EASTERN EQUATORIA - Villagers living in the remote rural area of Kapoeta East County live in constant fear of the fighting that rages around them.

Caught in the catastrophic crossfire of violence between the Toposa from Eastern Equatoria and Murle from the Nalimochoma and Meuna cattle camps in neighbouring Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), many families have been forced to flee for their lives, including 430 women and children who ran from Murkomot village to find safety in nearby Arikanya.

“We should have peace between the two tribes so that we avoid a constant flow of tears and bloodshed,” pleads Mary Natabo. “My cry, as a woman, is to abandon the fighting and be united as one people in peace.”

Peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan in Torit made the arduous 10-day journey to Kauto Payam in Kapoeta East to understand the community’s concerns and assess the security situation. It’s their first ever patrol by road to this remote region, with communities reporting that their presence brought a sense of stability and hope amidst the conflict.

The message from all those the peacekeepers met along the way was the same: stop the violence and work together for peace and progress.

“This war must stop. We are one people - the Murle, Toposa and Jie communities. The cattle raiding is contributing to communal tensions and violence, and I call on the youth to end the fighting,” said Daniel Lopuke, a youth leader in Kuron Boma.

The Toposa and Murle communities have a long history of cattle-related conflicts which have led to the significant loss of life, especially among youth.

In April last year, armed criminals from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area crossed into Eastern Equatoria State and attacked villages in Kauto Payam, killing 31 people and abducting 24 children. Thousands of livestock were also stolen during the raid.

The conflict has affected the neighboring Jie community, preventing them from accessing basic services in Kuron due to fear of being killed along the road that links Kapoeta region to Boma County in the GPAA.

“We have tried to reconcile the communities by conducting dialogues, but we are still witnessing ongoing violence. As the local authorities, we call on partners, including UNMISS, to support and facilitate reconciliation to settle the conflict,” said Abdallah Angelo Lokeno, Commissioner of Kapoeta East County.

In 2022, the Toposa, Murle, Jie, and Kachipo communities signed a resolution to implement punitive measures to prevent child abduction and cattle related conflict and promote peaceful coexistence in Eastern Equatoria State and the GPAA. But the problems persist today.

Commissioner of Jebel Boma County in Greater Pibor Administrative Area, Alston Yaro, called for all stakeholders to work together to speed up the peace process, reconcile the communities, and stop the bloodshed.

“Since last year, we have been planning a reconciliation process for Murle and the Toposa with our counterparts from Eastern Equatoria to address their grievances because there are a lot of challenges, including the scarcity of grazing land and water points,” he said.  

UNMISS pledged its full support for the peace process.

“As a peacekeeping mission, we have a role to play in protecting civilians from imminent threat of violence and that is why we are working closely with State authorities to foster peaceful co-existence between communities and their neighbors,” said Guy Griffin, Head of UNMISS in Eastern Equatoria.