No Conflict exists between the Dinka and the Shilluk in Upper Nile
- Details
- Created on Monday, 26 January 2009 19:00
- Written by BY: Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba
The circulation of seditious material, the inability of the Upper Nile State Security Committee [made up members from one ethnic community] to act on those who called for the eviction [evidently criminal] of one ethnic group from their villages; the fallouts of the Malakal incident [the burning of Anakdiar and Abanimo] suggest that it must have been planned, coordinated and approved by some persons in positions of authority.
There has not been an incidence of fighting between the Dinka [Padang] and the Shilluk except in early eighties. But that conflict in the area of the Jonglei Canal mouth was instigated by the Nimeri's regime in its dying days when the abrogation of Addis Ababa Agreement to allow the dismantling of the Southern Region and the imposition of the Islamic Sharia Laws were the regime's last remaining political survival kits.
It will be recalled that Southern Sudan had many such localized conflicts and tribal feuds fomented by the regime for narrow political ends. The conflicts were later absorbed into the wider war of liberation spearheaded by the SPLM/A only that the SPLM/A failed to draw lessons which would have consigned to the dustbin of history these localized conflicts through a concerted and focused program of political enlightenment and organizational unity of the masses of our people.
The split within the ranks and file of the SPLM/A in 1991 and the internecine fighting and the tribal/sectional conflicts that followed exacerbated if not rekindled the localized conflicts now fuelled by competition among the local elite for power and access to resources mainly provided by the international humanitarian agencies. The Nuer-Dinka peace conference in Wunlit in February 1999 brought an end to these conflicts.
In retrospective I believe that without the Wunlit Nuer-Dinka Peace Covenant, it would not have been possible for the SPLM and the Government of Sudan to reach the CPA on December 31st, 2004. The Wunlit Peace Covenant created the conditions that reunited and strengthened the SPLM/A on the one hand, and the reconciliation and peace among the different feuding groups in Southern Sudan on the other hand.
The CPA has its enemies who doubled up as enemies to the SPLM and its departed leader Dr. John Garang de Mabior. They have been at work since the initialing of the CPA on January 9th, 2005 in Nairobi. Many of them refused to heed the call for unity of purpose through the process of South-South dialogue but continued to undermine the efforts of the Government of Southern Sudan and the leadership of General Salva Kiir Mayardit.
What we witness as tribal conflicts in Warrap, Lakes, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Upper Nile and other places in Southern Kordofan/Nuba Mountains are in essence the machinations of the enemies of the CPA. The havoc with impunity brought on the people of Equatoria by the Lord Resistance Army is also part of a wider scheme to destabilize Southern Sudan. The NCP must be called to book for unleashing its ally on our people to prevent them from benefiting from the dividends of CPA.
In addition to fomenting ethnic and sectional conflicts as a means to create a state of anarchy and insecurity in Southern Sudan and make it impossible for the SPLM to govern, the enemies of CPA cultivated corruption in GOSS. The looting of the public coffers is not isolated. It is part of the scheme of concentrating wealth in the hands of a few chosen ones. It is the surest way to perpetuate poverty in Southern Sudan.
Corruption and tribalism are two sides of the same coin of perpetrating backwardness, ignorance and tribal conflicts in Southern Sudan which have mushroomed since the formation of its government in the dying days of 2005 to diverted their attention away from the wealth being looted.
There is a crying evidence of failure to stop corruption; to resolve the ethnic and sectional conflicts. The Press has been highlighting these incidences and yet there is no action.
I am a member of the government albeit at the national level and although I would subscribe to the principle of ‘collective responsibility' in government, I will not be part of what obviously is engineered to recreate the spirit of ‘kokora' of the eighties.
That brings me to the conclusion that there is no conflict between the Dinka and Shilluk in Upper Nile or anywhere on this planet. There is no fundamental contradiction between the Dinka and Shilluk men and women in their villages or between Bari, Mundari, Dinka, and others per se. They all share the same fate, languishing in poverty and neglect. It is the absence or rather lack of political awareness that has rendered them prone to ethnicized political divisions instigated by the elite.
