Pastoralists express dissastifaction as Rumbek in atmosphere of traditional cultures

By Manyang Mayom

September 15, 2010 (RUMBEK) — In Rumbek East County and Rumbek Central county pastoralist youths are static and are performing their traditional cultures again. The inter-clan and inter-state conflict rife in Lakes State since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, in which north and south Sudan agreed to lay down arms after 22 years of civil war, is being abated by accessing the culture of respect inherent in Dinka culture.

On the 14 September thousands of Panawac villagers recently turned out to watch traditional dances – many of the older participants cried upon seeing their children return to the peaceful roots of their culture.

Rumbek Central County commissioner Matur Majok Magol, attended the traditional dances with Rumbek East County administrator Turic Bil.
“We need to make more efforts for peace to be preached in youth activities. We need the position of the referendum to meet Southerner interests. We need solutions for the undemocratic borders between the south and north and we need to struggle to achieve New Sudan, which we must affirm through voting for separation,” said Magol.

Sub-chief, Dut Marial Bol, said that the cultural event reflected real Dinka life: “This is first time that warring clans of Aliap, Athoi and Baar came together in one place and performed their cultures without fighting – I am so happy and I pray God to keep this spirit of coexistence in our youth.”

“In the past, relations between our pastoralists were bad – there was killing, cattle raiding and looting across the counties of Lakes State. Nowadays the situation is ticking into a peaceful atmosphere,” Marial noted.

He expressed his belief that, “politics, life and culture need to given boundaries – we wonder how our youth got armed. It’s now time for the politicians to stay away, so that they do not complicate our youths’ minds with politics. My community is just concerned with protecting crops, human life and traditional cultures, not politics.”

Marila asked the assembled, “What do you want from the community now that we have voted in the April election for the SPLM [Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement] party, which resulted in the SPLM taking the most seats in the Southern Sudan government? What I am aware of is only the referendum and likewise, we as community will vote for the separation of southern Sudan in fulfilment of the promise of late Dr. John Garang De Mabior. We need New Sudan, as affirmed by the late chairman – we don’t need to change the name of our new county to “New Sudan”. We are confident to achieve New Sudan by voting and not by politics between Khartoum and Juba.“

PASTORALIST ISSUES

Pastoralist representative, Riang Makuer, affirmed that, “this is our first time to sit down together as pastoralists of two counties and this is also first time for us to sit with you government officials since the former government of Daniel Awet Akot.”

“I understand that in the government in Rumbek, which beats people on street and takes money in Rumbek auction, where we sell our cows. I do not know of the government to talk to people like us. In the April election campaign, I saw many people coming to our cattle camp wearing black suits, telling us to vote for them. I asked them ‘what kind of vote are you talking about?’ Their answer was always ‘SPLM party’, so I assumed SPLM is the one to vote for. I only knew the SPLA [Sudanese People’s Liberation Army] during the war and to my surprise it now the SPLA that has become our enemy by collecting our guns and beating us in our cattle camps,” said Makuer.

He said that there is “no protection for our cows because our guns were taken away by SPLA soldiers and the youth have become powerless to defend cows from neighboring state raiders – we need the government to provide full protection to our cattle camps and us before referendum.”

“We are the few who remain alive – we don’t need more deaths to occur in cattle camps. We are forced to fight each other by you politicians and now we understand who are you. We have revised the history of John Garang, who said New Sudan is main goal of South Sudan, so we are seeking for the New Sudan to be born and that is why we have to stop fighting among ourselves because politicians are misleading us and now we understand them.” Makuer added.

Sitting in a circle to perform Dinka dances – Aliap, Baar and Athoi groups sang songs praising their bulls, girlfriends and traditions. Their songs also focused upon the separation of southern Sudan and the deep suffering of southerner Sudanese under the Khartoum government and the abuses commited by both side.

(ST)