Parts of Budi County, Eastern Equatoria state
Youth from Betalado and Kikilai Bomas in Budi County, Eastern Equatoria State, have publicly denounced cattle raiding and urged for peaceful coexistence among neighboring communities.
The awareness campaign, organized by the Budi County Youth
Association with support from Root of Generation Organization (ROG), focused on
the economic and social disadvantages of cattle raiding.
Francis Lochauro, the Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion
Officer for ROG, said the youths emphasized that raiding disrupts development,
fuels insecurity, and threatens community wellbeing.
“You know Kikilai and Betalado communities have always been
shifted by severe cattle raids, which are associated with killings and revenge,
especially from the neighboring communities of Logir and Lango. Cattle raiding
has been seen as one of the drivers of conflict, which has been disturbing
communities a lot,” Lochauro said.
“That is why they decided actually to hold this meeting with
these kraals of Betalado and Kikilai, to talk to them so that they understand
this cattle raiding will not take the communities ahead; it always brings a lot
of insecurities, road ambushes, even perpetrating GBV.”
He said women attending the event explained the risks cattle
raiding poses to their safety and livelihoods. They said raids often lead to
rape, killings, and limit their ability to access farms and other economic
activities.
Lochauro added that the youths openly rejected cattle
raiding and pledged to work towards peaceful coexistence within and between the
communities.
“The communities came up very openly and denounced this, and
we really look forward to seeing such changes in the community,” he stated.
The Thursday event brought together youth, elders, women
groups, chiefs, sub-chiefs, teachers, and health personnel from Kikilai PHCCC,
reinforcing a shared commitment to peace and community development.