Nuer silent majority at its worst.

Nuer silent majority at its worst.
Luk Kuth Dak,
Congratulation brother for your well said and transparent message to members of your community.We southerners need people like, who don’t take side but to condemn or criticized what’s wrong a nationalist.

even though i ‘m not a member of your community, i like the way you have put your writing so boldly.I often times commanded that there are good nuer citizens, who are wise enough to save this struggling nation.

I am hoping if other nuer intellectuals and civilians alike with such wisdom stand up in every angle of their community.i think can come gradually till our people are transform from wrong thinking and actions to a better peace loving citizens.In order for build this nation,it’s a responsibility of each and every citizen of South Sudan to make this country safe and shine like the rest of the world do.

Thanks for your bold message
Please do more whenever you have time.

Nuer silent majority at its worst.
Dhaaluak,

Luk Kuth Dak is simply an opportunistic job seeker. He wants to please his future bosses by such articles of betrayal in order get their attention and give him a position.

Now you congratulate him for being a “wise” Nuer. Where is a wise Dinka to correct the foolishness exercised every day the Dinka?

Please read that bad story of so-called Dinka Police Station in Nimule. You will never see the slave hearted Luk Kuth Dak writing about that.

It is foolish to condemn the patriotic move of 1991 that turned around the movement to self-determination and independence. Only foolish people will not appreciate that move which they today enjoy their fruits.

Don’t entertain a culture that bites the hand which feeds you.

If the BBC could congratulate Dr. Riek Machar for the achievement of independence based on his 1991 call for self-determination, and they are foreigners, why would foolish southerners refuse to accept the reality that has come as a result that move?

Pathetic!

2.5 million people died because of John Garang’s war to keep Sudan united, and may be few thousands from Bor Dinka died because they resisted the call to self-determination.

Nuer silent majority at its worst.
Mi Diit,

We need some explanations, how did Riek brought about the right of self-determination?. The whole of Africans continent as well as our former enemy knows that Riek is always a weak leader.

LEAVE Luk alone, a lots of books have been written by Southern Sudanese and foreigners alike about Riek’s political betrayal to the people of Southern Sudan and to the Nuer community in particular. You will never rewrite the history. Mark it down.

Nuer silent majority at its worst.
Alier,

I hope you are not another liar like that of your uncle in Khartoum.

The BBC during the independence celebrations interview congratulated Dr. Riek Machar for the self-determination which has brought the independence. They did not congratulate you, Kiir, Garang or Luk Kuth Dak.

Many books are written by South Sudanese and foreigners telling the very history of self-determination, how Garang joined it in 2002 and the first time it got into the Sudanese constitution in 1998. Maybe you are not a good reader of books. The latest one is that written by Dr. Lam Akol. It came out last week and those of us in the diaspora already got it.

The BBC reminded the whole world in that interview with Dr. Riek Machar on focus on Africa programme that it was Dr. Riek Machar who brought independence through self-determination.

Just keep on arguing for the sake of it. The world will see you as foolish without good reasoning.

Nuer silent majority at its worst.
Mi diit,

I am a well informed person, don’t waste your time on the pretext that self-determination was brought by Riek Machar, we all know how he went about with SPLM/A Nasir which later became SSIM/A.

The point is;Dr John Garang signed the peace which earned him the title of the founding father of RSS. Riek tries in KPA but failed like the previous peace. uninform Nuers will continue to follow Riek till the end, but the pride of history was awarded to Dr John during the independent celebration on July 9th.

What matter in politics kid in the end is whether you have achieved your aspiration. Self-determination is not given on the golden plate, let the people of Darfur have it if its given for granted.

How many towns did Riek captured from the SAF that earned him a respect to be granted a right of self-determination on the negotiation table? NON, you know that. Self-determination was not Riek invention either, it was the Southern aspiration since the 1947 Juba conference, 1955 Torit rebellion. It was not something new in the political arena of South Sudanese politics. The question was; how can the people of South Sudan be granted their right of self-determination?.Dr John answer was that Southern Sudan can get her aspiration by achieving the balance of power with the Sudanese government.

He rightly did it by arming the SPLA to the teeth, while Riek failed miserably to armed his troops read (SPLM/A Nasir)book by lam Akol.

Nuer silent majority at its worst.
Dear God in heaven.

You are doing Good things for south Sudan.

Now God In heaven is opening the eyes of those who cannot see the evil and tell him that he is a evil.

God you are great and we are saying thank you for make those people who fail to know their wrong doing.

Everyone of them has now accepted their wrong doing but you are great and you will make the remain deffenders of wrong to reveal that they are doing wrong to our people.

God You are big and great which mean you have a power to reform the deform people who love to cover the wrong and peretend that they are doing or were doing right things to the South’s people.

Nuer silent majority at its worst.
The “New Sudan,” vision and its effects on Southern Sudanese unification

By: Kim Deng, Bilpam, South Sudan

The 1955 Torit mutiny marked the beginning of the 17 year old bush war that was ended by the defunct Anya Nya I and by the Anya-Nya II insurgencies from 1975-1983, were fought on the principle of the right of self-determination-meaning the establishment of an independent and sovereign State in the South. When the Addis Ababa Accord of 1972 was signed as an attempt to bring the country its first civil war [1955-1972] between the government and the rebel’s movement [SSPLM/A] to an end, there was pocket of Anya-Nya One elements who doubted about the implementation of the Accord due to lack of commitment and seriousness from government side.

