The Governor of Warrap State, Gen. Magok Magok, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ending persistent communal violence in the state.
During a peace consultative meeting held in Tonj East County, Governor Magok brought together the Greater Luacjang and Greater Ananatak communities in Romic to address the ongoing internal hostilities.
“The Governor decried the loss of innocent lives – young people who are the future of our state – and issued directives aimed at ending these internal conflicts,” read a statement from the Governor’s Press Uniy GPU.
According to the GPU, the governor’s orders focused on the immediate cessation of hostilities between internal communities in Tonj East, particularly between the Luacjang and Akook, and the Jalwau and Luacjang communities.
The statement added: “Chiefs are directed to hand over individuals accused of murder, theft, and cattle raiding to the relevant authorities so that justice can be served. All stolen cattle and other looted properties must be returned to their rightful owners.”
Governor Magok also ordered the identification and arrest of individuals inciting violence and called for the registration of firearms in Tonj East County. Chiefs are to submit a comprehensive report on registered weapons to the Governor’s office. Furthermore, the Governor issued an immediate ban on war songs and poems, which are often seen as fueling hostilities.
During the same meeting, the State Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement Agencies, Mawien Atek Muonydhar, cautioned chiefs and local administrators against engaging in politics, urging them to focus on peace and community cohesion.
Warrap State has long struggled with intercommunal violence, often driven by cattle raiding and revenge killings. Several governors have attempted, with limited success, to quell the violence – efforts that have often led to their removal from office.
A recent report by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) cited the main drivers of the conflict as competition over land and water, the widespread presence of arms among civilians, revenge attacks, hate speech, and a lack of access to justice.
