How thousands of innocent souls perished on the barges

In April SPLA issued an order that no commercial barges are allowed to use the river downstream from Juba towards the north until they clear the route of rebels. The boats using the river are the ones hired by humanitarian agencies to deliver the much needed supplies for the civilians' downstream location along the route.

Suddenly, SPLA allowed the humanitarian barges to use the river route so as to carry supplies to Malakal This was the usual SPLA tactic/trick to use these barges as Guinea pigs. An earlier UN-Tristar barge carrying fuel was shot at upon arriving Malakal by SPLA. This time around SPLA wanted to find whether these barges would be intercepted and looted by the rebels since they believe civilians along the way were in dire need of food. It did not happen. The barges did arrived Malakal safely after lengthy negotiation with SPLA in town to allow them to pass.

SPLA plan to clear the river route of rebels was still holding. They quickly formed Riverine Unit . Barges were re-inforce with protection iron sheets. Units of conscripted young Dinka and Bull Nuer were patched-up to form riverine soldiers that would safe guard river route. They were not train for the job and the majority does not know how to swim. Mobilization of these units was intensified on SSTV. They were seen being addressed by President Salva Kiir, Defense Minister Koul Mangjok and Chief of Staff Malong Awan. In his address, Malong Awan said the prim aid was to kill Johnson Olony in the field or capture alive and be brought to Juba for court marshaling. Now the objective of this mission became clear i.e. to get reed of Johnson Olony and burn down the Shilluk Kingdom from Papouc in the south to Wadakona in the north on the west bank of the Nile and to resettle Dinka Padang in Shilluk Land. This has nothing to do with peace agreement recently signed in Juba.

Before living Juba the poor souls roughly 7,000 or more were packed into seven boats like sardines. They were fed on imported genetically improved food from Turkish companies.

On arrival in Bor, the journey was delay because many of them were affected with acute watery diarrhea or cholera and even some of them died. Just imagine a person who was eating sorghum (Aceeda) can adapt suddenly to modern diet from Turkey. In addition, the barge was pack in such way that sanitation can be a problem. No space for defecation.

Further delays in Bor was due to these barges were taken to Chinese workshop in Bor to re-inforce them with stronger iron steels for better protection. Then they loaded these barges with more ammunition, Israeli tanks and modern Chinese military equipment. When the guns were tested some of the poor souls have to lose their lives.

When everything was set ready, the barges were to wait for another fair well from high SPLA high command. Hon. Minister Koul Manyjok and retired General Salvca Mathok came say farewell to these poor souls who were ill informed about their mission. The poor souls who can be refer to as "bounty Killers" were given millions of SSP. The objective of the mission remains the same that to find Johnson Olony and erase Shilluk land.

The barges took off with these poor souls now as bounty killers. Their mission was to go and look for General John Olony and burn down Shilluk villages on the west bank of the Nile in order to settle Padang Dinka if the mission were to be successful.

Few days into their journey, the convoy was annihilated between Waatkiec and Fam Zaraf by another break away rebel group under the command of General Peter Gadet and General Gabriel Tangyeni. According to their spokesman all the six boats were destroyed with the bounty killers in them. Some few senior bounty killers who were on these boats were identifies as follow;

Lt. General John Malith (Nuer) and former commissioner of Fanjak County.

Lt. General James Gatluak

Chol Thon Akoka Dengjol Militia Leader and son of late paramount Chief Thon Wai.

Gout Akol former commissioner of Renk County.

Baliet Commissioner.

Atar/Pigi Commissioner

The missing poor souls will never be identified d until thy kingdom come. For the benefit of doubt, we assume the report released by rebel spokesman maybe true because there was different report given by Hon. Minister of Information Michael Makai Leith.

In this episode, Meckel Makai said the barge was accidently caught fire because a carless smoker who threw remain of burning cigarette into fuel zone and the boat instantly was engulf with fire and sank blocking other boats to pass. The remaining poor souls should have push the boat aside to make way for them to continue with their journey to Malakal.

Further explanation was provided by SPLA Phillip Aguer on SSTV. Reading a report from Chief-of-Staff Paul Malong Office stated that the convoy was carrying food staff supplies for SPLA soldiers in Malakal with minimum force protection. The statement was not clarify about the fate of 7,000 poor souls who were on these barges. It is more than two weeks now and no boat have arrived Malakal.

SPLA have resorted in bringing soldiers by planes from Juba or Palioch. Another tactic devised the use of helicopters borrowed from Uganda to bombard the Shilluk villages on the west of the Nile. It is worth noting that Uganda is against recently signed peace agreement in Juba.

However, the truth of the fate of 7,000 poor souls who perished on the river will be reveal when the relatives of these poor souls ask the government about what actually happened.

The war against the Shilluk by Dinka government is now Dinka is causing genocide to exterminate the Shilluk tribe in South Sudan. SO GOD HELP US.

By: Yorwin Otor This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.