Dr Dhieu Ngong at Eye Radio studios on Monday, Feb 1, 2021 | Credit | Charles Wote

An academic at Dr. John Garang University has called on the government to invest in developmental projects to end cycles of violence in the greater Jonglei area.

Dr. Dhieu Ngong, a politician-turned lecturer has just completed his Ph.D. research on the conflict in Jonglei.

His dissertation, titled: The Tribal Conflict and Its Effects on Development in Jonglei, digs out the root causes of the brutal cycle of violence in the region and suggests the way forward.

“The only solution to stop this problem of tribal conflict is to initiate a development project where you resettle these tribes and when you settle them, they will be engaged in these projects – cultivating, harvesting,” Dr. Ngong explained to Eye Radio.

“They will have no time to go and do cattle raiding again because they have a work to do and from this work, they will find something to live on.”

According to the academic, the recent peace conference drew resolutions that did not look at the development and enforcing the rule of law, something he thinks are key to ending the violence.

Dr. Ngong said the conference only resolved that the communities stop cattle raiding, child abduction and surrender the arms to the authority.

He branded the conference as just a waste of time and money as similar peace conferences never yielded any results.

Dr. Ngong resigned from the SPLM after South Sudan gained independence due to what he terms as corruption in the party.

He said political positions were infiltrated with nepotism rather than qualifications.