Tore Community Meets Governor Jadalla, Calls for Suspension of Wildlife Activities in Lantoto National Park

(Juba) – The leadership of Tore Community in Yei River County met with H.E. Gen. Augustino Jadalla Kamilo Wani, the Governor of Central Equatoria State on the 10th of June, 2025 in Juba and presented a formal petition demanding the suspension of ongoing wildlife conservation activities in Lantoto National Park.

Governor Jadalla appreciated the Tore Community for coming forward with the issue and assured of the State government’s commitment to address the issue. Hon. Alex Lotiyu, the State Minister of Animal Resources, Fisheries and Tourism who was present at the meeting said the issue required the attention of the State government. The petition, submitted by community representatives, calls for an immediate halt to all conservation operations in the park until inclusive consultations with local stakeholders are conducted.

The community specifically urged the suspension of construction works by the Enjojo Foundation in Dukudu Olo (commonly known as Ras Olo), citing a lack of transparency and community engagement. In their petition, the community further demanded that a legally binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) authorizing the Enjojo Foundation to operate in the area be presented and validated by the State Government. They also called for the postponement of a project launch scheduled for next month in Yei River County—jointly organized by the National Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism and the Enjojo Foundation—until the Central Equatoria State Government is fully briefed and involved. Speaking to the press after the meeting, Mr. Ali Hussein Juma, Chairman of the Tore Community, said residents were caught off guard by the developments, which he said proceeded without community involvement. “The community of Tore is not against development,” Juma emphasized. “However, we strongly oppose any attempt to sideline key stakeholders or implement selective consultations in our ancestral land.”

He thanked Governor Jadalla for his willingness to engage and receive the petition, pledging the community’s cooperation with both the State and National Governments to ensure inclusive development in Tore Payam. Access Radio could not independently reach out to officials at the national ministry of wildlife conservation and tourism and Enjojo Foundation for comments on the matter. Lantoto National Park lies in Central Equatoria State located in west of Yei River County in Angebi Boma of Tore Payam bordering Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the south, Landili Payam in Maridi County to the west and Mundri west to the north. The area is part of the vast Congo Basin ecosystem—home to some of the world’s richest biodiversity and a sanctuary for numerous species of flora and fauna.