RUMBEK – Spiritual leaders from Lakes and Warrap states have denied instigating intercommunal conflicts and called on the government to initiate a comprehensive disarmament of civilians in the region.
The spear masters made the call during a dialogue organized by TOCH in partnership with the Peace Canal organizations with funding from Swiss Development Cooperation.
The program sought to cultivate the spear masters’ roles in peacebuilding and conflict resolution in the neighboring states.
Addressing the event this week, spiritual leader Makat Chuor denied the involvement of spear masters in the inter-communal conflicts in Lakes, adding that they are working for peace.
“We are not the one who are causing conflicts and violence in the community. All this confusion and violence are caused by the traditional witchcraft and magicians and not spiritual leaders,” Chuor said.
The spear master encouraged spiritual leaders and magicians from neighboring states who are allegedly operating in Lakes to return to their states of origin and refrain from instigating violence and causing confusion.
“We are calling on the spiritual leaders and magicians who are currently operating in Lakes State to leave and return to their states. What are they looking for? They are just here to cause violence in exchange for the wealth of the community of Lakes State.”
Lakes State Minister of Local Governments Mabor Meen Wol acknowledged governance failures highlighted by the spiritual leaders. He urged them to support peace and stability and contribute to eradicating communal conflicts.
Ruben Mayom Majak, program officer of the Toch organization, 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’re doing it in Lakes and Warrap State to disengage the spear masters from these conflicts,” he said.
“The community and the youth who are fighting are the ones who told us that spear masters are the ones who are behind the conflicts, and if that’s the case, we need spear masters to be disengaged in this behavior.”
Mayom pointed out that not all spear masters encourage violence. “There are those who performed charms and magic, and these are the ones who always support our youths.”
The commissioner of Rumbek Centre County, Dut Manaak Akuot, stated that the workshop brought together traditional spiritual leaders to discuss issues affecting their communities and the local governments.
“The spiritual leaders need to partner with the 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.
He said the spear masters should work with the government to ensure justice and accountability by surrendering, not hiding, criminals that are at large, especially the murderers.
Manaak said one of the resolutions of the forum is regular engagement between the spiritual leaders and government authorities.
“Another resolution is to initiate a community dialogue by themselves as spiritual leaders on the issue of alcohol consumption, which is very high, and it is the issue that is triggering the cattle theft and random shooting and revenge killings.”
According to him, spiritual leaders are respected figures in their communities and are therefore suited to strengthen inter-communal bonds and tackle cross-border raids, especially between Cueibet and Rumbek Centre, where killing incidents have been rampant between Rel and Bal-Wau cattle camps.
The traditional leaders have resolved to accept peace and sworn upon ram sacrifices as a sign of peace and reconciliation.