Jonglei Canal Project is a looming catastrophic

By Koang Tut Jing

September 8, 2006 — The central government in Khartoum and evil government in Cairo never had a
health intention for people of southern Sudan since independent. Just after
three years of Sudan’s independent the suggestion of constructing canal in
Jonglei popped up in 1958 to increase the amount of water reaching Egypt.
This of course ignored the negative effects the canal would create against
the local people. Despite the internal problems the Jonglei Canal would
cause Nimeiri’s Government along with his agents in the south curbed in to
Egyptians desire.

Frankly, Egyptians have nothing to offer us rather than sucking our blood
for their survival. Egypt was the first country to recognise the NIF when
they took over through coup, what good do Egyptians have for us? I am
sceptical if there is a single Egyptian who thinks Sudanese are humans as
they are. It is the reason why we have been under threat in the past and
still today not escaped from it. Our country was invaded several times
during the ruin of Queen Sheba at the time of Roman rule of Nero due to the
Nile water. The Egyptians fears of Nile waters one day no longer reach them
still exist and will eventually spark war. Egypt still willing to solve Nile
water problem militarily in order to keep it dominant over the rest in the
region. My dear fellows Sudanese, it would be fatal mistake if the leaders
in Juba again curbed in to baseless pressure from Egypt in expenses of
Jonglei citizens. The reason being is because the effects of Jonglei Canal
on the Sudd Swamps will not only severe the normal lives of our citizens but
the beautiful plants as well as the sanctuaries for our bird species will be
gone.

We know the Nile discharges its water into the great wetland of the Sudd or
the network of lakes, channels, and swamps. The canal is designed to bypass
the Sudd and direct downstream a proportion of the water to Egypt leaving
our Sudd dry. According to them they think the water from the Nile that
discharges into our Sudd is termed as “lost by spill and evaporation in the
swamps” which I strongly dispute because of the following factors:

1. The process of seasonal inundation from river flooded grassland produces
species of grasses that sustain our livestock and the wild life during the
driest months. Where shall our pastoralists go if their Sudd is drained by
this canal? We have no other option when the grasses of high land are
exhausted and no regrowth after burning. Clearly, the Jonglei Canal is meant
to destroy our pastoralists’ economy. Given that fact I think every Jonglei
citizen has to stand up in defend of our right against the robbers.
2. A severe decrease in discharge into the Sudd resulting from the Jonglei
Canal would cause the total disappearance of many lakes in the papyrus zone.
This would amount to serious lost of fishing which the Canal cannot provide
because of it depth adversely affecting the establishment of fisheries. Why
do we have to punish innocents this way if we are genuinely representing
their interest? For this Kiir and his circle must think critically before
becoming another Abel Alier.
3. The Annual floods capable of inundating are crucial to the maintenance of
biological diversity in the Sudd. We have a white pelican, cyperus papyrus,
other animals and other plant species which are economically important in
term of tourists attraction will be destroyed by the creation of this canal
as their sanctuary will be drained.
4. Jonglei Canal can drastically affect the climate, the groundwater,
recharges, salt and water quality, the destruction of fish and changes our
tradition lifestyle.
5. This Canal can become a barrier between villages, and dry season grazing
land as well as dislocate the pastoral cycle. This is in that crossing the
canal will present a massive logistical problem of which none will care to
provide those needs to the locals. Reinforced structures at various points
along the canal are needed to facilitate the crossing of livestock without
damaging to the embankments and to provide suitable designed boats which are
more sufficient than the usual dug-out canoe.
6. Finally, the question of land ownership among the people who may need to
cross the Canal is inevitable.

However, the fact that the Canal could curb the annual flooding and change
the primary feature of the Jonglei economy by introducing mechanical
agriculture plus other means of modernisation is not deniable. Another
reason is that the drained land can be reclaimed and use for breeding cattle
and would help with irrigation project for the production of crops.
Unfortunately, the negatives outnumbered the benefits and there is no reason
to believe there is modality in place to implement them for the welfare of
the affected community. Therefore, I would love to see the citizens of
Jonglei state putting up a fierce fight against this evil plan coming out of
Cairo, Khartoum and Juba in case if the SPLM leadership which mobilised the
masses in the south by claiming the idea of Jonglei Canal (as ill intention
against us) has forgotten it already as one of the reason we took arms.

It is heart-breaking that the GOSS leadership is not living to what they
fought for leaving the robbers again wanting to snatch our resources in
their watch! Was the Jonglei Canal a propaganda issue used by SPLA
leadership when we were in the bush to gain support from locals or what? Why
SPLA leaders ordered the halt to the Canal operation in 1984? Did we forget
of it benefit by then? We called the operation as “selling out of our land,
selling out our water and they sold our land out to be dug as canal”. Such a
statement didn’t just come from blue but for a reason. It is because of the
negative effects which made many of southern Sudanese students demonstrated
against Abel Alier when he tried to sell the idea of this project in Malakal
before the war broke out, why now? Late Lokurnyang Lado and the students who
demonstrated against Abel must have been farsighted and may his soul rest in
peace. Hence, I urge the SPLM leadership to consult with locals before they
grab what is not belonging to them. Our people deserve respect; they have
endured enough suffering during Nimeiri rule due to this canal, why do you
the SPLM leaders want to subject them to the same fate? The missile that
destroyed the French CCI company’s redundant giant excavator didn’t just
come from nowhere but ordered by once upon a time an SPLA/M leader with the
full knowledge from some of you in Juba currently. I bet there are now in
the south remnants of 104 and 105 battalions who halted the Jonglei Canal
work in 1984, thus I advice you not to forget the reason you shot down the
Jonglei Canal operation.

The author is a Sudanese from Jonglei State, currently studying in New New Zealand. He can be reached at [email protected].