South Sudan seeks peaceful solution to border dispute with Kenya

By James Gatdet Dak

October 31, 2009 (JUBA) – The semi-autonomous Government of Southern Sudan has reiterated its position for a peaceful and amicable solution to the deadly border dispute involving two neighboring communities of the sisterly countries.

The President of the Government of Southern Sudan, General Salva Kiir Mayardit, briefed the Council of Ministers on Friday about the border conflict between the Toposa and Turkana communities at the Southern Sudan-Kenya border.

Kiir who recently visited Nairobi and discussed the issue with his Kenyan counter-part, President Mwai Kibaki, reiterated the Government of Southern Sudan’s position to resolve the issue through peaceful means.

Sudanese Toposa and Kenyan Turkana communities have been clashing for the last few weeks around the contested Nadapal border area. The clashes have left dozens dead and many more wounded.

Efforts were earlier made by the government to normalize the situation by dispatching to Nairobi both Regional Cooperation minister, General Oyai Deng Ajak and Internal Affairs minister Gier Chuang Aluong, but the situation continued to escalate.

President Kiir further explained that Kenya had reinforced its troops at the contested border area which he said he also discussed with President Kibaki so that they are redeployed.

He also directed the Southern Sudan organized forces at the border area not to negatively respond to the situation.

According to the official spokesperson Paul Mayom Akech, the Council has resolved to form a high level ministerial committee to be headed by the Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny to pursue a peaceful diplomatic channel that would amicably resolve the issue with the sisterly country.

The membership of the committee will also include the Governor of Eastern Equatoria state, Brigadier General Aloysius Emor Ojetuk and commissioner of the local authority in the Toposa area.

Kenya hosted and mediated the peace talks between the former ex-rebel movement, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the Sudan government represented by the National Congress Party (NCP) which brought about the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in January 2005.

(ST)

12 Forum messages

South Sudan seeks peaceful solution to border dispute with Kenya 1 November 2009 04:57, by maumau

Involve the Toposa and Turkana elders in the discussion because they know where the border lies better than anybody. Toposas are being killed by notorious Turkana while GOSS sit and watches, whets up. Plz Mr. President intervene by all means to avoid our land from being annexed by greedy Kenyans. Their is allegation that oil has been discovered in the Sudan` side of the border, so Kenya wants to annex the land before drilling the oil. It is the responsibility of the government of South Sudan to protect its resources from foreign invasion than leaving it to the indegenous Toposa. Kiir must act.

South Sudan seeks peaceful solution to border dispute with Kenya 1 November 2009 05:04, by general Achinbenchien

You are very right Mr. Mau Mau, no inch of Southern Sudan should be encroached by any Nation. We protect this land so hard and we paid immense price to protect it from Arab. Kenyan are our brothers, and as brothers, we must respect each other.

The General Achinbenchien
- South Sudan seeks peaceful solution to border dispute with Kenya 1 November 2009 06:30, by Gatwech
  
  Bravo President Kiir,
  
  Please pursue peaceful negotiations to resolve the border dispute. Khartoum may want to escalate the situation so that we are at odd with our neighboring friendly countries like Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and DR Congo.
  
  I believe that Dr. Riek Machar will handle the situation given his skillful and smart way of bringing enemies to understanding. But please, stop your tribal advisors not to be jealous next time and sabottage any progress by Dr. Riek Machar with the Kenyan authority. They did it with the LRA peace talks when they knew he was about to make the two parties reach peace. They also repeated it with the referendum bill.
  
  They cry to Dr. Riek Machar when issues are hot like the Abyei issue, but when progress is in reach they resort to jealousy. What a tribal group!
  - South Sudan seeks peaceful solution to border dispute with Kenya 1 November 2009 07:07, by Dinka Boy
    
    Thanks President Kiir Mayardit for your peacefull talks with Moi Kibaki in Nairobi. My advise to Thieliny is that Riek Machar is hyena who can not bring his Nuer together leave bring others. We have zero tollerence to defecto in Southern Sudan and we will hate defectors till they go to hell.
    - South Sudan seeks peaceful solution to border dispute with Kenya 1 November 2009 08:13, by johnmaker
      
      Mr.Dinkaboy,
      
      I do agreed with you on that point.Defecto Riek Machar is not living creature but existing token waiting for his death to go hell where he belong.
      
      People like thieliny,Gatwech and Kim Deng are existing as well.In this world you cannot gave credit to somebody who never attain the class.And I am always supprise where did Riek get such an tellable credit,even if we would talk about miracles,those are an discovered miracles yet.
      
      Anyway let them bark at day times,as far as times goes Nuer will stop barking and snore like piglet and forget what they were talking about.Thank you again Mr.Dinkaboy.JohnMasker.
      - South Sudan seeks peaceful solution to border dispute with Kenya 1 November 2009 08:41, by Dinka Boy
        
        Thanks Johnmaker, We have no respect to the defectors becauise they lead SPLM down in 1992 and that lead to the fall of Kapoeta, Torit, and Pachalla and also to the lead of the withdrawel in Juba. They are betrayers. Thanks
South Sudan seeks peaceful solution to border dispute with Kenya 2 November 2009 04:15, by Dinka Dominated SPLA

Thanks to Mr kiir and death to Mr Raik machar
- South Sudan seeks peaceful solution to border dispute with Kenya 2 November 2009 15:11, by peter pal
  
  OOOOh!!!!! My dears don’t scratch a scare which you made long ago. We like to see Salva as our president in these few days then Dr. Riek in 2010

South Sudan seeks peaceful solution to border dispute with Kenya 1 November 2009 07:26, by Allajabu

Dear Kiir Mayardit,

That was a great move but you ought to bring Illemi Triangle back to fatherland. We cannot allow over 10,000 square miles piece of land to Kenyans and Ethiopians. We are not begging anyone here for land, it is ours and must be return to Southern Sudan.

Professor Allajabu Al Dinkawi

South Sudan seeks peaceful solution to border dispute with Kenya 1 November 2009 12:59, by Ajuscommando

Dear Readers,

The Taposa and Turkana conflict is not new to both Government of Kenya and Sudan so parties should discuss it peaceful since two tribes have big hand in the conflict in the border. Look Turkana and Taposa are really brothers and sisters as the speak one language but life of stealing is common thing to both communities which bring hostility to both of them. I can not accuse any part for supporting his people as all of us knows their aggressive. I wish Kenya and GOSS leaders will talk to two tribes to avoid their hostility in the border since two countries have good relationship.

Ajus

South Sudan seeks peaceful solution to border dispute with Kenya 2 November 2009 04:13, by Dinka Dominated SPLA

Thinks to kiir and death to Raik machar

South Sudan seeks peaceful solution to border dispute with Kenya 2 November 2009 15:22, by peter pal

Foolish jaang/dinka. You had better hang yourself before Dr. Riek’s inauguration for his office in 2010. We will keep you as puppies not calves(except other non-dinkas). Nuer is a good nation God bless Southerners