What happened in Malakal and its hinterland must be attributed to the political and administrative leadership of Upper Nile State and by extension some elements in the Government of Southern Sudan and in the Government of National Unity in Khartoum. The explanation for what happened and how it occurred must be sought with them and not with the people who were only instigated to fight each other for food crumbs.
There must be a price for the failure to deliver social services and economic benefits to our people in the last three years notwithstanding the more than five billion US dollars spent by GOSS. And this price of course must be paid by the poor peasants in their villages ostensibly on the ground that the objects of their fury hinder quick access to power and wealth.
His Grace Cardinal Zubier Wako hit the nail on its head in his Christmas message that ‘our political leaders, our organs of communications, our organized forces become sources of division, hatred, suspicion, mistrust and violence.' These are prophetic words for many of them were involved in Malakal.
I feel sorry if not very angry being deviated from national issues back to where I left fifty years ago when my father took me to school. We have been shouting at the top of our voices against the machination by the Arab dominated northern political elite particularly the NCP and its ‘civilisation project'.
We went to the bush together to fight for social justice, equality, unity of purpose, democracy and economic prosperity. What a shame we jettisoned the liberation slogans and culture of comradeship to pick up the mantle of ethnicity and fanning ethnic animosity.
I know, as I said above, that some of our leaders have maintained adverse positions in respect to the unity of the people of Southern Sudan that would allow, ά priori, the implementation of the CPA and the exercise of the right to self-determination. How can the people of Southern Sudan exercise their right to self-determination in a referendum if they are feuding among themselves?
Put the other way: Dividing Southern Sudanese along hostile ethnic line means that there is NO Southern Sudan to speak about. This is what the oppressor would want to achieve that Southerner begin to detest, hate and despise each other. So as to make the idea of an independent Southern Sudan less attractive then promote ethnocentric leaders and elevate them to the helm at all levels.
Therefore, in my modest contribution, what we witness as ethnic conflicts and hatred throughout Southern Sudan is a reflection of a major failure of the political elite in Southern Sudan whether those in the SPLM or in other Southern-based political parties.
The failure to tell the people their programs as time is nearing for elections and the referendum. The failure to pay back what they have taken from the people in the twenty two years of the war of liberation.
They now have new friends in the guise of contractors and white stock dealers- the so-called Southern brothers, etc, those who have been betraying the cause, and drinking the blood of our people during the war.
The unprincipled alliance and relationship between these groups are the principal sources of the ethnic and sectional conflicts throughout Southern Sudan.
Again, there is no contradiction between our people. The contradiction is between them and their oppressors. (to be continued).
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27-01-2009 06:48:37 |Unregistered| Tipo William Mel
this is not the right time to asnwer or do any comment to any article that contradict itself as you put it. we are still in mourning period for our innocent young brothers who had been killed in Anakdiar or Abanimo. we are still thinking of how we can help our displaced people in their homeland, who their houses have been burned and destroyed. my brother William as our area is one of a vitimized areas, let think together how to support our people who are not secure by their government, untill now the government says nothing about the incident. let us think about what future may hold in light of the current situation.
Tipo Mel
Australia-Melbourne
ogyeth_w@yahoo.com
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27-01-2009 14:30:51 |Unregistered| James Okuk
Dear Brother William Okuch,
Please let's wait a bit what will be the recommendation(s) of our elder Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba from the coming continuous part of his article as he concluded that it will be continued. So far there is some truth in what he is saying and we should understanding the situation under which he is writing now. So far there has not been a fighting between Collo and Dinka in Upper Nile as our elder put it rightly. It were some Dinka elements who went to burnt Anakdiar and Abanim and kill some Collo people there without any resistance from the victims part. Dr. Nyaba should be applauded for bringing out this truth.I am eager to know what are the recommended solutions that will be suggested by Dr. Nyaba to quell the current tension between Collo and Dinka in Upper Nile. Will our elder Doctor recommend that Collo should not defend themselves as it was recommended by H.E. Mr. Pagan Amum when he visited Malakal last week? Instead of condemning first the heinous act by some Dinka people on Collo people, the SPLM SG took it as a duty to condemn Collo's efforts for self-defense and protection of their rights to their lands. Let's wait and see who is happy to dance on Collo blood and graves and who is committed to defend Collo interest at this threatening moment in Collo history!!!
