The South Sudan Council of Churches, with support from Norwegians Church Aids (NCA), recently organized a three-day conference focused on peace, reconciliation, and unity within the Anyuak community in Akobo. The conference, which had the theme “If the kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom is not able to stand,” based on Mark 3:24, was attended by 78 participants, with 65 males and 13 females represented.
The primary goal of the conference was to promote peaceful co-existence between the Anyauk and their neighbors, as well as strengthen the community by encouraging positive roles from Akobo Anyuak Leaders, promoting education and culture in the community, reviving previous dialogues between the Akobo Anyuak and Lou Nuer (Moor), and preparing for the repatriation of community members who were displaced or living as refugees.
During the conference, the Akobo Anyuak community identified several challenges that were weakening the community, including cultural erosion, negative migration, insecurity due to small arms in the hands of civilians, political confusion, lack of the rule of law, instability among communities, and availability of geographic and social alternatives.
In response, the community suggested establishing alliances with other Luo members politically, socially, and economically, as well as with other minority groups. They also suggested lobbying for the rule of law, promoting and maintaining common interests, encouraging unity, establishing alliances with friends of Anyuak, supporting youth and women active at political levels, mobilizing resources to resettle people back home, supporting capacity building of youth, advocating for building schools and health facilities in the community and promoting peaceful co-existence with neighbors as South Sudanese.