These few separatists remained in the bush despite the Accord until many other soldiers rejoined them after Akobo mutiny in 1975 spearheaded by Vincent Kuany Latjor before Bor and Ayod mutinies erupted in 1983 respectively. They became a unified force and carried the name SSLM/A or Anya-Nya II, the only well-known name for many people under the command of CDR. Vincent Kuany Latjor, whereas Bilpam became their Headquarters. There were over 7,000 troops behind SSLM/A [Anya-Nya II] and the objective of their movement was for total separation of the South from the rest of the country unlike SPLA/M with its “New Sudan,” vision.

After the arrivals of “Newcomers,” as Anya-Nya II call them in 1983, two camps were formed within “New-arrivals/Newcomers.” Camp A was under the leadership of Lt. Col. Sammuel Gai Tut Yang, Mr. Quot Atem and CDR. William Abdalla Chuol Deng. Meanwhile, Camp B, led by Col. Dr. John Garang, CDR. Kerubino Kwanyin Bol and CDR. William Nyuony Bany. The factious between the two camps it is noteworthy mentioned and it was due to two critical following factors. 1) What should be the sole objectives of the movement and its principles? 2) Who shall lead the movement (SPLA/M?) Camp A, proposed that, the objective of the movement shall be “self-determination-meaning complete separation of the country into two independent and sovereign states juxtaposition with Egypt and the North along the Nile Valley and the movement SPLA/M shall be led by Mr. Kuot Atem follow by Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut ,” instead Camp B, did not only rejected that proposal, but came up with its own ideology, an ideology of “United Socialist Secular/New Sudan, and the leader of the movement shall be Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut Yang follow by Col. Dr. Garang.”

It took the two camps few months before camp B rushed to use force against camp A due to fact that, the Ethiopian government which sealed a conspiracy and surreptitious deal with Garang against the separatists was acting behind the scene rather than being a mediator between the two rivals. From their last meeting CDR. Rhino William Nyuony Bany who doesn’t care about the human life pulled out his pistol and hold it with his right hand while pointing it at Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut and CDR. Cobra Abdallah William Chuol Deng, and said “from today onwards, anyone who appears to oppose Dr. Garang’s leadership and the objective of the movement ‘New Sudan,’ must not be silenced by talks, but bullet.” Camp A, took technical withdrawal from the area (Itang) without a fight just to avoid casualties within the town and to give camp B more time to reverse its dead-end judgments toward South Sudan issues.

To make the matter worse, after Col. Dr. Garang’s group secured its position against Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s group, the seizure of Lt. Col. Samuel’s group by Mr. Marxist-Leninist Garang group did not satisfy Garang’s appetite, but went further and channeled his doom plan to annihilate the [Anya-Nya II] in Bilpam by force due to fact that this secessionists’ movement shared the same principles and objectives with camp A. Therefore, to secure the “New Sudan,” vision fully, “the Anya Nya II HQTRs, Bilpam must be destroyed and/or dislodged from its foundation,” Garang declared. And on other hand, Mr. Mengistu Hailemariam of Ethiopia, a man who got separatist rebels’ movements [Woyane & Shabiah] in his own backyard seemed to forget that his government had her own chestnuts roasting in the store for it, impose his socialist ideology on southern Sudanese and that mission must be fulfilled by someone who believes in that vision; “Dr. Garang must be the right person,” according to calculation of “Dergue” regime base on its interests and bipartisan issues between the two allies.

With no regret, the Ethiopian armed forces along with few elements from Garang’s group launched an assault against the Anya-Nya II position in October 1983 which caught them by surprise. The Anya-Nya II headquarters, Bilpam was not only smashed down to ground, but many separatists’ fighters were eliminated and those who caught alive were ordered to dig out their own graves before executed them by firing-squad if they repudiate joining the former Marxist-Leninist SPLA/M. Of course, many deserters from the Anya-Nya II joined Garang’s group conditionally, amongst them; CDR. John Kulang and CDR. Kuach Kang.

There exist relationship between the Anya-Nya II and Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s group came in existence before and after Garang’s group failed to engage Lt. Col. Gai Tut’s Group in dialogues, but in confrontations in Warfield as he [Garang] declared from his under ground rally. Thereafter, Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s group merged with Anya-Nya under his leadership since Vincent Kuany Latjor the first Anya-Nya II leader was caught alive and sent to very isolated World (prison) after his Headquarters, Bilpam was burned down to ash by the two Marxists (Mengistu & Garang). Without Ethiopian armed forces back-up, can Garang’s group alone be attempted to annihilate Anya-Nya II forces in Bilpam?

In war, the skin of Fox is at times as necessary as that of a Lion, for cunning may succeed when force fails. Speaking from his underground rally as mentioned so far, in a message to his disciples, he declared that “the first bullet must be fired against the separatists [Anya Nya II,” as an attempt to impose his self-claimed “New Sudan,” vision on Southern Sudanese and hijacked the movement from its founders [separatists] altogether, coincidence?

