Escalating Tensions in Jonglei State
For months, the self-styled Red Belt vigilantes have patrolled Bor County, arguing they shield villages from cattle raids and sporadic militia strikes.
Their profile rose sharply in September when government troops came under fire outside Bor town, prompting the national army to label the group a rebel outfit.
Local Leaders Opt for Negotiated Path
County Commissioner Ateny Pech convened lawmakers, chiefs and Division Eight generals, emerging with a united front that denounces the raids and endorses dialogue as the preferred exit from the security stalemate.
Integration Plan under Division Eight
Delegates offered Red Belt fighters a clear choice: enlist collectively into the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, specifically Division Eight, or leave Jonglei’s administrative boundaries.
Officials insist the offer is not punitive but designed to fold local defence energy into state structures and reduce parallel command chains.
Family Engagement Strategy
Negotiators plan doorstep visits to relatives of commander Leek Mamer and his lieutenants, banking on family influence to soften resistance and underscore communal ownership of the peace agenda.
Human Rights Voices Support Talks
Human rights advocate Ter Manyang Gatwech applauded the opening created by the county’s decision, arguing that “modern societies solve grievances through conversation, not rifles”.
He urged other South Sudanese communities to mainstream negotiation as the first rather than last resort.
What Comes Next for Red Belt
Baidit Payam elders will soon petition Leek Mamer to surrender. Should persuasion falter, authorities warn a targeted operation will follow, though they stress it would be a last measure.
Until then, Bor streets remain tense yet hopeful, with residents weighing the promise of integration against the shadow of renewed gunfire.