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27-01-2009 18:26:59 |Unregistered| Sabit Boules
My fellow Collo,s we don't wait for our next victim's.the enemy is there and they are supported by there so called leader's from the top.self defence is the ultimate solution.neither those who committed the crime should be brought to justice.other waise the game were planned by the enmy and it's the other war aganist those so call friend's of Arab who don't wan't No establity in south.as for Mr.PAGAN AMUM,he is there in Law but look back for your root,s MR.Adwak Nyaba.is a part of the south govt.but fellows you do repsent us not yourselfe.so we wan'to see your role on this issue and the out come.and the truth shall revel it's self soon our later.think of that all Collo.God bless you.
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27-01-2009 19:13:31 |Unregistered| Wad Akol
Dr. Nyaba is pointing a finger at those who planned to disrupt the CPA celebration and I do not understand what do that have to do with killing Collo! Collo were killed by the Dinka, so why should Nyaba want us to hit some shadows and miss the substance. I wish Nyaba had remain silent as he does not seems to care about Collo issues. Nyaba want to blame some elites in his own imagination but all know that Dinka-ngok have delcared a war against Collo and we need not hide our heads in the sand.
I'm very troubled and deeply sadden that Dr. Nyaba seems to care much about the CPA than Collo lives.
Wad Akol
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27-01-2009 23:21:59 |Unregistered| Sabino Diok
Collo has tried a lot to be calmed during the liberation war. They refused to take up guns against those who murdered them in the cold blood. They did that not because they are cowards or are not able to fight, but because they know the outcome or the consequences of the war between brothers that it won’t benefit the south. But some people didn’t get the idea till now. I think, we as Collo can not protect the CAP on our expenses, while others want to destroy it; we have done more than enough. I think if the GOSS and the government of the Upper Nile State are not willing to protect some ethnic groups in the state, so Collo people have right to protect themselves and their lands from the oppressors and killers.
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28-01-2009 09:36:36 |Unregistered| Pido
dear Dr, I don't want to conclude that you are advising Collo not to defend themselves. We fought bravely for our case and the CPA should be our light and delight, not a certificate of Collo elimination.
It is now evident that the Dinka are using the SPLA for tribal agenda and it was their soldiers who brutally killed our relatives and burnt to the ground their huts without mercy. and you are saying it was just a security breach.
dear, we are not waiting for the authorities in the state to defend us because they were seriously involved in the massacre. but we will fight with the traditional spears we have to defend our ancestors' land no matter how many of us will lose their lives.
Dr, you are a member of this regime, you too bear the responsibility based on the theorim of "collective responsiblilty". believe me history will mark you as one of those who failed to defend their people..[edited]
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28-01-2009 19:25:22 |Unregistered| Dr Olaw
It seems that CPA is more important than collo!If this is what one of our leaders is saying in this particular time in which he suppose to raise the morale of the youth and attact the opressors,then our land will be occupied soon and very soon.the leader is pointing finger at wrong direction,his eye is on the elephant and he is spearing its shadow.we seem to be adopting arabs system of accusing Isreal of being behind any trouble they face.NCP is not the cause of every thing my dear elder
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28-01-2009 21:07:37 |Unregistered| Mathew Pagan
Dr. Peter Adwok I appreciate your reconciliatory language. But South Africa pulled out the criminals to face justice after the election of Mandela. Reconciliation must lead to justice. Justice must take its course if we believe in law? Do you believe that a person is responsible for his own acts? Do you believe that people are equal before the law? Then, there is no justification of any criminal who sheds an innocent blood. The culprits must face their fate before the law. They must meet the same charge as their senders, were they poor or rich, politicians or uneducated villagers. Law has no class or social status. If we don't apply the law, then the chaos we hear of now all over South Sudan will grow worse.
South Sudan may have miles to cross, along that bump road the best-assuring companion is LAW: respected and applied. Only law can justify a person and nothing else.
