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Sudan Tribune

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W. Equatoria governor lauds Home Guards efforts in protecting the local communities

July 13, 2011 (YAMBIO) – The state governor of Western Equatoria, Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro, on Wednesday lauded the efforts and strength of the home guard formerly known as Arrow Boys for protecting the communities of the state aganst Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) attacks.

WES Governor Joseph Bakosoro and First Lady Angelina, Bangasu, 13 July 2011 (ST)
WES Governor Joseph Bakosoro and First Lady Angelina, Bangasu, 13 July 2011 (ST)
Home Guards are local vigilantes protecting civilians under attack from insurgents in Western Equatoria state (WES).

The LRA is a militia originally from North Uganda. They have been raping, murdering, mutilating and abducting in the region for many years with little discernible goal. Their leader, Joseph Kony, is wanted by the International Criminal Court for his crimes. Attempts by the international community to contain the nebulous LRA have failed.

Addressing the gathering at Makpanadu, Bangasu district as part of continued celebration of South Sudan’s independence on 9 July, Bakosoro said the “home guards have played a key role in protecting of the local population resulting in some relative peace in the most affected areas.”

Bakosoro encouraged the local population to be security-conscious in their various villages.

He stated that with the birth of the new nation, time has come for nation building that has to be free from “discrimination, division and hatred.”

Bakosoro decried the division amongst the citizens of Bangasu, calling on them to reconcile their differences and live in harmony.

South Sudan’s Minister of Transport and Roads, Anthony Lino Makana hails from Bangasu.

Over the past few months controversy arose in the district over the relocation of its headquarters, which if approved by central government, will become county capital.

The governor urged all the five executive chiefs of the district to sit and decide within two weeks on where to locate the headquarters of the district and give the report to the district administrator to forward to the state authority.

Bakosoro called upon the people of Makpandu to have harmonious relations with the Congolese refugees whom he said are part of the Azande tribe who were divided during the colonial rule predominantly into, South Sudan, south-eastern Central Africa Republic (CAR) and north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

There are estimated to be 2.2 million Azande in South Sudan, making them the second largest ethnic group after Dinka.

He also encouraged the chiefs to take care of the forests more specially the teak trees, mahogany and to prevent illegal logging.

Bakosoro urged the communities to work on the agricultural sector.

The commissioner of Yambio county, Angelo Bakote, also from Bangasu called upon the citizens of the district to be “united in this new nation.”

The advisor to the district development community, Richard Noti, who was a former speaker of the state assembly appreciated the visit of the state governor as part of the continuation of the independence celebrations in the state.

South Sudan proclaimed nationhood on July 9, 2011 at landmark ceremony attended by world leaders including President Al Bashir of North Sudan.

Noti called upon the government of the new nation to speed up the process of the by-election of the district which was postponed during April general elections after the death of one of the candidates, Alison Mangie.

“We lack development of the payam [district], poor education system, no voice in the assembly just because nobody is representing the payam in the state Assembly,” he said.

The leader of the Home Guards in Bangasu, Santo Diko reiterated their position to protect the land from the intruders, the LRA until they are chased from the state.

“We have managed to remove the Umbororo from the area what is remaining is the LRA rebels who are still disturbing the region,” he said.

Umbororo are a nomadic ethnic group originally from West Africa with distinct cultural practises. They have often been subject to discrimination and suspicion in Sudan as a whole.

Since April 2011 the chiefs in Yambio County resorted to giving contributions to the Home Guards to boost their operations against the LRA as the official security apparatus was unable to cope.

(ST)

9 Comments

  • Aleu
    Aleu

    W. Equatoria governor lauds Arrow Boys efforts in protecting the local communities
    To: Western Equatoria governor Mr, Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro.

    This time you guys must be careful for those people who attached themselves to be Congo citizens if there is a problems in Southern Sudan later when they see something good in Southern Sudan then, they pretending to be Zade of Southern Sudan. This thing must be change because they are making a trouble near the border and good example, you can look Achoil of Uganda and Achoil of Eastern Equatoria, they are all combine and they claim they are Achoil but this is another way of looting tactics.

    The GOSS also need to be serious about those tribes attaching themselves to different neighbors such as Nuer Ethiopia, Achoil Eastern Equatoria with Achoil Uganda and Zade Western Equatoria and Zade of Congo. There must be a clear citizenship need to be done from all these attaching others countries and later they lcaim they are Southerners Sudanese it has to be clear by GOSS with orders.

