Local community representatives, refugees living in Maban’s four camps and the nomadic Fallata discussing challenges, new threats and solutions during the post migration conference

Local community representatives, refugees living in Maban’s four camps and the nomadic Fallata met for a two-day post migration conference in Bunj town to support peaceful coexistence, as part of efforts to address long standing tensions stemming largely from disputes over grazing land, access to water and cattle damaging farms.

During the two-day conference from 28 to 29 June supported by UN Agencies – FAO, UNHCR, WFP, UNMISS, and partners HDC, DRC and ACTED, funded by the European Union, the participants reviewed challenges faced since the last migration conference in August 2017, formulated resolutions and recommendations and signed an agreement to govern annual livestock cross border migration to sustain peace.

“It pleases me to note that the conference participants have agreed to map the livestock cross border migration routes within Maban. I believe this will resolve most of the conflicts between cattle keepers. However, let me encourage the agencies to stand with us in implementing this urgent need to ensure peaceful co-existence between cattle-keepers and crop farmers,” said Mr Butrus Yiano, County Commissioner for Maban North East.

Leaders acknowledged that the traditional joint court and Joint Peace Committees previously established in Maban were working well in mitigating disputes and the administration of justice between Mabanese and refugees. To encourage cohesion, the resolution was passed to include representatives from the nomadic Fallata and other Arab pastoralists previously excluded into the courts, especially during migration time.

 “We spend about half of the year in South Sudan, and in the course of our stay we face many challenges.  This post-migration conference has given us an opportunity to feel that we are valued and indeed we will honor our commitment to these agreements,” expressed Ahmed Sulieman Hassan, Fallata community leader.

Participants of the conference also highlighted that peace would bring economic gain to their area, and that their livestock need to be protected against diseases. The parties agreed that animal health services needed to be scaled up, benefiting all participating groups, and in the case of vaccines offered to the community, a cost-recovery mechanism would be set up by the Government to facilitate payment of community animal health workers.

Recommendations made during the conference include: harmonization of taxation, mapping of livestock migration routes, strengthening of community-based peace building and conflict management strategies; and increasing the number of police patrols to combat criminality. Sustainable natural resources management practices to combat deforestation were refreshed and participants called for joint efforts to operationalize the existing market structures to promote trade in goods and services.

The community leaders requested for increased participation of youth and women in peace building and peaceful co-existence initiatives. The community members are due to meet again to evaluate the implementation of the agreement in a few months’ time.