Authorities from Bor county have ordered the immediately return of seventeen heads of cattle that were stolen in the former Gumuruk area of Greater Pibor in November. Bor county officials say the peaceful returns of stolen cattle will create a good relationship and stability between two ethnic communities–the Dinka and Murle.
Since the government of South Sudan signed peace a agreement between the Cobra faction lead by General David Yau Yau, Jonglei state’s community has not experienced cattle rustling and child abduction due to the efforts of the Greater Pibor administration. But this year cattle thefts were committed in Bor and in western greater Pibor.
Bor County Commissioner Mamer Ruuk confirmed that some elements from his county went to former Gurmuruk Payam and stole seventeen heads of cattle in November and drove them back towards the direction of Anyidi in Bor county.
Ruuk said South Sudan’s army and police force had intercepted the thieves before their arrival to Anyidi. He said that unfortunately the criminals had run away, leaving the seventeen heads of cattle for police force. He said Bor community doesn’t want to create other problems with Murle tribesmen.
“I want to assure our public that the government of South Sudan is ready for peace, when Murle (cattle owners) come they have to be escorted by police up to the border and Manyabol,” Ruuk said.
He urged Murle cattle owners not to fear coming to Bor. He said if they come they will go back peacefully and police will take responsibility for escorting cattle from Bor to Gumuruk area.
“Our interest is that we wanted to show the public that we need peace–we don’t need war–and it is the responsibility of the government to fight those criminals between Murle and Dinka Bor.”
Commissioner Ruuk said that the cows were now under police protection and the state government had already contacted the Greater Pibor chief of the administrative area.
But the chief administrator of greater Pibor administrative area, Gen. David Yau Yau, said that Bor county has taken a good initiative towards people of greater Pibor administrative are. Yau Yau said his administration would create a conducive atmosphere by tracing out Dinka cattle in their home land, too.
The Member of Parliament representing Anyidi Payam, Philip Thon Nyok, welcomed the decision, saying that the taking back of stolen cattle would create peace between Dina and Murle tribes.
“When the agreement between Yau Yau and the government was established we found a relative peace because what used to happen–the [cattle] raiding–the movement of Murle around the area stopped and we were hearing that it was Yau Yau who stopped them, but we have realized with the administration of Yau Yau, the thieves are known and that is why they were controlled since that [peaceful] time without anything happening up to now.”
Thon said all chief from Anyidi payam were still following the criminals seriously in order to apprehend them and bring them to justice. Thon also said the duty of the commissioner was to make sure that those cattle were taken back as soon as possible.
Jacob Kunay, a member of Bor County Youth Association said people of greater Bor are peace lovers.
“That idea for the cows to be returned is good because it has been a problem with Pibor for long and if the peace has come now, we don’t need anyone again to temper with this peace,” Kuany said.
“These people should be brought to books so that they are exemplary to whoever will go back again for stilling the cows,” Kuany said.
Four months ago, Suspected Murle criminals raided a number of cattle from Kuoingo, a village located 6 kilometers away from Bor center but up to now no criminals had been caught by authorities in the Greater Pibor administration, but the chief administrator, David Yau Yau assured the Bor County Authority to remain calm and wait for the result from him.
In 2012, Jonglei state’s Government returned more than 400 head of cattle that were stolen by criminals back to Gumuruk payam.
By Achiek J. Riak