MPs march out of Jonglei parliament protesting land bill
By Philip Thon Aleu
July 3, 2008 (BOT TOWN) – Members of Parliament, from Greater Bor Counties disappointed by Land Bill debate, marched out of Jonglei State Legislative Assembly Wednesday to “avoid wrong record.”
State Legislative Assembly moved a motion to expand State capital Bor Town’s land to: length – 24 miles and width – 8 miles (from 8 miles and 5 miles respectively) but Bor MPS say the motion is not significant.
Makuach Payam MP, whose Payam host Capital Bor Town together with Anyidi Payam, was quick to react.
“The land given to the State is not used or completely distributed to the people. Why should we debate to enlarge Capital when there is enough land?” Makuach MP Maker Chol Adol (photo) told reporters on Wednesday.
Kolnyang, Anyidi, Makuach, Baidit and Jale Payams MPs of Bor County say they protested because the debate was “fooling” them to signing a new in-creditable bill.
“There is no proper explanation as to why the capital should be given more land,” Chol Adol lamented.
MPs from Duk and Twich East Counties jointed Bor County MPs shortly before the State Lawmakers could vote. However, MPs and Ministers who backed the motion advanced and voted for 24*8 square miles of State Capital’s Land Bill and signed by the Speaker.
REJECT OR RESIGN
Greater Bor elders hailed MPs for taking “good decision” and thus serving the interest of the community. “They (MPs) should not accept that Bill (Land Bill). And if the state do not change her decision, then they should relocate the Capital from Mading Bor,” an elder identified as Alier said here on Thursday in a comment. The elder criticized those who backed the Land Bill and call for their resignation.
“If you want to sell our land for your position, please go,” he said.
The state-owned land of 8*5 miles is not completely surveyed. Hundreds of homes in Bor Town are temporary erected in accordance with the State government instructions to “avoid loses.” “If you want to build a permanent house, it should be after the surveying. Anyone whodon’t listen will loss that property,” Governor Kuol told a public rally on June 4 to warn those who ignore and go ahead constructing houses and shops in unsurveyed areas.
A move to increase the area of the town has thus comes as surprise to the residents given that the “little land” is not completely utilized. “What do they want to do with land when they have failed to distribute the one available,” a town resident identified as Ayom told Sudan Tribune on Thursday.
If the latest land bill – passed Assembly and signed by Speaker Judy Boris is endorsed by the Governor, land under the control of State will includes Pariak in the South, Makuach and Mareng villages in the East, Pan-de-Maketh, Caar-Akeu and part of Biong villages in the North of Bor Town.
(ST)
Kur
MPs march out of Jonglei parliament protesting land bill
Do I really understand the problem here? No. Both the government and the land belong to the people. It is therefore naive to protest against yourself.In your house, you sit anywhere you want. So the government and the people of Jonglei State can use the land as they wish to serve their interest.The capital must expand as far as the population is growing.When the capital expands, that is the sign of development. Hence, pleas try to adjust to the fact that all the land belongs to the government and the authority can use it for the services that benefit the people.
James
MPs march out of Jonglei parliament protesting land bill
Hi folks:
James James is back with huge greetings to everyone in the board. I think everybody is happy to see me back in order to warm this boring forum up again.
Concerning the topic, I am 190 percent with the governor in support of the motion. Bor residents must bear in minds that, when capital city fall into your area, there are normally loses and benefits all in parallel. Residents always lose land and benefit from the social amenties obserb by the city.
For that matter, Bor civilians must yield to the government legislation and move out of the villages for the government to take over before making it worse. Know also that, Jongolei citizens like me have not yet got building plots in Bot town and we actually need big land there.
However, that need to be taken very carefully and with peace as a guide in this issue.
I hope everybody understand.
God bless.
Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
MPs march out of Jonglei parliament protesting land bill
This is very interesting to see that those of Bor are becoming aware about the importance of land and I can imagine that they mighty have copy this from their master who just ignored their crazy behaviors toward Madi and Bari land. It is always importance that those who are still behind should copy from those who are beyond the standard of human characters, I would like to thank Mr Ayom for giving those blinds a right idea about how a land should be maintain, because this is them same to the issue of Dinkas in Bari land under their leader Kiir who intend to own a land by force by intending to say that he was after development meanwhile he was aiming to occupy Equatoria by his ignorant, how big is Juba at the moment before we can make further development,why can’t we show some skills with the little space/land we have around Juba instead of talking about owning a land around 24 Miles,what a joke? this is absolutely stupid because anyone cannot agree to it with out seeing some examples which would reflect their eyes to believe your plans. Can any one imagine since we beat a drum of justices about land issues in Equatoria did Kiir attempt to say a word if those issues were not obvious intended? Sorry it is a bad lack if you own a father who does not support your concerns. Keep improving Bor it is obvious that the peace btn Mundari and Bor has brought a real key for development to Bor people and improvement I appreciate that peace, no matter although we are not getting enough financial benefit for development in current tribalism empower,yet it is good to see that the blinds are improving by heading into a right direction. Thanks to Equatorians for bringing those people in to open World.NB people shed blood and lost lives around the World because of land and “land” is not an easy thing.
peace to come
Bior-Makech
MPs march out of Jonglei parliament protesting land bill
Iam very sorry to hear that our MPs are repeating what has been happening in Juba and some places in the south. Dear citizens, Town is not like cattle camp whereby certain clan have right to use it. Don’t fool these villagers from knowing the truth. You have right to be given A plot as citizen but not to deny the expansion of Bor town.Expansion of Bor town is also expansion of development.Please listen to this advice otherwise Parliament has right to see you individually, who disobeyed the parliament’s law.
