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Historically the Shilluk people had only one tribal or community which they regarded as their permanent enemies. They fought very bitter wars with their most northern neighbors who were engaged in human slave trade in addition to economic exploitation, cultural assimilation, arabicization and Islamization.

They even strongly resisted the successive northern governments propaganda campaigns for the recruitment of their youth as militias to counter-act the southern liberation movements of Anya-Nya 1 and the SPLM/A. Of course we all know the case of some of our southern communities who could not withstand the temptation of turning their guns against their fellow brothers who had given up their precious lives for the liberation of their dear soil. That was the case up to the unforgettable 1991 split of the SPLM/A. The split caused untold death and suffering of the southern people. Other than the destruction caused by southerners turning their weapons against themselves, the Shilluk being in open savannah land and neighboring the big enemy of the south, found themselves comparatively hard hit in the struggle for southern freedom.

The SPLM United of Dr Lam Akol which was militarily in control in the Shilluk Kingdom , found itself in very awkward position. There was no food for the citizens, no security and the same or perhaps worst for his army. Hence, the Fashoda agreement. In the agreement, Dr Lam made sure of including Self- determination for which his own father and brother late Dr Justin Papiti had stood for in the defunct Southern Front Party and which he himself had signed with Dr Ali Hag of Turabi party in Frankfurt early on. The Shilluk people were saved from the the onslaught activities of both the Sudan Government Forces and the southern tribal government motilities. Since then, Dr Lam assumed complete control of Shilluk military and political leadership.Dr John Garang, although he had remained with a sizable number of Shilluk soldiers particularly senior officers, began to be called in Shilluk, Wad Nyajango. In short he was no longer the leader of the southern people, the position he was recognized for before the split.

With the CPA signed in early 2005, Dr Lam Akol seemed to have lost track of his army, such that those of them who reached Juba , reported very late, coupled with the sudden death of Dr John. A good number of Dr Lam's men returned to Malakal in order to fend for themselves. The Dinka outrage at the Malakal football stadium in front of their excellencies The Presidents of the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of Panmonyjieng and others, followed by armed attack on Anakdiar and Abelaniin, seems to have made the Shilluk people to think twice or more of how to proceed in the circumstances in which a southern tribe has replaced without their knowledge their bitter enemy, the Obwonyo Wad Langgaro, or Mundukuru for the benefit of Aboy.

The unabsorbed or uninterested Shilluk seems to have thought of making themselves the protectors for the Shilluk Kingdom . The Establishment of a Paweny of Jonglei State County at Pij in Upper Nile State has been seen by all the Shilluk Nation as extremely provocative. Up to now there is no government explanation as to the reasons for Jonglei State encroachment into the Upper Nile . Unfortunately, the other southern communities for instance, the Nuers ,despite the fact that their militias have been the reasons for displacement of the Shilluk people in their places of domicile, have been always silent in as far as the plight of the Shilluk people is concern. Mr. Dak Duop Bichop was the governor of Upper Nile at the time of the signing of the CPA. General Gatluak Deng was the governor at the time of the establishment of Piji County and General Kuol Manyang was also a witness in the establishment of Piji County.Dr Riak Machar who as been named as Chairman of a High Level Committee to investigate the Shilluk-Dinka crisis seems not in a hurry to convene a tribal conference. One wonders how only one person is qualified to chair more than a dozen committees.

It is therefore imperative for the Shilluk people to protect themselves and their land in the absence of a responsible government. They now see the Dinka to have taken the place of the Arabs. Shilluk people feel marginalized worst than done to them by the Arabs over
the years. They believe that those of them in the SPLM are people who have accepted Dinka domination and are therefore traitors. They feel at home with Dr Lam leadership since he is the one who has the guts to challenge the Dinka invaders. In fact Dr Lam did not organize them into a militia.

They organized themselves to defend their land. Dr Lam's SPLM-DC only benefited from them politically in elections, but they don't take orders from them. Actually the SPLM party created a wide vacuum in the area. It had no political activities to counter-act the emerging opposition against itself, despite the availability of raw materials which they could have used to nib the new party in the bud. For instance, the millions of dollars Dr Lam received from the Gulf to help his party in fighting against separation of the south were well known, but no one use it in elections. People more popular than Dr Lam like late Luigi Adwok and late Prince Othwon Dak, were  brought down by labeling them as having accepted the circumsion of the Shilluk people.

The GOSS have contributed very much to the state of apathy and annoyance of the people. The move to disarm the people at a time when it was well known that they were at standby with Dinka warriors and without publicity campaign and the SPLA barbaric style of torturing innocent women and children in front of responsible chiefs led to the unfortunate assassination of KT.Peter Oyath.On the other hand those who committed such inhuman crime, the most degrading and humiliating style of killing never known in the Shilluk country since time immemorial, must be brought to justice. Fighting in defense of Shilluk land cannot be an excuse for such wild actions. With the Referendum just round the corner, the Shilluk have to evaluate their stand.

They have to maintain the position they had had since hey came into contact with the northern Arabs. Mismanagement or corruption or non-transparency by the GOSS are not comparable to slavery and exploitation. Whatever bad administration by our government, will come to an end. We must all vote for secession. The GOSS and the SPLM and SPLA should learn civics and good public relations with the people they purport to govern. Law and order must be maintained, reinforced and respected by all.

The author is a South Sudanese currently living the United States ; he can be reached at email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.