Jonglei governor asks veterans to assist in disarming communities

By Philip Thon Aleu

May 2, 2008 (BOR, Jonglei) – To avoid cattle raiding and child abduction that rank Jonglei unsecured, the State governor ask Jonglei veterans, who converged for SPLM State congress here (Bor) April 29-30, Tuesday – Wednesday to carry message of unity and love for peace through disarmament to various communities.

“No one among us here wants these local clashes; for we had fought better wars,” Governor Kuol Manyang said adding “take this message of unity and love for peace to convince the communities for voluntary disarmament.”

The congress, that brought all freedom fighters from the eleven counties of Jonglei, had asked the chairperson to include insecurity and oil operation as some of the agenda.

“We can’t just elect chairman, secretary and members to the national convection and state liberation council and leave. We should include the issues of insecurity and oil operation in the discussion,” Government of southern Sudan minister of legal affairs, Michael Makuei Lueth said on Tuesday.

Minister Makuei, a member of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM)’s Interim National Congress (INC) together with Minister of mining and energy – John Luk and Marial Benjamin – minister for regional cooperation also attended the congress as observers.

The congress also attracted a wide range of Jonglei professionals that include Prof. Agrey Ayuen and Dr. Marob Leek. Women representation; as far Southern Sudan’s policy of at least 25% was fully recognized. But no woman took a post at the state secretariat.

DEMOCRACY CHANGES FAMOUS HEAD OF JONGLEI SECRETARIAT

In what the SPLM leaders described as show of democracy and equality despite when one joined the party, a prominent head of state secretariat Antipas Nyok de Kucha post he held for two years to non-veteran Both Chuol.

Chuol, a university graduate, joined the SPLM Southern sector in 2005. “There is democracy in Jonglei. Democracy in Jonglei,” the SPLM members shouted on hearing the results.

Nyok de Kucha is well known for spreading the SPLM objects to villages across Jonglei at a cost close to his life, creating employment opportunities to youths through initiating business enterprises, among others.

People in Bor town say the party is moving toward democracy at unexpected speed that calls for carefulness. “No body can believe Nyok lost control of secretariat. I can’t absolutely imagine,” Peter Machar told Sudan Tribune on receiving the message.”

As the biblical verse says, not all who call Lord, Lord shall be served but he who works in the will of my father… Mr. Both Chuol joined the party few years ago and entirely worked very hard thus earning him the title secretary for the next couples of years.

(ST)