Lou Nuer vision and Jonglei’s chaos

By Chol Deng Yol

October 1, 2009 — First and foremost, I would like to send my condolences to the bereaved families of the deceased nationals, both from Lou Nuer and Duk County during Duk Padiet attack.

Lou Nuer Youth or rather call it a Lou community have already defined their own destiny prior to Sudan forthcoming Election and Referendum. It sounds imprudent for the Lou Nuer Youth to have denied existence of alleged militia in their clan while in military formations. Many lives have been claimed by the Lou Nuer insurgency across Jonglei State. Lou Nuer youth are at war with Jikany (of Upper Nile state), Gaweer, Anyuak, Murle and Bor Dinka. Moreover, Lou Nuer Youth are known for intermittent attack to all the neighboring communities.

I read through the Lou Nuer memo dated September 25,09 to South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit and I quoted, “We want the First Vice President of the Republic of the Sudan and President of the GoSS, and Jonglei State Governor to legally prove the existence of militias in Lou-Nuer area which both of them had openly aired on Media on Monday, September 21, 2009 (SSTV and Sudan Radio Service). The key word here is not ‘Militias’ as though, but ‘Rampant Sporadic Killing’ as practiced by the Lou Nuer Community against other innocent civilian across the state.

Traditionally, as usual cattle raiders would always target cattle camps unlike the recent which targeted church pastors and government administrative centers, resulting into mass killing of government armed forces, children and women. Where on earth does a community mobilize youth to attack its own government towns and they refused to be described as “Militia”.

It’s relatively undisputable that Lou Nuer has militias. Some of the evidences are the presence of ‘Jech Mibor’ (White army), a former clan militia group that was formed to provide security to the Lou Nuer Communities before the signing of CPA up to date. After the signing of CPA, all militias in Sudan were asked to either joint the SPLA or SAF. Reintegration of all other armed groups into either SAF or SPLA went successfully except the Lou Nuer ‘Jech Mabor’ that eventually compellingly resisted SPLA forceful Disarmament in 2006 which resulted into many of them killed.

However, it’s known that elements of ‘Jech Mabor’ militia groups are still mobilizing and recruiting children into their military defenses, to causing havoc in Jonglei State and across. This illegal army call millitia and conamed ‘Jech Mabor’ in Nuer’s language played a significant role in 1991 Bor massacre and the same then spirit has been passed down to date. Have ‘Jech Mabor’ being reintegrated in SPLA or SAF? No. Lou Nuer Youth who attacked Duk Padiet were militia. Period!

And that Lou Nuer raided Khorfulus’ SPLA garrison, looted thousands if not million of sophisticated weapons, to terrorize other communities. With this in mind, where on earth can a single community break into the National army arsenal prowling weapons of self- destruction and they refused to be termed as militias?

Before recent Lou Nuer attack on Duk Padiet, Jonglei Deputy Gov. H.E Hussein Mar went to Uror County to quench down the already planned insurgency by the Lou Nuer Youth. His phone conversations with the Militia leader, Chibetek Mabil were futile as Mabil failed to recognize him as a leader. A community that refuses political advice from their leaders is always a disgrace to the government and deserves to be called militia. Though Lou Nuer grieves are prejudices but their grievances should been handle through the State political chain of command rather taking law into their arms.

One of the Lou Nuer recommendations to the Jonglei State government was to ensure freedom of movement of communities, investors, and government services to every corner of Jonglei State. This sound good but presented in a controversial manner. How can investors put their money into community (ies) that believed in erratic killing of women and children? How do Lou Nuer Youth expect the government, whom they failed to heed it advice, to bring services when they are not peacefully organized for it? It’s yet one thing to know that development does not only lie in the hand of government but mostly with community initiatives.

Govrnment of South Sudan (GOSS) has established over 200 primary schools and primary health care centers across Lou Nuer counties. It would have been good had Lou Nuer sent these teenagers to schools rather than teaching them how to kill neighbors. They also got killed at front lines particularly in wars resulting into delimitation of community if not county future leadership.

