Civil-Military Dialogue held in Morobo County to Foster Sustainable Peace

A civil-military relations dialogue was held between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and civilians in Wudabi Payam, Morobo County, to promote sustainable peace.

By Staff Writer

A civil-military relations dialogue was held between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and civilians in Wudabi Payam, Morobo County, to promote sustainable peace.

The dialogue which commenced on Tuesday till Thursday was organized by the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Free Charismatic Church Religious leaders, with support from the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) led consortium in collaboration with local authorities of Morobo County, according to a statement issued on Friday.

It noted that the dialogue aimed to strengthen relationship between civilians and military, to achieve reconciliation, forgiveness, tolerance and peaceful co-existence through which civilians and the military live in peace and harmony in a just and prosperous Morobo County.

The meeting was attended by 100 participants from both civilians and SSPDF that included the Morobo County Commissioner, Executive Director, paramount chief, payam director, director national security, director military intelligent, youth and women leaders, executive chiefs, head chiefs, returnees and internally displaced persons, and SSPDF commanders and soldiers, religious leaders, inspector of police and the elders.

The dialogue discussed the root causes on the first day, solutions on the second day and resolutions & recommendations on the third day.

It said that the military expressed challenges such as lack of food, shelters, central command and other conditions which affect their relations with civilians.

Several displaced civilians especially returnees have crossed to Democratic Republic of Congo for fear of their lives.

 The payam director, Juma simon, called for peace among the civilians and soldiers to coexist as brothers and sisters and not enemies in the payam.

The chairlady of the area, Dusman Nyei, said that the dialogue has brought peace among civilians and soldiers.

She called for forgiveness among all the people in the area including the soldiers in the area.

CEPO Representative, Malish Cosmas , urged people to take care of their  responsibilities, such that they don’t interfere in other people’s work

He added that soldiers and civilians have different duties and they have to respect each other by knowing the responsibilities of each other.

Cosmas said that soldiers sometimes follow their command which civilians have to know such that they don’t make bad judgment on them.

CEPO seeks to support locally driven solutions led by the religious and community leaders who are very influential in resolving local conflicts.

The Commissioner of Morobo County, Charles Data Bullen, called for corporation among the civilians and soldiers in the area.

He said that soldiers and civilians are citizens of South Sudan who should coexist in peace and harmony.

Bullen urged them to look at each other as the same people and thanked CEPO for organizing the dialogue among the civilians and soldiers.

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