Western Equatoria Governor demands eviction of cattle keepers

By Awan Achiek

The Governor of Western Equatoria State on Saturday called for forcefully eviction of cattle keepers from the state in the aftermath of the killing of one person on Thursday last week.

Alfred Futuyo Karaba, the Governor of Western Equatoria State accused cattle herders of killing people and threatening farmers.

“The cattle graze on people’s farmlands and we received a report the day before yesterday (Thursday) that cattle keepers killed a person,” Futuyo said during the ongoing 7^th Governors’ Forum in Juba.

He claimed that the cattle keepers from Jonglei state are heavily armed with sophisticated guns and ammunitions that are for the exclusive use of the armed forces.

“We want to sit down with the Jonglei Governor after the forum to find ways on how we can remove these cows from my state,” said Futuyo.

For his part, Denay Jock Chagor, the Governor of Jonglei State advised cattle keepers to control their animals in order to prevent them from destroying farmlands as the government seeks ways to address the situation.

 “It is not only people from Jonglei that have cows, many of us here own cattle but I do agree that cattle must move with direction, it shouldn’t be going to farms of individuals and destroy their crops,” said Chagor.

He said he understands the plight of people from Western Equatoria State, adding that he supports the move to transfer cattle keepers with their animals back to their home state.

 “The cattle that are moving around are less than the cattle that we have now in Jonglei State, this is only the two counties that are closer to Central and Eastern Equatoria,” said Chagor.

Meanwhile, Gen. Rin Tueny Mabor, the Governor of Lakes State called for disarmament of pastoralists to curb killings.

He also urged the national government to provide security to cattle keepers in the states of their origin so that they can return home.

Mabor also emphasized the need to set up measures to mitigate the impact of floods which often displace pastoralists in their states.

 “Eviction is not a solution, eviction is one method, disarmament should be there and security should be provided by the national government,” said Mabor.

Dr. Riek Machar Teny, First Vice President admitted that th government has failed in past attempts to evict pastoralists n greater Equatoria region.

“My personal assessment is that despite the fact that we do it every year, we have failed in it. Governor Futuyo is now saying drive them out,” said Machar.

“If the cattle have moved to his state, he should find a way to co-exist with these pastoralists because they will also contribute to the economy of his state,” he added.

Machar urged people of Equatoria region to embrace cattle keepers.

“We should find a way of co-existing with pastoralists because we have been doing the process of eviction for over 18 years and we have failed, why don’t we find other ways of peaceful coexistence with that moving wealth,” he said.

Cattle often destroy crops and in turn farmers kill cattle threatening their harvests, whenever cattle keepers immigrate in search of water and pasture in Equatoria region.

Conflict erupted on several occasions in Eastern, Central and Western Equatoria whenever cattle keepers move in with their cattle.