To say that South Sudan army take Dinka’s side is another misunderstanding and misinformation. SPLA is a national army and will always remain a skillful army of the people. There is no way this professional army can be used to fight Lou Nuer as a community. The Sole concept here is, SPLA got deployed to all counties in Jonglei state to provide security. There are SPLA forces in Yuai and Akobo County as well, deployed after Mareng (August 2, 2009) incident by Murle tribesmen. Did the SPLA attack Murle after Nyandit incident in Mareng? SPLA deployed to Duk Padiet, were not intended, to fight Lou Nuer Youth as misunderstood but to safeguards Lou Nuer property and lives against foreign invasion should any incident happen on the way. This move by the GOSS deserves appreciation by the communities in calming insecurity transversely in Jonglei State. Why does Lou Nuer feel apprehensive of SPLA deployment to Duk and Uroor if they are not militias? If Lou Nuer called for simultaneous disarmament across the state, whom does they expect to implement this program if not the SPLA?

And yet another poor/cheap politics is call for relocation of state capital! Lou Nuer recent attacks on Twic east and Duk County has no connection with Bor being the State Headquarters for Jonglei Counties. Nevertheless, it worthy not mentioning it (capital relocation) as one of the grievances.

However, calling for Jonglei state Headquarters relocation to a neutral vacuum, perhaps to heaven, a neutral ground which will not be owned by any community and accessible to all communities, does not mitigate current situation. They (Lou Nuer Youth) should have asked GOSS to divided Jonglei State into two States, So that the new state will be named ‘Lou Nuer state’.

Most of the shops and kiosks in Bor Town belong to Lou Nuer businessmen. Almost each Lou Nuer individual working and living in Bor got pieces of land to live in as their permanent plots. Analyzing the Jonglei state government (JSG) and line Ministries, Lou Nuer outnumberes other tribes in posts. Lou Nuer has to be realistic in fair dealing if they cannot afford politically to enthrone the current On-sitting state governorship. There is no need of embarrassing our state Jonglei for individual benefits.

The State government of Jonglei is doing its best particularly to the Lou Nuer communities by mobilizing and facilitating relief food and non food items to the victims of Mareng incidence in Akobo. Moreover, JSG through the SSRRC (South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitations Commission) have been facilitating return of individual displaced persons to their Counties of origin. However, through the help of UNMIS Choppers, JSG has coordinated air transfer of SPLA troops to Yuai and Bielkey (Akobo). As this was not enough, Jonglei Gov. H.E Kuol Manyang Juuk apprehended and brought to book the killer of former SPLA Officer in Bor. Where does the question of taking Dinka’s side by army or government comes in? The culprit is currently custody in Bor awaiting trials. And the world is axietously waiting to hear killers of people in Duk and Wernyol from Lou Nuer to hand in for trails. When will Lou Nuer learn how to live in solidarity with others and learnt how to appreciate additional supports by their Government?

Then here reads another part of the letter: “The road to three counties of Lou-Nuer was closed by the Twic East and Duk Counties to prevent food aid and developmental strategies from reaching people in Lou, and the State Government sat silently without doing anything, which sent strong message to the Lou-Nuer Community that the State Authority is cooperating with the people of Twic East and the Duk Counties.”

This statement is disgusting and I disapproved its tone of exaggerations. When was the last time Twic East County involved in such dirty dealings? Every dry seasons, Lou Nuer cattle traders often have their “Cattle Auction Market” in Panyagoor (HQs of Twic East). Nobody from Twic East had ever dare loot Lou cattle since inception. There has never been a day Lou Nuer traders transiting from Bor to Lou areas have been ever attack or embarrass along Twic East terrain except in that one Duk County. Confusing Duk with Twic East County doesn’t sense at all. This also question the intergrity of composition of Lou Nuer association! Each County in Jonglei has to carry its own cross alone.

Lastly but not the least I concur with Lou Nuer Youth that the JSG and GOSS should start implementing simultaneous disarmament throughout Jonglei State and Southern Sudan at large without singling out one community. Any further resistance by a community to SPLA simultaneous disarmament should be treated forcefully to save lives across Jonglei state. If there are millitia in Lou, there will be approve but no mere writing of letters in Juba

The author lives in Twic East, Jonglei state and can be reached at [email protected]