Kiir says politicians ignited South Sudan inter-tribal clashes
- Details
- Created on Monday, 13 April 2009 18:01
- Written by Pachodo.org News Room
April 12, 2009 (JUBA) - The President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, said there is serious tribal conflict among southerners today being perpetrated by some politicians who are obstructing peaceful living, despite having avoided tribal fighting during the civil war that lasted for 22 years.
"There was no tribal conflict when we were fighting in the bush," said Kiir during an Easter feast at St. Theresa Cathedral Kator.
Without mentioning names, the president emphasized that some politicians for their own benefit are out to instigate innocent southerners to fight each other, adding that there had been serious tribal fighting in Upper Nile, Jonglei, Eastern Equatoria, Warrap and Lakes states.
Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army, the insurgency that brought Kiir to power, presents itself as a pan-tribal movement that represents all "marginalized" peoples of the Sudan, and it makes "tribalism" a key target of party invective.
After the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), many southern communities rose against each other. Thousands of people have been killed in South Sudan villages yearly despite this accord reached in Kenya on January 9, 2005.
Inter-tribal or community-level violence has been touched off by cattle raiding and resource competition, the uneven advance of civilian disarmament campaigns, competition over stakes in the different layers of the newly established government, and land and grazing rights - matters complicated by massive refugee returns.
President Kiir's remarks today follow a recent meeting of southern opposition leaders in Kenana of White Nile State in northern Sudan, who slammed the South's ruling party for "the continuously deteriorating administrative, security and political situation in Southern Sudan."
In his address, Kiir appealed to southerners to focus especially on the upcoming general election and referendum in 2011 rather than embracing tribal fighting with their own brothers. He said also that without census results, it would be difficult to know the proper geographical demarcation of constituencies - a reference to the long-delayed publication of the census outcome.
The president further advised southerners to fully defend implementation of the CPA in letter and spirit. Otherwise, he warned "it seems some external enemies are instigating and would very much like to destroy the CPA the same way they did for the Addis Ababa accord of 1972."
He told the congregation of his successful mission in solving tribal conflict between Shilluk and Dinka in Malakal that occurred during the celebration for the fourth anniversary of the CPA in the presence of himself, the president of the Republic, and local and international invited dignitaries.
At least nine were killed in the Shilluk-Dinka clashes in January 2009. Malakal also witnessed an unrelated, deadlier incident the next month during a stand-off between SPLA military units and forces loyal to a former southern militia leader who is now a major general in the Sudan Armed Forces, leaving 57 dead.
Those who clashed during the January celebration in Malakal have accused President Kiir of becoming a Dinka chief, Kiir said. This admission might indicate his inability to mediate the local conflict, which relates to land rights in the town.
Earlier, Archbishop Paulino Lukudu Loro said Easter is the most important event in Christianity because Lord Jesus Christ has overpowered death and then he appeared to early disciples who had been about to lose hope in God.
The archbishop urged Christians to believe in Jesus' resurrection and to keep on renewing faith in the risen Lord who commanded his disciples to proclaim the good news to the entire world. Hence the entire congregation renewed their baptismal promises, led by the church official who today has served 39 years as a catholic priest.
Loro appealed to Sudanese to elect right persons in right places who also cherish the interest of the people. Be it president, ministers or legislators, all are people who should work with sincerity as Easter commands all people of God to be truthful in all their doing, he said.
Despite heavy rain, tens of thousands faithful Christians turned out to celebrate the Easter feast at St. Theresa (Kator) Cathedral that started late at 12.10 p.m. Sudan local time instead of 11.00 a.m.
Among the faithful was President Salva Kiir Mayardit; Ambros Ringthik, former chief justice; and Samson Kwaje, former seminarian turned minister of agriculture.
