New Jonglei governor calls for peaceful co-existence among populace
December 27, 2015 (JUBA) – Colonel Philip Aguer, former spokesman of South Sudanese army (SPLA), who was appointed this week as governor of the successor Jonglei state, has called on the communities curved out from the state’s former headquarters to not think of revenge but to focus on resettling their displaced people in their villages.
Speaking in an interview for a Dinka language radio program, Aguer said the priority is to convince people displaced to return to their homes and ensure that they are protected from cattle raiders and child abductions.
“I met Baba Beda Konyi [nominated governor of Boma state of Murle tribe] and James Kok Ruei [governor Western Bieh state of Nuer tribe] today (Friday) on how to leave peacefully,” said Aguer in an interview to the Australian-based SBS Dinka radio programme aired on Saturday.
“We must live in peace with Murle, Nuer and Mudari so that our people return home. We should not revenge because revenge is not a solution,” he said, referring to communities neighbouring greater Dinka Bor community.
Villages in Bor, Twic East and Duk counties were deserted before the war erupted on 15 December 2013, pitting two major tribes of Nuer and Dinka and their regional supporters. People of Dinka Bor fled deadly cattle and child abduction raids blamed on neighbouring tribes, particularly the Murle.
Aguer said to ensure that people accept to return home, provision of clean drinking water, schools and roads will attract them back home. He said he will work with the people to set goals and identify priorities, without explaining where to get resources to do these in the economically downtrodden nation.
“There is something call community based approach. We shall sit with the community and decide the priority for our people. Is it road, health centre or school?,” he said of his priorities selection.
Asked if he has the political experience needed to achieve his dreams, he said “there is no better time than now to lead.”
“Some people said this government is not good for you to join but I said I cannot wait for angels to come before joining politics because I am not [an] angel,” he said.
The former SPLA spokesman said political liberation of South Sudanese should be followed by economic independence and freedom for all the citizens.
“This is important because you cannot convince anyone to return home from Kenya or Uganda when their children cannot go to school or get better medical services,” he said.
President Kiir’s decision to create more states has been described as setback to the peace agreement signed with the opposition but proponents claimed it is a demand from the people.
The decision has come as a surprise to the other partners in the peace agreement. The government during the peace negotiations in Ethiopia however refused to endorse a proposal put forth by the SPLM-IO to create more states but changed their mind after the agreement was signed on the basis of the 10 states.
(ST)