The first preparatory meeting for a tribal peace conference between the Dinka Ngok and Misseriya took off in the Abyei region which is disputed by Sudan and South Sudan. The meeting came at the invitation of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee and aimed to find common ground in the wake of last year’s military confrontation of the region.

The head chief of the Dinka Ngok Kuol Deng told Radio Tamazuj from Abyei that the two sides held meetings that started on Wednesday and have been ongoing ever since.

He also stated that the Dinka Ngok and Misseriya chiefs came together for a preliminary meeting after an invitation from Abyei Joint Oversight Committee and that the meeting was attended by Misseriya leaders Mukhtar Babu Nimir, Elamir Ismail Hamdeen, Hamad Eldood and Elharika Osman.

He also said that the meeting aimed to find ground for dialogue to solve the past tensions between the Misseriya from Muglad and Dinka Ngok after what happened in May 2010 when Abyei was seized by the Sudanese Armed Forces with help from the Misseriya.

Chief Kuol said that the meetings was in preparation for holding a civil conference to solve all the past differences and move to a new phase where the two tribes respect all international laws and the constitutions of Sudan and South Sudan.

The chief also added that the meetings, which went on till late hours, were held within a friendly atmosphere from both sides and he expressed his hope in the meetings being the start of a coming dialogue where the two sides could solve the bitterness of the past.