Source: http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article30853
Newer news items:
- Tribal Violence rocks Jonglei again: Where's the GOSS or UNMIS? - 21/04/2009
- Dispute over Sudan's Abyei region aired in The Hague - 18/04/2009
- Tribalism Frustrating Peace Work, Anglican Head Says - 16/04/2009
- Matt Dillon on Supporting South Sudan - 16/04/2009
- Ethnic Divisions Complicate Sudan's Census - 16/04/2009
Older news items:
- Happy Easter from Pachodo.org - 12/04/2009
- South Sudan without authentic leader - 12/04/2009
- USSP Position on the postponement of general elections in Sudan - 10/04/2009
- Southerners Synergy at Kenana: A Noble Call for Leadership Change For GoSS - 09/04/2009
- No end to suffering in Sudan, warns bishop - 08/04/2009
-
14-04-2009 03:25:45 |Publisher| Wadawang
-
14-04-2009 07:35:54 |Unregistered| Carlo J Chol
Is this not a big lie from the Salva Kiir.
"He told the congregation of his successful mission in solving tribal conflict between Shilluk and Dinka in Malakal that occurred during the celebration for the fourth anniversary of the CPA in the presence of himself, the president of the Republic, and local and international invited dignitaries".
"Those who clashed during the January celebration in Malakal have accused President Kiir of becoming a Dinka chief, Kiir said. This admission might indicate his inability to mediate the local conflict, which relates to land rights in the town".;D;D;D:'(
-
14-04-2009 14:11:45 |Unregistered| James Okuk
God will punish those who lie in the Church. It is well known that Salva Kiir went to Malakal for a private Monjieng affair of taking the lands of Collo Kingdom that lies in the East Bank of Sobat river and not to resolve any land conflict between Collo and Padang Dinka. Mr. Gos President, say the truth to the people of God in front of their Archbishop and it will set you free, but condone the lies and the troubles will besiege you and your cronies soon. Todays world is no more a stone age where you could lie in one place without being caught in another place. God save Southern Sudan from leadership crisis!
-
14-04-2009 14:30:24 |Unregistered| Oywaj onwar
Ithink it is time that Archbishop Lukudo prevents the Dinka chief salva kiir from using his church to lie to the people of south sudan. Salva in malakal never asked about the shilluk, but instead united the Dinkas against the shilluk this is evident from the signed document in which Collo land was surrendered to the warring dinka sections. How can a president lie? people in juba including lukudo will know soon that Sava never solved Collo-Dinka dispute over Collo land, but grabbed the former's land and gave it to his kins. Concerning the kanana meeting, salva should wait untill Beda brings him the resolutions.Regarding situation in the south Salva is squarely responsible because had never at one time taken a good decision as a leader. the corruption the stealing of the SPLA salaries by his generals,SPLM policies of being dubious regarding the inditement of the president to ICC,if at all there is one person who will destroy the CPA, is SALVA because of his bad governance
-
14-04-2009 14:59:39 |Unregistered| Nyaopun Aban Aban
Shame on you. And who is the masterminder, which is influencing all these atrocities? How many citizens or natives of Gorila village at the top seat both GONU and GOSS? Why do you wants to sequences citric acid leaving lemon juice?
-
14-04-2009 20:15:35 |Unregistered| Abui Wad_dapal
Nyaopun Aban Aban. Thanks a lot to beared Collo's names. Your words are ash with James Okuk. Are you liberating collos' from Jieng or Arabs from sudan? You are not cleared of your critizism where you are heading?
With your knowlegde in Palo know nowhere to go!!!!!!!!!!
-
15-04-2009 14:24:26 |Unregistered| James Okuk
Liberating Arab from the Sudan does not make any sense if Collo land is illegally taken by Dinka of Padang with the help of unconstitutional authority of Salva Kiir and his cronies. How will Collo go to fight Arab at the birders if they do not have lands of their own to start with? Collo should make sure that their land at home in South Sudan is there in the first place before they go out to join other tribes for the liberation of the greater land of South Sudan. Collo gallant forces in SPLA should not fight Arab in Abyei if Collo land is taken by Dinka behind them; they should come back and chase away the occupants first and then later go to fight at the border between the South and the north.
There is no dignified life without land ownership. He who has no home will never have roots and culture and will be carried away by wind and assimilated into others' cultures. No to humiliation and Occupation of Collo Land by Dinka Padang!!!Yes to liberation of Collo land from Dinka!!! East or west; home is the best!
Latest News/Articles
If there is a tribal leader today in South Sudan politics is Kiir himself, more worst than what Abel Alier did and caused to redivision of South Sudan.