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28-01-2009 22:32:06 |Author| kwopipan
I am also a joke writer just like the author of the main article here, but for some reasons I can’t seem to find humor in his material ... I only started writing jokes professionally mainly for a local comedy club here recently. And what I have learned in the field so far is that if you are writing a joke for a wider audience such as this one; then you should always have your work checked out by other writers in the business to ensure that it is presentable before going public, and throwing it at the audience.
The only funny thing I could find in this material (apart from the obvious numerous contradictions) is the following statement where the author claims: “I am a member of the government albeit at the national level and although I would subscribe to the principle of ‘collective responsibility' in government, I will not be part of what obviously is engineered to recreate the spirit of ‘kokora' of the eighties.” Really??? And why do I get the feeling that this thesis of his sounds like a Cover Letter of a Resume of someone who is seeking employment, or perhaps a position with the “the GoSS”? Please do me a favor and tell him to try the backdoor … Yes; I am talking about the “NCP” door; the one in the back. I know they are open late these days, and trust me; he may have a better chance with them if he really wants to become a governor of some state here in the south.
No … Seriously … Is it just me; or it is true that; many elements in the so-called “the GoSS” are now starting to really show symptoms of serious drinking problems? Could that also be the reason why the first thing they want to do now, is to open some sort of a liquor factory somewhere in the south, just to counter this drinking pandemic of theirs first hand? Please don’t get me wrong now as it is not my intention here to point a finger at anyone in particular. All I am trying to say here however is that; if you are drunk, then please don’t come out here and start spreading rumors, and making false statements publicly ... The world is listening. Therefore, I recommend you should wait until you are completely sobered up before you can think of opening your mouth to say anything at all.
Please no offence … I always say it raw!!!
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28-01-2009 22:55:07 |Unregistered| aban Nyabah
Yes!!Yes!!! you were right, Dr adwok that was the despute between the civilian and nothing to do with it at all. do you know what I my self suggested that there were some of the Shilluk trying to conflict the eastern bank of the Nile, because I reviewed what had happened in Anadiar. this was cause by western bank of the Nile and those who were trying to annex the town of Pagaan poeple in the east of Nile to the west. those kind of Shilluk are the one, but are not the Shilluk from the east. we Shilluk from the east let's say no to the threatening political which is coming to destroys us. the one who did this to us, is the one who can the price of the poeple got kill in Andiar. since we live from the east bank, no one of the Dinkas has cause the conflict before. it never had happened in past why to day. look let's lie ourselves let's know the truth. malakal is not our town even if you look at the map nothing showing the location of the from east it just only the west. the east part of the Nile is for dinka which is Pagaak poeple even if they speake language it does matter, because these poeple are the real Shilluk. they are Dinkas that's why they never had conflict with Jieng before until now, but you want to involve the conflict between us. poeple let's say that kind of political. Pagan Amum and lam akol are the one who had cause this to us. they the one who are going to pay the price for dead poeple in Anadiar in any area that our poeple had been kill. Dr Adwok is one of pagaak poeple don't with him and he is telling the truth to you. look don't let's those kind of radical Shilluk threatening and cause some with our brothers Dinkas. we are one with these poeple,because we are pagaak poeple. thank you gentlemen I hope you could read my text message.
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29-01-2009 18:27:09 |Unregistered| Dr Olaw
the name of the writer above is Aban Nyabah.is he a brother of Adowk or it is a mere chance?no comment.
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30-01-2009 01:03:56 |Author| kwopipan
Hello Yagnjok,
Is me again … sorry, I forgot to ask you this earlier. What is the first thing that comes to your mind whenever you hear a name like “Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba”? You would immediately assume that such a person must be well educated and full of wisdom, etc; correct? Well think again, because I used to think the same way too until one day I discovered that: ‘Diploma is only a visible sign for invisible ignorance. Its confer knowledge but not necessarily good judgment’, which is now part of my hotmail e-mail account signature shown below.
I was also under the impression that people with such a strong sounding last names like “Nyaba” are very brave, courageous, and perhaps smart too, who have no fear of telling the truth at anytime, and under any circumstances. But guess what? I was wrong again.
