TOCH in partnership with the Peace Canal organizations, organized spiritual leaders mapping funded by Swiss Development Cooperation, the program included spears masters to play their roles in peace building and conflict resolution in Lakes State and Warrap.
He said the initiative is to discuss the issues that are affecting the community and at the same time the government overall activities.
“The spiritual leaders need to partner with government on the issues of dialogue, apprehend the culprits and the issues of cattle theft and some other issues that are also causing and triggering the conflicts within the community”, he said. ” Including hiding some of the criminals that are still at large specially the murderers “.
He said they have come with very good resolutions and this is a very wonderful forum which was shared by the minister of local government.
” Among some of the resolutions agreed includes engagement of spiritual leaders and government authorities, another resolutions is to initiate a community dialogue by themselves as spiritual leaders and also the issue of alcohol consumption which is very high and it is the issue that triggering the cattle theft and random shooting and revenge killings “, he said.
He said the spiritual leaders interm of understanding they are the one should have been respected most in our community of which those who are called today are most being respected in the community in term of any issue to be discussed.
He said they have also accepted to tackle the issue of border specially between Cueibet and Rumbek centre where there’s random killing on the side of Rel and side of Balwau cattle camps.
He said today the spiritual leaders gathered and they have accepted peace and they have done sacrifices in which the ram was slaughtered as a sign of peace and reconciliation .
” The spiritual leaders wish everyone to have that kind heart of forgiveness with chiefs,and some other local leaders to ensure that peaceful coexistence within greater Lakes State and they are also calling the State government and national government to disarm the youth”.
The spiritual leader , Makat Chuor, denies the involvement of spear masters in the community conflicts between the youths in Lakes State.
” We are not the one who are causing conflicts and violence in the community”, he said .” All these confusion and violence are caused by the traditional witchcraft and magicians and not spiritual leaders “.
He said they have called on the spiritual leaders from neighboring states and magicians to refrain from causing conclusion among the people of Lakes State.
” We are calling the spiritual leaders, and magicians who are currently operating in Lakes State to leave Lakes State and return to their States”, he said. ” What are they looking for; they are just here to cause violence exchange for wealth of the community of Lakes State “.
The minister of local government in Lakes State, Mabor Meen Wol acknowledged mistakes which are counted on the government by the spiritual leaders in Rumbek.
He urges the spiritual leaders to support peace and stability in eradicating communal conflicts in Lakes State.
” There is peace and stability now, and everyone is cultivating freely without fear”, he said. ” The governor, Rin Tueny has improved State security but there are people who are looking for fresh person to come as a governor, what is that person coming to do in Lakes State ?”, he asked.
Ruben Mayom Majak, program officer of Toch organization, said they are in Rumbek Apex with spiritual spear masters and the government of Lakes State.
He said they have brought spiritual spear masters for the three counties and the intention is to map because the first step is to map the spear masters across the region.
” We are doing it in Lakes and we are also doing it in Warrap State, and the intention is to disengage the spear masters from this conflicts “, he said. ” The community and the youth who are fighting are the one who told us that spear masters are the one who are behind the conflicts and if that’s the case we need spear masters to be disengaged in this behavior “.
He said it is not all the spear masters because there are two categories of spear masters.
“There are those who performed charms and magic and these are the one who always support our youth