A year later, Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s group [SSLM/A [Anya Nya II] who were expelled from Ethiopia came back to engage Garang’s group through dialogues because there exists the great hope from separatists’ side in the vision of reunification of unionists [SPLA/M] and separatists [Anya-Nya II], as it had been the case against the Dergue regime of Mr. Mengistu Haile Mariam of Ethiopia by the two rebel factions (Woyane & Shabiah/separatists and unionists) who accomplished their mission in May 1991 when they waged a war against the “Dergue” regime under unified force. What if the Sudan’s rebels [Unionists & Separatists] put their differences aside since 1983 and confronted the main enemy, the Khartoum government (NIF/NCP) as a unified force? I leave the answer(s) for you.

First, they [Anya-Nya II] camped at Mangok, Chatyier and other surrounding areas on their way toward Achua (Itang) where the talks should have been renegotiated. The SPLA/M was reluctant and not fain or serious to deal with Anya-Nya II in dialogues, but in warfare instead. While the Anya-Nya II was waiting for talks to resume once again after their arrival at Itang, the two allies, SPLA/M and Ethiopian armed forces were planning to encircle the Anya-Nya II forces in order to capture their ringleaders alive and/or eliminate/imprison them. This left Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut with no other option, but to order his troops to withdraw from the town which they have surrounded for more than a week after he learned that, Ethiopian government and the SPLA/M are not interested in peace talks, but war.

CDR. Abdallah William Chuol Deng, a man who fears no man on earth, the human toll was the least of his concerns rejected Lt. Col. Gai Tut’s order and wanted the whole town to be burned down to the ground, this prompted Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut to order some of his soldiers to tie-up CDR. Cobra Abdallah William Chuol Deng. Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut did that not only to avoid heavy casualties which may result mainly on innocent people [women and children] in the town, but also to give Col. Dr. Garang’s group more time to relinquish its poor “New Sudan,” vision for the movement. Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s last word to Col. Dr. Garang and his subordinates after the talks failed in 1984. Mr. Samuel said, “Mr. Garang, you have not anchored South Sudan to your ‘New Sudan’ vision, but you have anchored your ‘New Sudan,’ vision a unified Sudan to South Sudan. In the end, my friend(s), you’ll find it will not work. It will be ghastlier than you can even imagine.”

Mr. Marxist-Leninist Garang’s group viewed Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s group retreat as a defeat of Anya Nya II, and as such; the next step would be “to chase them until their ringleaders are eliminated and/or caught alive.” The second engagement between the Anya-Nya II and SPLA/M at the battle of Thiajak (Adura) was not a big surprise to [Anya-Nya II] and as a result of that clash, the Any-Nya II forces did not only burned down Thiajak which was under the control of SPLA forces at the time, but inflicted heavy loses on unionists’ side, killed many, scattered and pursued those who could run for their safety until they reach Mangok-Chatyier unknowingly. Yet even though, the victory was on the separatists’ side from the battle of Thiajak, a man who loves and value all human being from all walks of life regardless of ethnicities; a man whose vision has been for South Sudan independence; a man who qualified both in politics and military, and above all, the SSLM/A (Anya-Nya II) leader, Lt.Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s life was cut short in that ruthless, aimless and epic conflict between the separatists and unionists just simply because he opposed Mr. Marxist-Leninists Garang’s poor “New Sudan,” vision. This shameful death will never be forgotten for generations to come.

After receiving the bad news, regarding Lt. Col. Samuel Gai Tut’s death, CDR. Cobra Abdallah William Chuol Deng became wild and ordered the Anya-Nya II troops to “fight like mad dogs against the unionists to the last man.” As a result, many lives were wasted from both sides in many engagements, counterattack after another. The SPLA/M activities were blocked by the Anya-Nya II forces across greater Upper Nile until Lt. Gen. Gordon Koang Chuol declared that, “there is no need for Mr. Garang’s “New Sudan,” vision to keep South Sudan hostage, but to reconcile with unionists and challenge Garang’s “New Sudan,” vision within.”

DK. Koat Matthew played a crucial role in that strategic move, but a man of his words and fearless man, Lt. Gen. Lion Paulino Matip Nhial declined the move and said, “I’ll never unite the Anya-Nya II with Marxist-Leninist-SPLA/M under Mr. Garang’s leadership with his “New Sudan,” vision. If I do which I doubt, that will be the day when I walk with my feet upside down.” Which mean, over 80% of Anya-Nya II forces under the command of Lt. Gen. Lion Paulino Matip crossed the great Nile from East Bank to the West side, whereas Mayom became their Headquarters, meanwhile the remaining 20% under the command of Lt. Gen. Rhino Gordon Koang merged with SPLA/M, which gave Garang’s group wide-gauge windows to capture many garrisons and towns from the common enemy [NIF/NCP] included Nasir town itself. Then, what if the whole Anya-Nya II [separatists] merged with SPLA/M [unionists] and confronted the common enemy as a unified force regardless of their differences? With no doubt, Mr. Marxist-Leninist Garang’s self-claimed “New Sudan,” vision was a setback to Southern Sudanese unification since 1983 and it brings many advantages to the main enemy beyond unionists’ imagination.

Nuer silent majority at its worst.
By Gatkuoth Lam

July 3, 2008 — Members of the Dinka Bor community around the world have turned the 28th August a day on which they propagate every year claiming that thousands of their community members were massacred in Bor town in 1991 by the then forces of the SPLM/A-Nasir faction led by Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon.