Please allow me to tell you this lettle story … You see? When I was a child, I remember one day my late father told me that there are three kind of bad people out there that I shoud be aware of and always on the lookout from; and they are liars, thieves, and cowards. He said “I want you to always stay away from such people, and not to associate yourself with them under any circumstances, unless you want to become like them when you group”. So I took my late oldman advise seriously to this day as you know. Therefore, I say if anyone here fell into the category of any or all of the three amigos described above. Then I strongly suggest they should take their business elsewhere, because not everyone here likes to mingle with liars, thieves, and cowards.
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They say -- difficult things are those that count. However, Diploma is only a visible sign for invisible ignorance. Its confer knowledge but not necessarily good judgment. (Wad-Tit, Rome - 1986)
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30-01-2009 08:00:38 |Unregistered| david gumbel
hey hey hey aban nyabah l would reither advise you to keep quite, if you don't have issues to address about what is going on in collo land.this is an issue of systematic elimination of collo from their land and it was a plan which was made since when we were in bush by dinka and even conference was conviced in ator if you don't my dear or it will be better declared yourself that you are among those who burn collo kingdom in 2004 for their selfish interest.
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30-01-2009 12:59:52 |Unregistered| Dr. Albino Awin
I am so traumatized when seeing my fathers ,and brothers fighting themselves far away from the main enemy of collo community (bad elements of Dinka Ngok and Dengjol that kill our children and elders).
i think dear Dr.Nyaba and mr Aban both are far away from vision of entire collo nation now . i think it will be very benefit if we are discussing the plan for protection of the land for our coming generations . in my opinion if CPA was signed to marginalized collo tribe ,invade theire land and kills theire children , wives and elders let this CPA be dissolved. and if seperation means that Dinka is superior to law , let the country be united on the new bases to keep the law superior to every tribe . and if kokora means system of self ruling .let it be a system southern sudan rule.
my brothers let us discuss the self defence at this time.
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30-01-2009 13:25:13 |Unregistered| Dr Olaw
Oh brother Dr Albino bravo bravo bravo,this is how doctors speak.carry on uniting our people to protect themself from the wolfs.
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30-01-2009 14:19:49 |Author| kwopipan
Yes, Dr. Olaw I think you are right. This Aban Nyabah guy must be from the family. I was told cowards like to have the same last name for some kind of protection.
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Dr. Peter Adowk, you bloodlessly called Malakal Stadium "the security breach". Was is a fight between two person? Was it within one tribe? There is no smoke without fire. I totally disagreed with your submsive language.
Dr. Adowk, you agreed as evidenced by your own word that, "the circulation of seditious material, the inability of the Upper Nile State Security Committee [made up members from one ethnic community] to act on those who called for the eviction [evidently criminal] of one ethnic group from their villages; the fallouts of the Malakal incident [the burning of Anakdiar and Abanimo] suggest that it must have been planned, coordinated and approved by some persons in positions of authority".
Come down with me to revise your own words. You said below here that,
"There is a crying evidence of failure to stop corruption; to resolve the ethnic and sectional conflicts. The Press has been highlighting these incidences and yet there is no action".
Let continue reading your own judgements shown by your writing. You accepted that,
"I am a member of the government albeit at the national level and although I would subscribe to the principle of ‘collective responsibility' in government, I will not be part of what obviously is engineered to recreate the spirit of ‘kokora' of the eighties".
In your conclusion, it appears you are denying your tribal ID to survive by saying,
"That brings me to the conclusion that there is no conflict between the Dinka and Shilluk in Upper Nile or anywhere on this planet. There is no fundamental contradiction between the Dinka and Shilluk men and women in their villages or between Bari, Mundari, Dinka, and others per se. They all share the same fate, languishing in poverty and neglect. It is the absence or rather lack of political awareness that has rendered them prone to ethnicized political divisions instigated by the elite".
Dr. Adowk you have too much contradicted yourself according to your article.
We are not talking about the past, but about what is taking place in our time. Adowk, let respect the blood of people who were killed and those who have place to sleep and have no food to eat.
Adowk,what are your sugesstions to bring current situation under control?
Why you as one of the government concluded without giving your clear stance about the problem right at your door?
It was the time for shulluk elit like you to ask SPLA/M government to adopt new thing right away to prevent further incident since you are one of comfortable elite of GOSS.