JUBA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's youth drawn from the Jonglei state located in the eastern parts of the country have resorted to dialogue as a means to resolve social ills like cattle rustling and abduction on children.
Lual John, a program manager of Christian Agency for Peace and Development (CAPaTD) said at a two-day dialogue forum on Thursday that the youth from Boma and Jonglei states were committed to end inter-ethnic skirmishes alongside the menace of child abductions and cattle theft.
"We as the youth are the implementers of all related issues that cause suffering and mistrust among ourselves. So it is important to sit together and talk out most of the grievances that inflict despair in the communities," Lual told Xinhua during an interview in Juba.
He said the dialogue aimed to shun retaliation and spur the peace deal signed in May between the warring communities brokered by the country's first vice President Taban Deng Gai and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan( UNMISS).
Jima Arok Maketh, a youth leader from the greater Bor region, said the conversation among themselves as youth leaders will promote peaceful coexistence.
"The discussion will evoke us to understand the true feelings of others, maybe some communities do speak badly against the other community and without coming onto the table you can't know their grievances," said Maketh.
He spoke at the youth led peace dialogue funded by the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) advocate for "building sustainable peaceful bridges among ethnic communities."
Aduo Opara Owiti, Boma State youth acting chairperson said the outcome of the meeting will be more productive as opposed to the previous dialogue because the youth are involved.
"The previous dialogue were not productive because there was a little involvement of youth so I believe in this conference and the result will be more realistic," said Opera.
This comes after at least 15 people were killed, including 20 others also wounded in late October following inter-communal violence that created a huge humanitarian crisis.
The Jonglei region bordering Ethiopia to the east has long been plagued by ethnic fighting over cattle grazing grounds and access to water sources.
The region is prone to deadly cattle rustling between the Nuer, Murle and Dinka tribes who often carry retaliatory attacks against each other killing hundreds, destroying property alongside child abduction.
