Urgent Call for Action to Address Deadly Armed Violence in South Sudan’s Pibor-Jongeli-Eastern Equatoria Triangle
In response to the escalating deadly armed communal violence plaguing the regions of Pibor, Jongeli, and Eastern Equatoria in South Sudan, community leaders and officials have been urged to unite and implement concrete measures to tackle the ongoing crisis.
Mr. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO, expressed grave concerns over the increasing loss of human lives, destruction of property, and livelihoods caused by the relentless cycle of cattle raiding, women and child abductions, and retaliatory violence within the troubled triangle.
“It is imperative for the newly appointed chief administrator of Pibor Administrative Area, the cabinet of Jongeli State, the governor of Central Equatoria State, and the cabinet of Eastern Equatoria State to come together and devise a coordinated plan to address the continuous deadly armed violence gripping their respective communities,” stated Mr. Yakani.
Highlighting the urgent need for collaborative action, Mr. Yakani emphasized the necessity of establishing functional strategies to prevent politically motivated violence and alleviate the widespread food insecurity and poverty exacerbated by the conflict.
The dire situation has also led to a dangerous trend of internal displacement and the normalization of criminal activities as a means of survival within the affected regions.
In response to the crisis, CEPO is set to facilitate a roundtable dialogue among the leaders of the impacted states and administrative areas to forge a united front in combating the deadly armed violence and breaking the cycle of devastation.
With the pressing call for intervention echoing across the troubled territories, all stakeholders are urged to prioritize peacebuilding efforts and work towards lasting solutions that safeguard the lives and well-being of the conflict-ridden populations.