Trade between the Dinka from greater Bor area and the Nuer from the greater Akobo area resumed last week at Poktap near the border betwen the two tribes.

Formerly the tribes traded cattle with each other until this commerce was disrupted by the start of the current crisis in mid-December 2013.

Ayod County Commissioner Michael Buoth Malual told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that Nuer businessmen last week came with their cattle to Poktap to sell them to Dinka businessmen.

“This is the normal businesses between the two tribes – now they brought cattle from Ayod and Lou and the same to Dinka businessmen will go up to Ayod and Uror counties as normal to purchase cattle,” Bouth stated.

“And this is what I told the people of the two counties: to begin peace and reconciliation from the grassroots, and now the civilians have started and this shown that civilians of the two tribes have no hand in this ongoing conflict.”

Buoth further stated that SPLA-IO forces have allowed civilians to move to SPLA-Juba controlled areas.

Map: Blue indicates areas inhabited by ethnic Dinkas, pink by the Lou Nuer, and yellow indicates Murle-inhabited areas.