and the South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) led by Paul Malong, welcomed the call to resume Rome talks, but the National Salvation Front (NAS), led by Thomas Cirilo did not respond until later when they said they were committed to the declaration of principles and the peace agreement.
The talks were expected to resume early this month, but the actual date of the resumption has not been communicated and what causes the delay, is not yet known.
