South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The civil-military dialogue held in Torit has renewed hope for social cohesion and improved the relationship between civilians and members of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces stationed on the outskirts of Torit town.
Organised by the Support Peace Initiative and Development Organisation (SPIDO), with support from the United Nations Development Programme, the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and the Civil Affairs Division of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the dialogue aimed to build trust and confidence between the military and civilians to foster peaceful coexistence.
Amanya Jackson Savarino, the community leader in Enyeb payam of Torit County, reported that the dialogue has achieved consensus between the residents of Enyeb payam and the deployed South Sudan People’s Defence Forces.
“The dialogue has bridged the understanding gaps between civilians and soldiers. We are working for peace; there is always looting and random shooting, but we have agreed to work together for peace,” said Savarino.
Lt Col William Anei Akol, the commander of the Necessary Unified Forces in Enyeb payam of Torit County, stated that the dialogue aims to resolve differences and promote collaboration for peace in the community.
“We have been deployed since April 2025 in a barrack south of Torit town. Random shootings have created fear in the communities. We have agreed that civilians will respect soldiers and soldiers will respect civilians,” said Akol.
“It is now possible to cooperate. We want to work together to address issues, particularly regarding insecurity. Without cooperation, looting and robbery will persist, so we must devise the best ways to tackle this insecurity,” he added.
Felix Ewot, the Peace Building Officer for SPIDO in Eastern Equatoria state, noted that the civil-military dialogue is intended to enhance cooperation between civilians and soldiers in addressing security-related issues.
“This is the first time we are engaging civilians and soldiers in dialogue. Their misunderstandings often lead to conflict, but now civilians and soldiers will work together to bring peace to their community,” Ewot said.
Christopher Andrew Philipson, the Commissioner of Torit County, mentioned that there have been significant disruptions in security efforts due to misunderstandings between civilians and soldiers stemming from recent deployments.
“There is a slight misunderstanding between the residents of Enyeb payam and the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces. Soldiers are often deployed very close to civilians; their presence is intended to maintain security,” he said.
