Peace Builders in Morobo Gain Mediation Training

(MOROBO COUNTY) – Sixty community peace builders from all five Payams and several Bomas of Morobo County are taking part in a three day workshop on local peace negotiation, reconciliation, mediation and advocacy skills.

The training is being held at the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS) compound in Morobo town. It began on Tuesday and is scheduled to end tomorrow with the creation of a peace coordination committee for the county.

During the opening session, Morobo County Executive Director Ezibon Gale encouraged participants to make use of the opportunity to strengthen their abilities in peace building. He said the county leadership is committed to equipping the peace committee with the skills needed to advance reconciliation and harmony in the community.

Mr Gale urged peace and development partners to continue supporting the new committee with both technical knowledge and practical tools. He stressed that community level peace committees are vital for ensuring that people in Morobo can resolve disputes and live together peacefully:

“The peace committee at the grassroots level plays an important role. We call on all peace organisations to work closely with this committee for more effective peace building in the county.”

The training has been organised by the Morobo County government with technical support from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Morobo County is located on the border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and is an important agricultural area that supplies food to other parts of South Sudan. However, the county has also experienced repeated insecurity and human rights violations in recent years.

Recent clashes between government forces of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and opposition fighters from the SPLA-IO displaced more than 7,000 people. Many fled into neighbouring DR Congo and Uganda, while others remain internally displaced within South Sudan.

Details of the Peace Building Training

Mr Gale reaffirmed that the Morobo County government will continue to support local peace initiatives, saying that lasting peace depends on empowering communities to handle disputes before they escalate.

The new peace coordination committee is expected to work with non-governmental organisations, faith based groups and local leaders to promote reconciliation and peaceful co-existence across the county.