Dr. Machar defected with Commander Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin and Commander Gordon Koang Chol with their forces in a historic move for better change from the old SPLM/A led by the late, Dr. John Garang de Mabior, which Garang then re-named ‘SPLM/A-Torit faction’ after the split. The move was declared on 28th August 1991 in Nasir town in Upper Nile region. The reasons for the split were clearly articulated by the then SPLM/A-Nasir faction leadership and were understood and still being understood by the concerned people of Southern Sudan in particular and the international community at large. Before the split, the SPLM/A had no clear objective for which the people of Southern Sudan fought and lost two million souls. There were no proper structures put in place for clear responsibilities, which would also guarantee collective decision making in strategizing for the Movement’s programs and executing its war against the Khartoum government. There were also gross violations of human rights by late Garang’s leadership. Dr. Garang was using the Movement as his own property. I will shed some light on these issues in the next paragraphs below.

Since the inception of the SPLM/A in 1983 until 1991, if you asked any SPLA officer what he was fighting for, he would not provide a clear answer simply because he did not know what he was fighting for – or simply say he was not enlightened on the cause of war. I remember when I was in Itang in 1986 and asked a friend of mine who was also a SPLA officer what he was fighting for, he just replied “I don’t know but John Garang knows”. And he continued to say “to me I think we are fighting to liberate South Sudan territory from the Arabs who dominate us.” Even those who thought to be SPLM politicians were not sure about the objective for which the war was launched. And to inquire that from Garang himself for possible correction was deadly.. Tens of thousands of SPLA soldiers lost their lives in battles while not clear about the cause they died for and the destiny they wanted to reach and achieve. This was the pre-1991 situation in the Movement.

There were no proper structures established in the Movement although there were sufficient educated SPLM cadres who could run every necessary structure if established at the time for better strategies on policies and successful execution of the war. Dr. Garang instead established only what he called ‘Political Military High Command’ in 1980s in which he installed semi-literate personalities on most senior positions in that single structure. Dr. Machar was a member of that structure, but intentionally put in the bottom of the list by Garang. The Political Military High Command was mandated by Garang himself to look into matters related to both political and military. The group’s most powerful personalities lacked any political experience and could not even see what was wrong with the objective of the Movement, let alone the importance of establishing a separate structure for SPLM. The way they executed the war was not also professional and this might explain why they could not capture a single major city among the three capital cities of the three regions in the South for twenty one years until the CPA found a way out in early 2005. Worst of all, members of the Political Military High Command could not meet to decide what to do next as a collective body. Many of them did not even know their faces, they just heard of each other’s existence somewhere. Those who were fighting in the battle fields like Dr. Riek Machar in the early years of SPLM/A were depending on orders from Dr. John Garang without their views being put into consideration on how to effectively wage the war.

Late Garang also conspired against his colleagues he perceived to be a threat to his leadership because of they were highly educated. He used to expose PhD holders to battle fields instead of utilizing them to formulate policies for the SPLM as a political wing.

He ordered Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba to attack the government forces with child-soldiers in Jokou town. Dr. Nyaba lost one of his legs in the operation and came back with few survivors of his child-soldiers.

Garang also ordered Dr. Riek Machar Teny, another PhD holder in Strategic Planning in Industry to attack Malut in Upper Nile, which Dr. Machar captured in mid 1980s. After capturing Malut, Garang ordered Machar again to move up to Mayom in Unity state to capture it where the present President of the Republic, Omer Hassen el Beshir was the commanding officer in Mayom before he became the President in 1989. Dr. Machar’s forces got into very fierce battles with Beshir’s forces. His forces wounded Beshir in his leg, but failed to capture the town because they could not get reinforcement.

Late Garang also ordered Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, another PhD holder in Petroleum Engineering to move to eastern Upper Nile to command SPLA forces in the area in 1980s.

Gross human rights violations were committed by late Garang’s forces against a number of ethnic groups in Southern Sudan, which included massacres. One of the worst massacres committed by Garang was the war he launched against the Gaajaak sub-clan of Jikany Nuer in 1985. The war was launched against the whole sub-clan simply because of an argument over fish between a villager of the sub-clan and a SPLA soldier. The villager went fishing with some of his colleagues, caught a fish and was ready to take it home. Some SPLA soldiers came to the river, and as it was common behavior among the forces at that time, wanted to take the fish by force from the villager. The villager resisted and was then shot dead by one of the SPLA soldiers. Villagers from a nearby village heard the gun shot, rushed to the scene and found their colleague dead. They immediately retaliated by killing a number of SPLA soldiers on the spot. The remnants of those soldiers ran for their lives back to Bilpam, which was the then SPLA General Headquarters on the Ethiopian border. They reported the incident at the Headquarters. The SPLM/A leadership was furious and decided that the whole sub-clan be disciplined by wiping them out of their villages. This was how the war against the Gaajaak sub-clan of the Jikany-Nuer started in 1985, resulting in untold massacres of human beings and their cattle.

Many people who used to hear late Garang’s ambitious comments on the territory occupied by the Gaajaak sub-clan before the war knew that the fish incident was used as a pretext for war against the Gaajaak. Dr. Garang used to tell his Bor intellectuals that the territory occupied by Gaajaak was in fact a Dinka Bor land. He used to explain that the Dinka Bor community was displaced from the land during the Nuer expansion from Bentiu in Western Upper Nile hundreds of years ago. Perhaps by wiping out the Gaajaak from the territory, he would have encouraged the Dinka Bor community to resettle in the land so that they border Ethiopia and resolve their current status of being landlocked in the Bor’s tiny territory in Jonglei. He was not happy also with the way the Nuer inhabit a huge territory without being isolated by other tribes – their land which extends from Western Upper Nile bordering the Nuba Mountains in Southern Kordofan in the north across the River Nile in Upper Nile region up to the Ethiopian border in the East.

