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Sudan Tribune

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Lakes state asks citizens to reject violence in favour of farming

By Manyang Mayom

May 4, 2011 (RUMBEK) – The Lakes state minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Eli Magok Manyol, asked citizens on Wednesday to stop fighting each other and channel their energy into farming.

Women farming in Nuktamanga, Lakes state, South Sudan. (Photo: Alun McDonald - Oxfam)
Women farming in Nuktamanga, Lakes state, South Sudan. (Photo: Alun McDonald – Oxfam)
Violence in Lakes state caused the acting governor to announce a night time curfew yesterday in an attempt to curb the violence between rival groups in and around Rumbek. Ten civilians and one policeman were killed in April.

Lakes state minster Magok said his government was preparing projects to reduce the level of poverty in it entire eight counties with the beginning of new rainy season. He said that reducing poverty and increasing agricultural production would help “stop hostility in Lakes state” where fighting is often triggered by cattle raiding and consequent revenge attacks.

Magok appealled to all farmers in Lakes state to cultivate their land with spirit. He asked people to stop “hostility among ourselves”.

Insecurity in South Sudan is one of the main problems in the region as it approaches independence in July. As well as inter-communal violence there are seven separate rebel groups fighting the southern government in different parts of South Sudan.

The referendum vote on secession was agreed as part of a 2005 peace deal, which ended decades of civil war. However the peace agreement has not stopped violence within South Sudan, often triggered by cattle raiding and controversial disarmament campaigns.

“We want to supply Lakes state with four thousand ox-ploughs and each county will receive 500 ox-ploughs. This is to permit our farmers to increase production of food by increasing their areas of productions of food because we know that a cultivator who used manual work cultivation become hard for them to cultivate more plots”.

The Lakes state ministry of agriculture has been tasked with improving agricultural activities in remote areas. “We have also a mandate to train people on cultivation activities and to increase the high level of food production to our civilians so that the gap of food security if [filled].

Minister Magok said that 49.7 percent of people in Lakes state live in poverty so efforts must be made to help people in rural areas and prevent insecurity.

“Avoid killing yourself. Avoid killing your brother. Avoid [taking]revenge and take the life of being rich farmer in your society. Then you will become happy man in the world that stay without conflict.”

He went on to say that some citizens of Lakes state had illegally logged timber in the state, without permission from department of forestry in the ministry of agriculture.

Minister Magok advised Lakes state neighbours and inhabitants to avoid cutting down trees. He warned public that if any person found to have cut down tree without permission the law would be applied.

(ST)

4 Comments

  • Shadrack Nuer Machut
    Shadrack Nuer Machut

    Lakes state asks citizens to reject violence in favour of farming
    Bravo Mr.Eli!

    The situation in Lakes is more unstable than other states in term of insecurity. Yes, everybody likes cultivation but how possible will it be to stay in the garden without receiving a bullet at your back?

    There are organised group of people without mercy who think that having killed human being is the best ever to make you a man.

    We kindly ask the government of Southern Sudan to disarm all ten states including Jur people who’ve never been disarmed since the begginning. Dear sir Eli Magok this is where we need your help to talk to president of Republic of Soouth Sudan to disarm the civilians across the country.

    It won’t give any help or rescue to the community to say go for farming and leave those who cause chaos without meeting them.

    The government should find a way of dealing with such characters instead of shouting at innocent people who still die in their gardens if they risk.

    Reply
  • Dr. cholera
    Dr. cholera

    Lakes state asks citizens to reject violence in favour of farming
    If cattle rustling is the cause of violence among those tribes, the Goss should destroy all those cattle and we’ll see what again can cause insecurity in Lakes.

    Reply
  • Hero
    Hero

    Lakes state asks citizens to reject violence in favour of farming
    Dr Cholera,

    You dare to dream! Are you advocating for mass stravation or what? Hope you know the dark side of your call!

    Reply
  • JAMES KUOI STEPHEN
    JAMES KUOI STEPHEN

    Lakes state asks citizens to reject violence in favour of farming
    We will asks our Living God Almighty who will make rains and make plans grow to keep our people healthy in own hands,if they cultivated in this situation.
    People who had struggled for their life will achieved the pleasure of hervasted.
    Our people cooked and support SPLA,while there was no NGOES, who provided them?.They have been depending for their resources in Lakes state grounds. Keep faith in Christ Jesus the son of Living God Almighty, will make you rich, if you culvated twices a years, then you will be a whole salers who created his income, where they don’t effected?

    Reply
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