Jonglei insecurity will not interfere with Sudan census – Director
By Philip Thon Aleu
April 1, 2008 (BOR, Jonglei) – Jonglei government has assured citizens and the census officials today April 1 that ‘insecurity is not a threat to the forth coming census’ exercise at Bor “A” primary in Bor town despite last week’s incident at Ayot (about 200miles north of Bor town) where a census official was killed.
The state director for South Sudan Census Commission (SSCC) launch a week training of over 1300 enumerators at the state headquarters Bor town where two hundred and sixteen (216) enumerators for Bor county are being trained.
An officer was gunned down last week in a car carrying SSCC officials but the director denied any connection between the death of his colleague to the resistance to census exercise while briefing local reporters today.
“They (gunmen) were cattle raiders driving cattle stole from Toch (area between rivers used to graze cattle in dry season) but did know who was in the car,” said state Director of SSCC, Thiong Akuei stressing that “they were not targeting our officials.”
The commissioner of Bor county also witnessed the opening ceremony of his county’s census officials and called for carefulness while counting. “In the 1983 population census, Bor county had 208000 people counted and any figure below this should be considered inaccurate,” said Bor county commissioner Abraham Jok Ariing adding that “I trust your creditability.”
All enumerators, field supervisors and coordinators are set for training in their various counties after last month’s training in the state capital Bor. Pibor county census officials however, where trained in Yei in accordance to the request pertaining Murle tribesman’s safety in Bor town. Mr. Akuei (state Director) however maintained that all is set right including Pibor which reporters claimed was ignored due to insecurity caused by that tribe’s cattle raiders.
The census officials contacted by Sudan Tribune claimed that the state SSCC were bias in selecting census officials where all Arabic language (speaking and writing) citizens were eliminated. The director rejected the argument saying no Arabic speaking higher official was sent to the state and apologize to the citizens in case the point is negatively comprehended.
Once the training is done, census will be deployed to various Payams, Bomas, and all the units possible. The major challenges expected include man power shortage, inaccessibility of some areas due to seasonal roads given the emerging rains and insecurity that state authority say is well averted.
(ST)