Dr. Garang dispatched both late Kerubino Kwanyin Bol and late William Nyuon Bany to personally command that war against the Gaajaak sub-clan. For those of you with short-lived memories, late Commander Kerubino Kwanyin Bol was the Deputy Chairman of the SPLM and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the SPLA forces. He was number two to Dr. John Garang. Late Commander William Nyuon Bany was the Chief of Staff of the SPLA forces; the post previously occupied by Comrade Salva Kiir Mayardit and currently occupied by Comrade Lt.. General Oyai Deng Ajak. You can imagine how Garang was determined to entirely wipe out the Gaajaak by letting loose those powerful military commanders to massacre the unarmed Gaajaak sub-clan. Both Kerubino and William went to the battle fields to personally command the fighting. The war resulted into untold losses where thousands of people were killed, several villages completely wiped out and burnt to ashes. However, the SPLA won some of the battles but lost the war against the community! Dr. Garang failed to get the territory back to Dinka Bor community. In that war against a sub-clan, the SPLM/A lost a highly educated son of Southern Sudan, Dr. Francis Ngor, a PhD holder after late Garang ordered him to command a force against the community and his forces were annihilated. He was captured and killed by the villagers on spot.

The two parties finally decided to stop the fighting and came back to the peace table and forgave themselves for the sin. That crime against humanity committed by Dr. Garang against the Gaajaak community might have been forgiven but not forgotten. Of course the Gaajaak community may not file criminal cases in The Hague against those three most powerful leaders of the SPLM/A at the time because they are no longer with us on this earth. I personally ask God to forgive late Garang and his colleagues.

Nuer silent majority at its worst.
Nuer occupation/invasions and their effects on other Jurs (Dinka, Anyuak, Burun…)

The vast area appropriated by the Nuer during the nineteenth century was formerly occupied by a Dinka, Anyuak and Burun population. The fate of this population is one of the most interesting questions pertaining to Nuer expansion. How many Dinka, Anyuak, Burun… were killed by the Nuer? How many died of starvation? How many migrated to other areas? And how many were assimilated into Nuer community?

Although Nuer territorial appropriation had virtually ceased by the early 1800s, the Nuer continued to raid/invade the Dinka for cattle, Anyuak and Burun for land until present.

Three large-scale Nuer raids against the Southern Dinka that took place in 1914, 1916, and 1928 are of particular interest. In each of these instances the Nuer Warriors penetrated over ninety miles into Dinka territory and twice captured over five thousand head of cattle. These raids/invasions were, in many respects, comparable to the initial thrusts of the Nuer during their earlier period of territorial expansion, and document the scale of devastation wrought by Nuer aggression.

During the closing phase of Nuer expansion, the Gaawar and Lou Nuer pushed the Ric, Ghol, and Nyarraweng Dinka south as far as Faijing in present-day Twij County. The Nuer progressively gained the upper hand in these conflicts, and in 1906 launched a large-scale raid on the Faijing settlement that forced the Dinka to withdraw about sixteen miles further south to Kongor. Then in 1908 the Gaawar Nuer attacked the Dinka at Kongor, burning their crops and settlements, killing over a hundred people and took over eighty captives mostly young girls.

In 1908-10, the British sought to end the Nuer occupation toward Dinkaland and established control over the area. A new border between the Nuer and Dinka was established at the favor of Dinka at Duk Padiet, fifty miles north of Kongor, and the Ghol, Ric, and Nyarraweng were awarded about four thousand aquare miles of territory they had previously lost during Nuer expansion. Although a substantial portion of this grant represented an uninhabited no-man’s-land between the Nuer and the Dinka, the Nuer were also required to relinquish territory under active occupation. The Nuer undoubtedly viewed the transfer as a government-sponsored Dinka invasion.

In February, 1910, several months before the Duk Padiet post was established, the Gaawar Nuer attacked a group of Ghol Dinka who had precipitously reoccupied Faijing, kill over two hundred individuals and captured ninety captives along with countless cattle. Less than five days later, a large party of Lou Nuer crossed the government-delineated border and overran the Ghol and Nyarraweng Dinka villages around Duk Padiet, capturing five thousands head of cattle and inflicting “severe losses” on the Dinka populace. The police post at Duk Padiet was also attacked, but the Nuer Warriors were repulsed, losing twenty-six men while killing six policemen and wounding three in the engagement.

The Nuer Warriors raiding party pressed south to within a few hours walk of the government station at Bor, ninety miles deep into Dinka territory. In the course of these raids/invasions they captured “large numbers” of cattle, young women, and children (in addition to the five thousand cattle noted above). In the area under attack, the Bor Dinka “suffered very severely” (ibid.). After a span of less than three weeks, the Nuer Warriors successfully withdrew with their spoils.

Elements of the Ghol and Nyarraweng Dinka who fled the Nuer advance were reportedly harried by the Twij Dinka, who “stole all the women and cattle they could lay hands on.” Two other large groups of Dinka refugees moved north into Nuer territory in an attempt to evade the Lou Nuer onslaught.

