Communities clash in Jonglei over cattle barter, dozens kill
Philip Thon Aleu
May 19, 2008 (BOR TOWN, Jonglei) – Cattle primitive business, the barter trade, resulted to lost of over three dozens lives between Nuer Lou and Duk Padiet communities of Jonglei state at Pakam Amiel in Duk County (about 150 miles) northern Bor Town Saturday on May 17, Sudan Tribune has learnt.
Jonglei government says no official number of causalities is available.
“I can’t tell you exactly what happens because we do not have the report in written form,” the Acting Government of Jonglei state and the State Minister for Land and Physical Infrastructures Eng. John Amuor Kuol told Sudan Tribune when contacted Sunday at Dr. Garang Institute cultural day, Bor Town.
The minister, however, acknowledged that the two communities were engaged in exchange of fire on Saturday.
“You will complete the rest of the function because I’m going to attend a meeting in the town where we shall discuss the current insecurity reports,” he told parents and students at Dr. Garang Institute Sunday, referring to the fight between Duk and Wutror Counties communities of Jonglei.
Bor town residents belonging to the two communities denounce the clashes and call upon the state government to act.
All top Jonglei officials, including commissioner of Duk County are attending SPLM National Convention in southern Sudan capital Juba and thus inaccessible. Minister Amuor represents the state government.
The Oil Company; ASCOM Co. Ltd staff operating at Aker-Ker — location between the two communities — are said to be safe.
Nuer Lou cattle keepers, while returning from Duk’s Toch — area between rivers used to graze cattle in dry seasons — in Duk County territory, fell apart when a two men exchange of a bull and a heifer failed Saturday.
A Nuer Lou is said to have demanded exchanging his heifer for colored-bull — a sign of riches and of great reputation in cattle keeping communities — belonging a Duk Padiet who refused. He was instantly shot dead for denying the barter business, relatives in Bor town claimed.
Exchanges of fire erupted in revenge and defend lasting for six (6) hours (9:00am – 2:00Pm) between the two neighbors. Unconfirmed source puts dead to over thirty and many more wounded. Duk County is said to have lost a half herd of cattle on May 17.
NORMAL CLASHES
Pakam Amiel is one of the border areas where fighting has being repetitive. The latest being in January 2007 when Duk County authorities refused Nuer Lou entry to Toch. Many lives and cattle were lost on either side.
The two communities remained in good terms after the 1991 Nuer’s attack on Greater Bor communities, triggered by the split of the Sudan’s People liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/M), was solved.
The return of current GoSS vice president Riek Machar, who led the then South Sudan Independent Movement (SSIM) against the SPLM/A, to SPLM/A later normalized tires.
Conflicts resumed in 2006 over Toch, cattle theft and other border misunderstanding. The clashes have being persisting and regarded as ‘normal’ without any political motivation.
The government adheres to disarmament as the only mean to avert to tribal conflicts. SPLM veterans who converged in Br Town for state congress in April 2008 were told by state governor Kuol Manyang Juuk to take home message of love for unity and peace through peaceful disarmament.
The message is likely undelivered as the veterans swung to Juba for SPLM national convention thereafter. A heave of hope for peaceful coexistence is expected to resume shortly, analyst say.
(ST)
James James
Communities clash in Jonglei over cattle barter, dozens kill
What’s up guys:
That is so crazy and surprising, now it had come into my attention and attention of the whole world that, Murle is not the only tribe which is armed. And the claim that Dinka Bor is well armed has now been supported.
From here, all communities in Jongolei must be disarmed equally.
Because disarmament which is carried out with tribalism engine will not succeed, we better do everything democratically.Supporting each other’s tribes is harmful to us and our communities.
I hope peace come to the people of Jongolei.
God bless.
David M. Kuol
Communities clash in Jonglei over cattle barter, dozens kill
What is Happen in Jonglei is un exceptable behavior, Cattle raiding should be denounce as serious offend and all perpretors or who ever misled the all society of Nuer Lou Community,
to attack the Duk communities.
Luo Community seem to disturbing the Whole Jongeli- Wutror, Now Duk and Pibor COunty,There should Serious SPLA Security Personel- MP to be in place to queeled the crisis.
Otherwise this COmmunity will continued obtaining illegal arms and terrorising the Counties.
The seeds of Future happiness are sawed in the present, Therefore Luo Community should cease from Behavior of Raiding neighbors properties, Lossing Lives and possible displacment, Should they be held accountable for any human sufferings and lives the took way.
Calm came to Jonglei after Gen.Kuol Manyang,Now there is a window of since no body to take action.
Both Commissioners should quit the SPLM convention and rescue Civilians life’s and denounce strong this atitiude.
God Rest the SOuls of those Lives Lost un necessarily
James James
Communities clash in Jonglei over cattle barter, dozens kill
Hi Gatwech and Others:
This is what I have been singing all those years long, Dinka Bor can not tell truth no matter what, why do you think south sudan is in mess? All Bor are liars from journalist to officials through children, women, elderly and the youth, plus their elites as the worse of all from those categories.
You can not convine Bor by word of mouth, all they can listen good and very attentively is bullet and disciple crried out through other means like, flogging and beating with well prepared cow or buffallo skin-whip.
Barter trade is one of the known oldest form of business transaction dated back to 1530 B.C, I don’t think either Nuer or Bor civilian of 2008 don’t know how to exchange their cows to the extend of reaching to full scale fight as our liar journalist tried to falsified.
This is really chocking for somebody branded himself as journalist to report to the world such kind of disconnected news, shame on him.
Anyway,let just push on and see, because this is not actually first time Mr.Gatwech, as you mentioned, even the killing of those innocent Murle patients in hospital beds, were shamefully construed, without tears on his eyes, our journalist Philip termed those patients as those who were wounded at that very fighting between Bor and Murle, while those patients were in that hospital for months and non of them suffered from gunshot wounds. Our journalist don’t know truth, and I don’t think he was trained well in this field.Even the name of those who fought with Lou Nuer was not clearly released, all we saw was Duke community, wondering where the Duke Community really belong ethnically. I think it was fair enough for our journalist to say simply Dinka Bor from Duke and Lou Nuer fought for detailed info.
Well, well my Bor student, please study good to change that kind of dangerous mindset within your community for you to regain normalization with your peace loving neighbours like Lou Nuer, Murle, Anyuak, Mundari, Alyab and Lokoro.
I hope you are working hard to become honest tomorrow.
God bless.