UNITY – In volatile Leer County, residents are exceedingly familiar with the devastating consequences of intercommunal fighting. At a point where tensions in parts of South Sudan are rapidly increasing, they know what their country needs to avoid a worst-case scenario.

“Our political leaders must put their differences aside and put the country’s interests above their own. I want them to work for peace and reconciliation, through dialogue. We, the citizens of South Sudan, need to live together in harmony, because we are tired of war,” said Luak Nguen, adding that only peace can bring development and the economic opportunities that can improve the lives of our people.

The other 80 or so participants in a five-day healing and reconciliation dialogue organized by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), agreed, whether they were chiefs, church leaders or representatives of local women and youth.

“When there is no peace, our communities suffer, especially women and the young people. Dialogue is the way forward, we need to talk to each other and support one another, because that’s when we can understand ourselves and how we can improve our situation,” said Tang Gatgong Riek, who stressed the need to forgive and move on.

Wusu Conteh, a Civil Affairs Officer serving with UNMISS, pledged the peacekeeping mission’s support to de-escalate tensions and efforts made by stakeholders to implement South Sudan’s revitalized peace agreement.

“Where there is no peace, there can be no development and without dialogue it is difficult to achieve peace. It is that simple, and that is the message we are passing on as we work closely with partners across the country,” he concluded.