In May 1916, the Nuer Warriors again struck deep into Dinka territory, penetrating to within twenty miles of the Bor post. At this point, a contingent of 500 Nuer tribesmen was spotted by Dinka scouts sent out to reconnoiter, and a large number of Dinka accompanied by a Sudanese army officer and some soldiers moved out to intercept them. After initial contact was made, the Nuer retreated with the soldiers and Dinka in pursuit. Employing a stratagem they were to use on other occasions, the Nuer thus drew their antagonists into an ambush. Suddenly, the Nuer Warriors were heavily reinforced and attacked in strength, slaughtering, scattering the Dinka and wiping the army detachment and kill them all to the last man.

The following year (1917) the British launched a major punitive expedition against the Lou Nuer, resulted in heavy casualties have been inflicted on both sides. Few days later, the Gaawar and elements of Lou Nuer launched a large-scale raid that penetrated deep into Southern Dinka territory, following the now familiar pattern established in 1914 and 1916. Seventy villages were burned down to ashes and the crops destroyed, over two hundred Dinka were killed, four hundred young women and children were taken as captives and three thousand cattle taken. A Nuer raiding party with an estimated strength of fifteen hundred Warriors also attacked the government post at Duk Faiwil in the course of this raid. The Nuer succeeded in driving off fifty head of government cattle, but suffered heavy casualties: forty-eight men killed and eighty wounded.

Being further removed from early incursions of the Nuer, the Twi, like the Bor, have suffered far less from yearly raids/invasions and have fattened upon their brother Dinka’s misfortunes. There is no doubt that they (the Twi) regarded the yearly flight for refuge into their country by the Nyarraweng and Ric as a chance for profit and were in the habit of annexing a large percentage of the herds of these tribes when the latter retired disorganized upon them for support.

Dinka alliance with the Nuer had analogous effects. The alliance of a Dinak tribal section with a segment of one Nuer tribe provided security against raids by other Nuer only for that particular Dinka section, and only if the latter lived among their Nuer kin and affine. Moreover, the presence of such Dinka elements within a Nuer tribe did not deter them from raiding other Dinka (including, in some instances, other sections of the same Dinka tribe). Since Dinka refugees were often derived of their cattle by members of other Dinka tribes, they were not reluctant to urge their Nuer hosts to raid/invade the latter.

The Nuer Warriors typically attack a Dinka village at dawn when the cattle are lodged in shelters or tethered near the homesteads. As a result of Nuer Warriors invasions, many Dinka families come into Nuer country to escape hunger and the other attendant miseries to which they have been reduced by constant Nuer raiding/invasion that always leave them cattleless. The Dinka seldom offer any concert resistance, but rather sought to escape with as many cattle as possible. Later a counterattack might be undertaken with the aid of reinforcements from other communities. This strategy of initial withdrawal conceded the destruction of the settlement and in harvest season raids, the loss of grain supplies.

In 1912, the Eastern Jikany Nuer and Lou Nuer undertook their own reprisal against the Anyuak. The Nuer Warrios invasion/raid was directed against the Anyuak villages on the North bank of the Baro/Sobat River from the Ethiopian border to Itang/Achua, a distance about fifty miles. Later reports indicated “All the villages in this formerly prosperous neighborhood have been devastated.

Ten Nuer contigents of three hundred men each could simultaneously attack as many communities and later regroup at one or two captured villages with their stolen cattle to await any counterattack that might be launched. A large [Raik Dinka] raiding surprised a Nuer village and, Dinka-like, sat down to a happy day wrangling over the spoil. It was their last, for meanwhile the Nuer Warriors surrounded them, and in the ensuing panic slaughtered them to the last man.

The discipline of Nuer forces is also demonstrated by a remarkable capacity of continues to press and assault while sustaining very heavy casualties. When, the Eastern Jikany Nuer Warriors were attacked early in 1912 by a heavy armed Ethiopian force of Gala/Oromo and Amhara, intent on taking slaves, the Nuer lost over 100 men in the course of overrunning the invaders’ machine gun emplacement. The invaders’ (Ethiopians) mission was not only failed, but also lost over 300 soldiers and 50 missing. The Nuer also made a number of concerted attacks on fortified government posts. In one instance in which a Nuer raiding party was intercepted by a government patrol, the Nuer lost 85 men in the initial engagement but nevertheless counterattacked the same night and again the following day before withdrawing to home territory.

It is also quite clear that Nuer military domination of the Dinka and other Jurs was grounded in their capacity to field a numerically superior fighting force, and in the organizational features through which mobilization on a large scale was effective. Other aspects of the Nuer advantage were secondary and derivative. Nuer Warriors tactics are relatively simple and straightforward.

Systematic Nuer cattle raids/invasions, conducted on an annual basis, created a periphery of debilitated Dinka communities that yielded readily to Nuer territorial appropriation. Seasoned Nuer raiding parties were pitted against famine-ridden Dinka groups struggling to survive through periods of scarcity resulting from previous raids. Under the circumstances it is not surprising that the Dinka were unable to mount any effective resistance to continuing Nuer territorial expansion.