TRUE SON FROM BOR
Chol K.Thon
MPs march out of Jonglei parliament protesting land bill
Hi everybody! Is this democracy or some thing? Democracy is not only about carrying up hands but also has to do with explaining your hands.Philip Thon, what argument do these MPs from outside BOR have for their majority vote? Dear readers,how about if the majority voted to have the minority plunged into the waters of the Nile? Why then is the world lamenting the plight of Darfur people when the majority, that is their government in the North, had voted in favor of exterminating them? I hope the point I am making here is loud and clear. Unless the reporter is baised here the hands in question are not rational.To drive lengthwise it can take you at least one hour to cover the area(24 by 8) that is not allowing for the condition of our roads.Is this area not bigger than the area of Juba or khartoum?I believe that not more than 30% of the government owned land has been utilised. What then do we need this big land for? Are we intending to evict our poor villagers from their residence only to replace them with wild animals? Unless you come out and say clearly that you have a hidden motive you will be thought insensible by the public. Development is not a bad thing if that is what the land is for but first utilise the land you own otherwise this can be seen as a form of corruption(land grabbing) when the vice has already been thriving in the state.
Thanks to the minority of the MPs who elaborately support their position with reasonable argument i.e there is unused land in the possession of the government.Please majority, rethink your position.Tell us you want to build schools, hospitals or government offices which are too big to be erected on the 8 by 5 land and you will be surprised to notice that people like me are behind you.
David D. Mayom
Members of Jonglei State Assembly vs. Residents of Greater Bor Counties
“MPs Marched out of Jonglei State Parliament Protecting Land Bill”
The inherent power of the Jonglei State to seize citizens’ private property of the residents of Greater Bor Counties without owners’ consent is the violation of land ownership rights. The debate over what is known to us the Land Bill, passed on Wednesday, July 02, 2008 by the Jonglei State Legislative Assembly is whether Jonglei State has eminent domain power and reasonable evidence related to public health and safety to take control the use of land in Pariak, Makuach, Mareng, Pan-Maketh, and Caar-Akeu for the public use. The Jonglei State’s Power under the Land Bill legislation to control of Pariak in the South of Bortown, Makuach, and Mareng villages in the East, Pan-Maketh, Caar-Akeu, and other parts in Biong area in the North of Bortown isn’t convincing in any merits. The Jonglei State legislative Assembly passed this Bill, the Land Bill to expand the state owned land of 8 miles by 5 miles to 24 miles by 8 miles in the name of public use. The government can only take private land to build schools, roads, hospitals, etc, but this is not what is happening here. The MPs and Ministers are yearning to take control of these pieces of land in order to build their own homes and shops for rental purposes like what have happened in Marol Market, where State’s officials took control of market and rented space out to traders.
Under its power, the government can pass laws aimed at protecting public health and safety, but here we don’t see that the public health, safety, or general welfare is in danger in any manner, that would require State Assembly to act immediately to protect the public health and safety. The reason behind the passage of the Land Bill was not based on the reason of acquiring these pieces of land for public use, but for few people wealth. Neither the members of the Jonglei Parliament nor the Governor of the State work hard to pass the Land Bill for the public use, but instead for their own financial benefits like what have happened in Marol Market.
If indeed the State wants to take control of the land use in the above mentioned area, there must be a rational basis that is reasonably related to the public health or general welfare of the public. For instance, when a new public highway, school, hospital is to build, the Jonglei State must decide where to build this highway or school or hospital and determine how much pieces of land is needed, then consult the land owners. But this legislation lacks that. As a result, we, the residents of Greater Bor Counties conclude the motives behind the Jonglei State Legislative Assembly to take control the pieces of land in Pariak, Mareng, Makuach, Pan-Maketh, and Caar-Akeu is not as persuasive as it should be, due to the fact that the State already owned 8 miles by 5 miles land which is not being utilized at present. If the State wants more pieces of land for further development, why not utilize 8miles by 5 miles first before demand more pieces of land for further expansion. The reality of the matter is, these MPs and Ministers want to have these pieces of land for their own benefits like what we seen in Marol market rather than for public use and we can’t allow this to happen any more. Enough is enough.
The author of this article is a resident of Bortown and can be reached at [email protected] .