GPAA chief urges peace, calls for return of abducted children

BOR – The Chief Administrator of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), Gola Boyoi Gola, has urged communities to embrace peace and cooperation, stressing that the return of abducted children is essential for lasting stability in the region.

Speaking on recent peace initiatives, Gola said authorities and community leaders successfully held peace conferences in Bor and later in Pibor, where key resolutions were reached. He announced that residents of Gumuruk are expected to convene on Friday, December 19, to discuss and begin implementing those resolutions at the community level.

“I will join you if I can. Even if I am unable to attend, the County Commissioner and Paramount Chiefs will fully brief the community on the outcomes of the previous meetings,” Gola said.

The GPAA chief administrator praised the youth of Kubal for their active participation in the peace conferences, emphasizing that the process is meaningful and will produce tangible results. “This process is not a waste of time. You will see its impact,” he noted.

Reflecting on South Sudan’s history, Gola reminded communities that peace—not violence—has been the most effective means of achieving major milestones. He cited the country’s independence, which followed more than five decades of struggle but was ultimately realized through a peaceful agreement. He also noted that the creation of Greater Pibor itself was the result of dialogue and peace deals.

“We cannot achieve anything through conflict. We cannot retrieve our children by force. We must choose peace so that our children can be returned to us,” Gola said.

Highlighting recent confidence-building steps, Gola revealed that during a visit to Bor, the GPAA returned one child recovered from Lekuangole. In return, neighboring Jonglei State handed over eight children and women—a gesture he described as encouraging and deserving of reciprocity.

“Now it is our turn. Let us collect all the children who belong to our neighboring communities and return them,” he added.

Gola’s message emphasized reconciliation, mutual trust, and collective community responsibility as key pillars for ending cycles of violence and ensuring the safe return of abducted children across Greater Pibor and neighboring areas.