    Governor Joseph, forget about looking to compares the population between tribe and others tribe. Everyone is a citizen of this New nation South Sudan and the population of single tribe is not important than the general population for the New nation. It does not matter whoever first or last are all citizens and they are all important people for the land of South Sudan.

    Reply
  • jur_likang_a_ likan'g
    jur_likang_a_ likan'g

    W. Equatoria governor lauds Arrow Boys efforts in protecting the local communities
    Aleu, you need not to be selfish. The new nation need to have good relationship with all our neighbours. It is also important for you to know that the Acholi nation, Zande nation, Nuer nation, Kakwa nation and the other bordering tribes were naturally there before there was Uganda, Ethiopia. You should live what is natural to stay because these tribes intermarry and can change area of settlement anytime and therefore you should take it easy. They should have the right to stay where they see fit. Do not envy the tribes on our international boarders.

    Reply
  • Gangura
    Gangura

    W. Equatoria governor lauds Arrow Boys efforts in protecting the local communities
    You Guys what we are discussing should be senseable not people to tolk out of points.
    However we were to give thanks to the Goverment of Goss who Authorized Western Equatorians Goverment to lauds Arrow Boys.
    WES waiyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
    south sudan waiyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

    Reply
  • Angelo Kumuko
    Angelo Kumuko

    W. Equatoria governor lauds Arrow Boys efforts in protecting the local communities
    Aleu – say Ngok Dinka are divided into two – others will remain in the north Sudan and others will get to South Sudan. So whose mistake will that be. The Ngok Dinka or those in charge of drawing international borders?

    Why must Dinka confine themselves to one country? Let others remain in another country too.

    Confining Dinka in one country will deny them from civilization and human dignity.

    Reply
  • Mading Makuac
    Mading Makuac

    W. Equatoria governor lauds Arrow Boys efforts in protecting the local communities
    You people ,you don’t appreciate Dinka eventhough you are saved by Dinka.Remember the time when Arabs mistreated Equartorian people and you still behaving stupidly and talking
    against Dinka people.Angelo you have to respected Dinka because they are your second God.Also Dinka people had already been civilised that why they liberated you from the angry Arabian soldiers.

    Reply
  • Angelo Kumuko
    Angelo Kumuko

    W. Equatoria governor lauds Arrow Boys efforts in protecting the local communities
    I dont get it when you say Dinka is my second God or liberated me.

    So those Azande soldiers defending Abyei now are the second Gods of Ngok Dinka and their liberators??

    It seems you dont how all the tribes jointly fought to liberate this South Sudan.

    Reply
  • Aleu
    Aleu

    W. Equatoria governor lauds Arrow Boys efforts in protecting the local communities
    Jur-Likang and Angelo Kumuko.

    You guys misunderstand me and you jump up with bad attitudes. LRA of Uganda are both Achoil Uganda and Achoil South Sudan if you don’t know what I am talking about stupid. Why people shoutting about LRA and not knowing that, there is Achoil Sudan.?

    Second to that, do you people who will be consuming services and later on back to their attachment places such Congo, Uganda and Ethiopia.

    The case for Abeyi people is very simple, they would like to come to South Sudan to live for ever and even their Sons fought very hard in the SPLM unlikely to Zande,Achoil who hidding until the CPA catch up to come out in the Mt.

    The services are not going to be consuming by Congo Zandss and Achoil Uganda Nuer Ethiopia of Gamaball. Those people are getting services in where they attaching themselves and they should not get any thing in GOSS unless they give up their attachment countries period.

    Reply
  • Kumbo
    Kumbo

    W. Equatoria governor lauds Arrow Boys efforts in protecting the local communities
    You dinka an animal without tail who always look for food and killing south Sudan by looting it property what do you want to say don’t you know that we Equatorians Fought for this freedom more than dinkas without Equatorians there would have been no south Sudan which you are talking about you need to know your own History before writting nonsense.
    What Dinka knows is looting nothing more than that Stupid Dinkas an animal is think better than Dinka

    Reply
  • Josh
    Josh

    W. Equatoria governor lauds Arrow Boys efforts in protecting the local communities
    I dont know how long it take Dinka to learnt. Honestly, Dinka should’ve learn something, the world is goingup and p’ple are learning from their past. When leaders from other enthnic tribes are talking about social development, Dinka brothers are talking about marriage with cows.

    Reply
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