Over 300 pastoralists from Tonj and Gogrial have agreed to adhere to the Marial Bai Migration Peace Conference Resolution, regulation the conduct of pastoralists and farmers alike during the cattle migration season. They made their commitment last weekend at meetings in Kuanja, Tonj County and Pagakdit, Warrap County.

The meeting was organized by the UNMISS Civil Affairs Division (CAD) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Development Agency (FADA), a local non-governmental organization, and the Inter-State Migration Committee comprised of representatives from the states of Tonj, Gogrial and Wau.

At the meeting, pastoralists and chiefs were sensitized on the Marial Bai Peace Conference Resolution. This agreement between government officials and leaders of pastoralists and crop farmers was reached in November 2016 and calls for compensations to be paid whenever cattle destroy crops, or farmers kill cattle threatening their harvests. It also bans pastoralists from carrying guns, and obliges them to inform local authorities about their movements.

Monbior Ayay Deng, a participant from the Pagakdit community, lauded the organizers for disseminating vital information about the resolution.

“We will follow these regulations for our own good and the good of the farmers” he noted.

William Mabior Achuil, FADA’s Executive Director, said that the meeting, by informing stakeholders, creates a platform to avoid conflict during the coming migration season.

“We conducted a survey which showed that the people didn’t know anything about the resolution, besides those who attended the peace conference itself. For that reason it was important for us to collaborate with UNMISS in organizing this forum”, he said.

The Tonj State Deputy Governor, Manhiem Bol Malek, also expressed his hopes of avoiding the intercommunal violence and cattle raids that have marred previous migration seasons, resulting in many deaths and less crops being harvested. He said that his government will collaborate with states to ensure the resolution is followed to the letter.

UNMISS CAD advised participants on the importance of local ownership of the agreed resolutions and the importance of peaceful co-existence among the respective communities of the three states.  

The Marial Bai Migration Peace Conference Resolution is part of a number of conflict preventive mechanisms of the three States Governments with supports from UNMISS Civil Affairs and VNGI, a German international NGO).

The sensitization meetings that took place over the weekend were sequels to a similar December event with nomads from Gogrial State.