Collo delegates from Juba met His Majesty Reth Kwongo Dak

By Daniel A. Odwel

These delegates were composed of honorable Samson Oyay, honorable Angelo Gwang Ding, Yanyo Abathur Nyibong, Obyeny George Kulang, they included H.E Daniel Odok, the commissioner of Panyikango County, and presumably his territory was the one affected by the border dispute between Upper Nile State and Jongelei State. They went to meet His Majesty Reth Kwongo Dak in Alaki to discuss the issues facing his peoples in regard to the border and the meeting was on 16 September 2008.

According to report I received from a friend the meeting came out with some resolutions such as:

-The border dispute between Greater Pachodo province and other Counties within Upper Nile State and Jongelei State must be resolved through peaceful means

-All Collo members in the National Assembly, Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly and Upper Nile Legislative Assembly should table out the problems of the border dispute for discussion within their respective Assemblies.

-Collo communities along the eastern bank of White Nile and Sobat River had right to construct their building houses, and any obstruction to that must be reported to the government authorities and tribal leaders.

-Finally, the Reth is ready to meet GOSS authorities in Juba upon invitation.

Here I would like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to the delegates for taking such initiative to approach the burning matter in right direction, my thanks also goes to H.E Daniel Odok for accepting of being part of the delegations. My high respect and acknowledgment goes to spiritual father of Collo, Reth Kwongo for welcoming his sons to share with him the threatening problem facing his subjects.

I am not such much interested in the question being ask this days who delegated or mandated these delegations, I perceived that these men felt a real burden that caused them to take this historical initiative. Please let me assure you that this is the kind of leadership people are looking for in our community. For the leader knows that he is the voice of voiceless.

Please allow me to raise some precaution questions, if Jongelei State wills not response positively in that matter, then what will be the response of Collo communities that are being displaced by their brothers with whom they fought liberated war?

Do you think that National Assembly will discuss such matter, because it is regional issue which supposed to be dealt by concern state? Strongly I reiterate that some of members of National Assembly will be happy to see division is deepening in the South among the communities that will keep them to rule indefinitely.

The report says people should report to the government if they are deny not to build their houses, this is a generalization statement, I hope for public consumption the report must have identify specific body that can response quickly to any denial. We are all aware that our communities were denied to construct their lives by invaders, who argued that peace did not come for Collo and the government in Malakal has a knowledge in that regard.

Finally, I would like to express my worry in related to statement which said Reth is ready to meet GOSS in Juba if he is invited, supposed no body invited him, will he not go to challenge the problems affecting his subjects, I think if he is going to wait for invitation no body is going to invited him unless their pressure somewhere.

Let us stand with this initiative and support it, and let everybody play his role for the welfare of our community stability and development.