As this expansion proceeded, displaced Dinka groups were pushed into adjacent areas where they came into conflict with the existing population whose land and grazing rights they infringed. These conflicts undoubtedly contributed to a lack of unity in meeting subsequent Nuer attacks. Successful Nuer cattle raids thus engendered conditions favorable to territorial expansion, and the continuation of this expansion was further facilitated by the aftermath of prior Dinka defeat.

Persons of the Dinka decent form probably at least half the population of most [Nuer] sub-tribes. These Dinka are either children of captives or immigrants who have been brought up as Nuer, or are themselves captives and immigrants who are residing permanently among Nuer. They are “Jaang-Nath,” “Dinka-Nuer,” and, it is said, “caa Naath,” “they have become Nuer.”

There must also have been pockets of the original Dinka, Anyuak and Burun occupants of the country overrun by the Nuer Warriors who submitted and gave up their language and habits in favor of those of the Nuer. At any rate, there are today in all Nuer sub-tribes many small Dinka lineages and village are often named after them (Dinka, Anyuak, Burun…)

Nuer raids/invasions always resulted in the capture of substantial numbers of young women and children. Captives taken by the Nuer always includes boys, girls, and young women of
Marriageable age, but the captives always outnumber the casualties inflicted on Dinka, Anyuak, Burun… by the Nuer Warriors. The loss of a single productive female is thus estimated to reduce her natal population by 3.4 individuals several generations later, and to add a like increment to the population she joins.

The capture of 372 young women and girls a year during the period of 1818 to 1905 would remove 32,625 productive females from the Central Dinka and Anyuak population and thus eventually decrease that population by 110,915 individuals. The capture of 125 boys a year over the same period would decrease the Central Dinka and Anyuak population by an additional 5,250 persons. In sum, the proposed rate of capture would effectively transfer 116,165 persons from Central Dinka and Anyuak population to that of the Nuer.

North of the Sobat River, the British faced even more formidable and intransigent opposition from the Eastern Jikany Nuer who lived along the Ethiopian frontier. They were well armed with rifles and ammunitions from Ethiopia and raid neighbors, the Burun and Koma to the North, the Dinka and Anyuak to the South – as well as Ethiopian tribes in the Western foothills.

Under the command of Lt. Col. Bacon a powerful patrol was finally launched against the Eastern Jikany Nuer from Nasir in January 1920, complete with machine guns and airplanes. The three sections of Eastern Jikany Nuer Warriors attacked the advanced troops; sustaining heavy losses conflicted on both sides including the life of Lt. Col. Bacon. The Jikany Warriors were led by Captain of war, Mr. Mut Dung

The Lou Nuer thus renewed their raids on the Dinka, while the Eastern Jikany Nuer attacked the Burun to the northeast. The later were as yet outside the sphere of British administrative attention and could be raided without interference. The intensity of Eastern Jikany Nuer raids on the Burun later became apparent when the colonial administration began to be extended into this area reporting improved.

There were fifteen raids in 1919 and eight in 1920 before the “Systematic bombing and gunning,” of Eastern Jikany Nuer settlements by the Royal Air Force (F.A.F.) ended the Jikany offensive. In 1927, the Lou Nuer was thought to be planning a major offensive against the Dinka. This prompted a series of government patrols that thought unsuccessfully to arrest the Prophet Guek, believed to be the source of Lou Nuer “unrest.” Government action included the R.A.F bombing of Pyramid of Prophet Ngundeng, which was both a religious shrine and Guek’s home base.

The record of the early colonial period reveals that the Dinka counterattacked Nuer raiding parties only when the later were quite small or when government troops spearheaded the counteroffensive. On two occasions when the Dinka joined the government forces in operations against large-scale Nuer raiding parties, they suffered devastating defeats. A single column which encountered resistance from a combined force of Dinka and government troops withdrew in apparent disarray with the Dinka in hot pursuit, while some of the Nuer Warriors feigned disorderly retreat. The majority ambushed the Dinka from two sides inflicting heavy casualties.

There are no recorded instances in which the Dinka succeeded in countering a large-scale Nuer offensive without government assistance, despite the fact that they were issued guns and ammunitions by the government and hold a strong advantage in this respect. The Dinka were evidently incapable of mounting an offensive counteroffensive that would have tied down Nuer forces in defense of home territory and were likewise unable to recoup their steady losses in cattle and land. The Nuer were thus free to leave their villages undefended while they engaged in extended raids, operating from bases established in conquered Dinka villages. Although a Dinka counteroffensive against undermanned Nuer communities undoubtedly would have curtailed extended Nuer raids and offered highly favorable prospects for capturing large numbers of cattle, there is no evidence that the Dinka ever adopted this strategy. Moreover, the Dinka were unable to mobilize a defensive force equivalent in size to the eighteen hundred men who comprised a large raiding party and were consequently unable to contain their advance.

Lacking the capacity to mount an offensive counterattack, the Dinka, Anyuak, Burun… had no recourse other than withdrawal. Under these circumstances, the rapid Nuer Conquest/occupation of the vast Western Dinka region [Mayom, Mankien…], Southern Dinka region [Nyuong Nuer territory], Central Dinka region [Fangak, Ayod, Waat…], Eastern Dinka, Anyuak and Burun region [Eastern Jikany Nuer and Lou Nuer territory] is not difficult to understand.

