To Collo people everywhere and the people of South Sudan at large.

Collo Community Council wishes to express its total rejection of creating more tribal states in South Sudan. By this new illegal creation of more tribal states, Salva Kiir and his trouble engineering body- the Jieng Council of Elders – is doing nothing but compounding the already intricate situation and suffering of the poor people of this young country. This creation of new tribal states needs special attention and analysis by credible Collo intellectuals and others in effected communities who should take responsibility to enlighten the common people of South Sudan about the hidden Dinka agenda behind this particular creation.

In figures Collo people were given one state called Fashoda and a county (Panyikango) annexed to the so-called Central State without mentioning Makal county which is the base foundation of state. This county amounts to just one-fifth of the state that comprises of five counties, four of which belong to the Dinka Padang. Mathematically Collo people got one state and a fifth of a state. Before talking about the Dinka hidden agenda behind this new creation, let us ask ourselves the simplest question, does this creation really bring back the usurped Collo land? For those days' propagandas and manipulators liars are trying to fill the air and the media with venous poison. The answer is obviously, no. This creation didn’t bring back the stolen Collo ancestral land and other communities' lands grabbed by Dinka.

Collo land west of the river Nile, from Ogig to Tungo, have been under Collo forces except Wadakona, Ditang, Lelo and Watbajwok. Collo land east of the Nile from Pijo to Nyijwado has also been under Collo forces.  Collo areas mentioned above were actually not occupied by the Jieng government forces. They have been under Collo forces all along. It can’t therefore, be claimed that they were brought back.

But Collo land along both banks of the river Sobat remain under Dinka occupation. Malakal and its surrounding village's remains equally occupied. Areas of Fashoda east of the Nile also remain under Dinka occupation.

The plain truth is that the creation of new states didn’t bring back a single Collo land area. It instead annexed the biggest Collo county of Panyikang to the Dinka so called Central State.

What this creation of states will clearly bring to Collo people are a few government posts, which may not be more than following:  one governor, one deputy governor a few state ministers, county commissioners and members of states assemblies. Collo elites who were blinded by this creation have a number of questions to answer.

• Are these simple posts the reasons why Collo sons and daughters took up arms?

• Are these posts enough to compensate the lives of the fallen martyrs and the blood of the wounded heroes/heroines?

• Are those posts the right price for all lost Collo lands?  

In the light of the above facts we don’t expect any Collo person to be so simple minded to believe the cheap Dinka lies and propaganda that Collo land has been returned. People should be reminded about the fact that what was taken by force will not return unless by force.

Collo people may need to note the following points in relation to the Dinka hidden agenda behind this creation of states:

1. The Dinka want to exploit the differences between Collo people following the recent incidents. The Dinka are relying on the premise that Collo people will stupidly focus on their internal conflict and neglect the land problem.

2. Knowing that the above point alone may not be sufficient to achieve their objective of divide and rule, the Dinka government has embarked on lies, propaganda and financial briberies to lure away weak hearted Collo with the aim of furthering the division between Collo people.

3. The most dangerous part of the agenda is working hard to split the remaining Collo forces with the ultimate objective of weakening and eventually crushing them. The Dinka plan to this objective by appointing senior Collo officers in government positions and SPLA. One appointment has indeed been effected, others are following soon.

4. Whatever part of the forces that accepts to join the Juba government will find themselves scattered to other units of the SPLA and dispersed to other parts of South Sudan in small numbers and thus rendering them ineffective militarily.

5. Eventually full Dinka occupation of Collo land on both sides of the rivers will be executed forcefully without significant resistance.

Collo Community Council would like to strongly warn all Collo people that we can’t afford to lose tract of our main problem that is the ancestral land usurped by the Dinka government and given to Padang. Yes, we may have internal problems as well but our noble traditions should come in strongly here. Suspend the internal problems and face the external enemy who doesn’t distinguish between one brother or sister and the others. Collo Kingdom survived for over 600 years because Collo have always stood together on issues of destiny. No one needs to be reminded that united we stand, divided we fall.

Samson Oyay Awin

Chairman,

Collo Community Council,

Khartoum Sudan

27 January 2017