Tore Residents Calls for Peace and Education Support

  (TORE PAYAM / YEI RIVER COUNTY) – Local villagers in Tore Payam of Yei River County in Central Equatoria State are calling on the government and opposition political leaders to embrace peace dialogue to end re-currying conflicts so they can re-build their livelihoods in their own communities.       Returnee Pasquale Taban an area member of Mundro village, located two kilometers north of Tore town who recently returned from Meri refugee camp in DRC said harsh leaving conditions in the camp forced him to return home.     Taban said his family returned home to focus on re-building their broken walls and social amenities in the community.

“My message to our fellow country men and the political leaders both in the government and opposition sides is that, let them sit down and address their issues so that our suffering can end because we are tired of war and priority now is peace, education and health services in Tore Payam” Taban said.

 

According to Taban, community members have started cleaning social centers including churches and schools in the village.    

“The community has started cleaning Mary Immaculate Primary school so that our children can go to school this year. What we want here is peace and service delivery, we want support for this primary school, we ant teachers, we want clean water and health services here”

  He called on the government and partners to support development programs in the Payam.     Monika Suzy, another resident, echoed similar call and appealed to the government and the opposition leaders to put the interest of the people above their own interests.    

“When there is peace, our children can go to school and villagers can access their farmlands, health centers and water points. Women have suffered the brunt of this conflict, and we want peace this year”

 

John Arkangelo, a Tore based community schoolteacher, said there are no functional primary schools in the area. He calls on the politicians to cease violence and support education and development programs at the grass root levels.

“Since the outbreak of the conflict in 2016, there are no primary schools in the area. Currently we have about four government schools offering education programs up to primary four and we hope, there will be peace and have a full primary school in Tore Payam this year”

  According to Central Equatoria State governor Emmanuel Adil, His top priorities while in leadership include peace and security stabilization and basic service delivery to the local people across the state.     Yei River County is hit hard by the 2016 conflict. The county is yet to recover from the effects of the disastrous conflict.