Jongeli State should not just be a butchering zone

Atok Dan Baguoot



“Each forward step we take we leave some phantom of ourselves behind”, John Lancaster Spalding".

An initiative of peace and reconciliatory conference between the Murle and the Lou Nuer of Jongeli State to be held in Akobo is a constructive and a total developmental approach to bring lasting peace among the tribes in that volatile state which had been under constant threats of tribal and inter-clan conflicts since the inception of the government of Southern Sudan brought about by the CPA. This cross-board conference will do more helps if it is done to its expectations especially if all the influential citizens of state join wholeheartedly in addressing the conflicts from bottom up through its affiliated historical anchors and roots leaving no stone unturned for the well-being of the citizens.



Little beginning makes big ending therefore; nevertheless, other tribes would have been on board to usher the same direction but bear it that these two major tribes share some common features which distinguish them from their friends of Dinka, Anyuak/Anuak, Kachipo and other minor communities. All these dominant conflicts in Jongeli had not been part of the cultures of these tribes in the state but it had the sources where it was acquired. The genesis of these conflicts dates back to 1983 immediately after the birth of SPLA/M when different nations were raided and overran by external forces from the Sudan government forces causing havoc in all territorial vicinities of tribes. Subsequently, resistance emerged among remnants of Anya Anya 1 and 2 whose social bases were also disrupted by both the SPLA and Sudan armed forces to take over the control of the area.



Being the pathway to Bilpam, Lou Nuer sacrificed all their resources to the well-being of liberation directly and indirectly. Other neighbouring communities did the same alike. It is a clear fact that our movement was nursed using local resources and that why some communities like parts of greater Equatoria found it hard and termed it as Dinka and other tribes not in Equatoria affairs of looting their resources. It was people from greater Bahr el Ghazal and greater Upper Nile who responded promptly first to the SPLA war whistles. They were seen as revenging the Kokora when they first came to Equatoria. Likewise, areas of Lou Nuer, Murle, Gawaar and Gatjaak, while not forgetting Anyuak resistances to external depletion of their resources. But until late that the message was fully realized as something worth positive responds.



While, historical resistance of Lou Nuer to colonial governments’ also added flavour to fresh defenses of their territories. It was in Lou Nuer country that a first warplane was knocked down using big rounded-head stick. I might either sound naïve because of weak historical evidences and an exclusiveness of other nationalities whose contributions along the Bilpam ways overridden. The genesis of all these tribal conflicts stemmed as a respond to external aggressions. Each and every tribe was defending its resources and as a result that tribal myopic and shortsightedness rooted in the cultures of peace loving communities among the Southern Sudanese whom Arabs north now branded as anarchists unable to govern themselves yet it was due to their hash treatments which bred hostile habits.



Peace is among the rare gifts African religion is endowed. Hostility towards neighborhoods was deemed as a curse in one life especially when one does portray habits of jealousy, hatred and gossiping causing mayhems among people of different clans. In order to realize peaceful coexistence among tribes, there is need for joint and comprehensive participation of all the tribes and more so the participation of all the political class. To realize total peace, let all governments grant permission to all influential leaders, politicians, religious leaders, youth and everybody to have their inputs in ushering new era of peace in Jongeli. We are tired hearing news of deaths every now and then.



The impact of this postponed peace conference if done to its spirit shall be reflected in our daily affairs and it will be what our grand children shall praise us for. “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them”. For us to have a generation that survives the dreams of their founders, we ought to be more than just exemplary so that we are imitated well or end up being imitated as we do.



I know, it is easier to fight for principles than to live up to them but it should be within our core objectives that we exemplify our efforts so that we are not seen by our kids as selfish liberators who liberated not for the generations but for their own bottomless pits they never filled. As the slogan of leadership is to have visionary legacy, there is need for visionary legacy for Jongeli Kids too.



Lastly, the impact of the postponed peace if done later on would be nothing other than amelioration of sufferings of people. Jongeli state should not just be a butchering zone where precious innocent human beings are slaughtered like outcast creatures on no account but tribal incitement of which none benefits but all as victims. Bear with me that we normally regret equally whenever messages of deaths reach our senses so, why can’t we bear equal task to curb the vice wholeheartedly and rejoice equally. It is too useless to keep on blaming and pointing accusatory fingers to wrong people of bad omens which happen to us yet we are self witnesses. Let hold ourselves responsibly.



Atok Dan is a journalist working with Southern Sudan Radio & TV; he is reached at atokfuture@gmail.com