update about situation in Malakal

Dears brethren,

Greetings, the situation is lowing down a bit and agressive community have quit their homes to unknown places. Two days ago Collo in Malakal have big meeting to express their opinions and it was agreed that they should present their position in written form to the Governor of state and even to the President of south who is still silent up to now.

 

Please find the attach document.

Thanks,

Your brother

Rev. Amum

 

South will not taste peaceful co-existence with this illusion mentality

By Daniel A. Odwel

 

Tribes in south Sudan seem unaware about their true enemy, many people think that there enemy is Arabs (Jallaba) but the truth of matter is that our enemy is our illusion mentality of tribalism disease that is more destructive then the liberate war we fought for period of more then fifty years. To me all lives which were lost during devastated war were lost for nothing, because the history seems to repeat itself. Why during Addis Ababa Agreement Dinka brought division in Juba which was called Kokora that resulted from their mismanagement, nepotism, discrimination, favoritism, and claim that they were born to rule.

The same problems which occurred in eighties are happening today in south Sudan. People fought liberation war with hope that Dinkas could have learnt from previous mistake but that assumption was in vain Therefore, the question which needs to be answer is this, did we fought deadly war with so called Arabs in North so that Dinkas can have control over every piece of land in south  whereby they wish?

The idiom of Dinkas slogan that said they were ''born to rule'' is great obstacle, if is not going to be bury nothing will make south to progress and achieve any development. The unity will be impossible and separation will be more impossible, many ethnic communities in south Sudan now become more skeptical about the behaviors of Dinkas. Others may decide to join the common enemy to let instability to continue, for there is no point to remain under Dinkas yoke. We are all aware that every family had paid price in liberation war, how come one ethnic community dominates the affairs of south?

The problem in Malakal goes back to early eighties, when the commissioner of Jongelei Province, Michael Mario claimed that his border with Upper province is in the middle of River Sobat. This aggressive ambition fuel up Dinkas to think that all Collo lands in west side of Sobat belong to Jieng

In order to avoid clashes between two communities who live in peace for century ago, in 2006 I wrote an open letter to the President of southern Sudan Government to defuse the tension which was caused by commander George Athor by refusing Collo not to construct their houses and he allowed Dinkas to build in Collo lands but up to this moment the President of Southern Government, Salva Kiir did not take any step to resolve the problem.

Dinkas who immigrated to Collo land during the war era refused to go back to their home areas, because of misinterpreting the article in interim constitution of southern Sudan, which says any citizen have right to live wherever he or she wish. Critical the article did not allow any citizen to confiscate the land of inhabitants or displaced the owners of the land.  Indeed, the wrong interpretation of the laws brings conflict and war.

For your information the Collo communities in west side of Sobat River and east side of white Nile south of Malakal were denied to go back to their home lands, with ill intended argument that these places are still military zone, but the question which needs to be answer is why did Dinkas community build in those places under protection of SPLA?

The descriptive location now are claimed by Jongelei state to be part of their territory Does it means Dinkas have their own border demarcation which is not known to other communities given to them by the government of southern Sudan?

Now what is the logic for Dinkas to claim ownership of Malakal and ask Collo to leave, if not they will face the consequences. Another evil ambition practice by Dinkas, On 22 December 2008 Kurfolus and Ater Dinkas signed agreement in Malakal indicating that their County shall be rename as Canal County and it headquarter will be in Apew (Adhyithing) Collo land fifteen miles south of Malakal. Up to this moment no government official that challenged this move and this decision was made under MP from Juba Legislative Assembly. Was he been mandated by Assembly to do so? If answer is yes then the Legislative Assembly will be accountable for instability and insecurity in Collo land, but if the answer is no then this MP must be summoned by the house to give details about that agreement and their decision of transferring their County to Collo land which is not part of Jongelei territory.

What happening now  in Malakal proof the hidden agenda of transferring all Collo soldiers in SPLA in Upper Nile state to different places replacing them with Dinkas soldiers to accomplish the goal of confiscating the Collo Lands? It becomes very clear that liberation war was fought for Dinkas welfare and not for the whole south benefits.

Ironically during preparation for fourth CPA celebration in Malakal, Dinkas were told by the organizing committee that they will lead procession, politically this implies that Malakal belong to Dinkas, this ideology fuel up the tension that made Collo uncomfortable. When the governor of Upper Nile state discovered that, he warned the preparatory committee, and cautions them that this idea will jeopardize the celebration.  Arguing that Malakal belong to Collo and they should lead the procession, but Dinkas were not ready to admit that.

Indeed,before celebration began the tension mounted up that forced police to dispatch these two communities and prevent them to participate in celebration to avoid riot in stadium Nevertheless, police reaction brought more confusion, and many people were injured and both communities were band from participating in celebration and after police dispatch them the celebration went on smoothly.

Shocking news emerged at 12 nights on 9.1.2009 when Dinkas slaughtered Collo in cold blood in Anakadiar, where around 1800 houses were burning down, and twelve people were killed and three people were injured. In following day many people were rescued on there way to Malakal by army which was sent to search for missing people in near bushes. Consequently, Anakadiar people become homeless and displaced. This human atrocity forced the government of Upper Nile to resettle displaced inhabitants of Anakader in Malakal. Again, in last Sunday Dinkas burn down 600 houses in Abanem and Lul killing three people..

By killing Collo, Dinkas want to confirm that they are the master of south and they can do whatever they wish and they did it in the eyes of the President of Southern Government. They want to affirm that Malakal belong to them and all Collo in Eastern side of White must evacuate as they indicate in their memo, which they wrote last October. Presumably the President of Southern Sudan is aware about that claim.

Collo community have full right to revenge, for they  have been keeping quite waiting with the hope that the government will intervene to defuse the situation but our waiting when in vain, the Collo will take position  of defending themselves from  Dinkas aggressive. Mr. President of southern Sudan government, your silent may imply that you have sideline with your community, which is toxic to co-existence in southern Sudan. Surely we would like to assure you that the CPA is going to in danger, and you will be blame for that. For no way other communities protect the CPA and Dinkas dismantle it with their assumption that they are people who liberated those lands. This claim is untrue because all families participated in that liberation war.  Collo is going to retaliate for great lost of lives, Collo were so keen to keep Malakal in peace despite the fact they are still displaced in their home lands by Dinkas community, who murdered them in cold blood. We have been protecting the CPA since it was signed but Dinkas thought we were not sensing what they are practicing at national, regional and even at state level. War in Malakal will affect everyone whether in Khartoum, Juba or abroad because this war will be between two elephants and grass is going to suffer.

To prevent the escalation of the war in Malakal the President of the Southern Sudan must act immediately without wasting more times. The instigators must be brought to justice, and the government must announce that Malakal belong to it inhabitants who are Collo. Any communities living within Collo lands must leave to their home town without any condition. Disarmament of all communities must be ensure to avoid further blood shed of innocent people. All soldiers who were involved in that killing must be punishing, and people who lost their lives and property must be compensated.