Had the Nuer ever wished to occupy the whole greater Upper Nile, from Renk to Mading Bor and from Ruweng/Biemnom to Buma-Gambella, it seems unlikely that the other coward Jurs (Jaang, Teet, Bar, Chai…) could have stopped them.

RS: NUER CONQUEST

Nuer silent majority at its worst.
Hello M’

yes, Luk has written like a nationalistsk but not a tribalist and yes still those with enormity lenses and tribal laders at hand will call it treason but this is patriotism in action.

Great job comrade,Dak – keep on doing the same. we need to change the new Country with new atires on. we have all tried treason before let’s try patriotism now.
Those who are not ready for change; please wait with your silence,if u cant help then to destroy. Thanks a lot.

Nuer silent majority at its worst.
Mr. Kim. your article seems to have some elements that can be acknowledge by any viewer who knows the beginning of SPLA and the history of SouthSudan struggle when English system collapsed in the sudan.

The people you mentioned weren’t initiator of Anya Anya II and when coptain Wilson BOl Kur broke way in 1975,it wasn,t the began of the Anya Anya II movement.

The truth is this Anya Anya II was continuation of Anya Anya One.The Addis Abebe agreement was so quickly and was a suprise to many officers in the front line and which dispaired the movement. So who were refused to join the Agreement that was been signed. They named themselves as Anya Anya II. Its big camp used to remain in Bhar Ghazel and they use to fight with Marraneen and ambushed Sudan Military. The major problem of the Anya Anya II in Bhar Ghazel there were disorganization which Caused assasination of Abur Matoung when he tried to convince the refuser to join him for peace. The same thing in Bilpam worst than in Bhar Ghazel. Makol Deng was their leader and others like Madut Ring and Pagat. The Anya Anya II didn’t had vision they were wonders in bush while they were using the public things by force.

when Nimeri declared the shiriya law in Sudan, Sotherners were divided into three regions which brought weakness amongts thenselves,the digging of canal of Jongkley and the discovery of Bentiu peteroleum had begun shocking people in the South and they become apriority of the talk show for each family during the dinner time in the entire South Sudan.
So Nimeri knew very well when he was visited Bor. Student insulted him for declared shiriya law and he didn’t stayed longer in Bor. He immediatly returned to Kartoum.Two years later he order battalion 114 to replace by other Battallion because there was a rumouse the Southers saying Southerners are planing to make a coup to Nimeri.
Then Kirbino Refused to take order, Dr Garang was also there after Two day before Bor will be Ataken. Actual there was a plan,but Kirbino was made thing quickly his present in May 1 in Juba in 1983 for colecting the soldiers payments and he took more money than normal regular time and it made Nimeri orders to be short for Bor’s ataking. Bor was ataking in May 16 1983. they expel everyone out in the same day.Then Ayoutt was ataken in early June 1983 and changed the internal tactic for coup to depature to Ethiopia because there wasn’t another choice to be make than going to Ethiopia. Dr.John was contating Megistu Maream in the Border in Tirgon and they talked and he went Itang by helichopter. When all the battallion from 114 and 115 were present in Itang Dr John Called for Meeting All the Anya Anya Two, all the leaders you mentiond and they came to the meeting. It was an open talking Dr Garang was interesting to hear from Anya Anya II their obejective for one decade they were in the bush. Anya Anya II didn’t had vision for the struggle. they were disorganize and fail the to shifted their for point of view for good understanding with Garang. So it was a long discusstion, on conclusion they came to the point for voting to elect who will the be lead the New Movement SPLA/M. They voted and Dr Garang won to be a chairman of the SPLA/M. That voting didn’t Pleased Akout Tem with Samuel Gai Tut and part of Anya Anya II and they were try to be scalated, but the security was tight. And they Itang without war, they never came back and they starting to fight Jamus Battation along the way of Sudan.
So my point of writting this is to let you know to review your article. Your article is full for your foverism which is painting the truth history and rewrite the new history which you have begun.Be coution history is there already and don’t be suprised for what you called as Nasir faction that was brought weakness for entire New Sudan if there wasn’t Nasir faction there shouldn’t be war in Nuba Montain or Darfour now. SPLA supposed to capture old Sudan by force. But it became history and will remain to be history and already have diminished Dr. Riek Machar and Dr. Lam Makol so if you will rewrite again think as narrative and write things the way you see at them that it a history. If I asking you what was asiftment Nasir faction did? Your answer may be look like this they fought for South South for self determination which SPLA was the enemy and NIF now known as NCP was the one who was provided the weapons or amunition to Nasir faction to be liminated SPLA while SPLA was fighting the NCP Government.So there was one of the hero the commander Peter Panhom Zanypine when he was talking to his battallion he said yesteday was brighter day for Us today we see Nasir faction commanded us to surrenda to them.They are the darness fight and die well you will be remember if there any one will tell the history. also Nasir faction swaped Bor like water runing in the River Nile and took all the cattle and women and children there were no youth only the old people because Jock Reng was always mobilizer of all Bor youngs to be recruiters as new army every year and that was affecting bor people during struggle. this is history do your part, do your part well.

Nuer silent majority at its worst.
Ya Mii Diit
You need to understand one thing ok!! Dr. Riek Machar was the commander of the Nuer who masacred Bor civilian who left behind by the Bor strong youth who were Busy engage in the War with Arab in Juba. you should note that Riek has claimed the full responsibility of Bor Masacre when he gave his apology to Bor community