Advising the Dinka on land grabbing and re-naming of places

BY: Gatkouth Deng, New York, USA

NOV. 5/2008, SSN; My dear cousins (Dinka community), please, please being greedy can unknowingly consume one's soul for ever. Because even eating 6 days food in one day can make your stomach burst unless you are lucky to vomit the food out.

But why would you want to practice abnormal eating habit only to vomit the food thereafter?

Please, the cry of the people of Greater Equatoria region, particularly in Juba and Nimule, calling you many names spoils your name as Dinka (Jaang). Even we your cousins, the Nuer (Naath) are ashamed because of these writings about land grabbing, stealing, name changing, prostitution, torture, forced marriages, etc. As Southern Sudanese, these make us sick of reading them on the internet for over a year now.

Remember that the Nuer had to expand from Bentiu (Unity state) across the River Nile into present Jonglei state and Upper Nile state. Most of those lands belonged to either Dinka, Shilluk, Anyuak, Burun communities, etc., but after the Nuer conquered them more than 600 years ago, the Nuer could not temper with the names. All those names given, for example in Dinka language, to rivers, villages, etc. are still in Dinka names, except new settlements and discoveries.

For example, Fanjak County in Jonglei state, which was occupied by the Nuer during their expansion remains Fanjak today. Akobo which was Anyuak community's name remains Akobo even after the Nuer took it over. Maiwut which was taken from Burun tribe by the Nuer remains Maiwut, etc, etc.

Not only did the Nuer preserve and respect the native names, but also respected the people and descendants of their captives who also decided to remain in the land. This is why we have Gatluak Deng Garang, the Governor of Upper Nile state, who originated from Dinka Bor, but whose family remained captive of Nuer, but was not suppressed and allowed to enjoy freedom in the Nuerland until he becomes their governor in Upper Nile state. There are countless examples. These examples, sad they are on the other side of the coin, are things that happened six hundred years ago, but we should not repeat in the new desire to conquer and occupy lands.

Why would you want to re-name places of people who only welcomed you after their conscience and hospitality told them to open their doors to you during your hour of need. Don't act like snakes that do not know who owns the house. You can go back to your places of origin whether in Bor or Bahr el Ghazal, they are now safe for you. If Bor community is still afraid of Murle community, they should make sure they reconcile and live in harmony. If those of Bahr el Ghazal fear that the Jalaba will return some day, they should also take courage and wait for Jalaba in the frontier with the Nuer of Unity state and Upper Nile state as well as with the rest of South Sudanese that will join the frontline.

To me, naming places unlawfully, and especially against the will and consent of the natives of that particular place, is useless because they can be re-named to their original names by the locals through legislature.

If Bahr el Jebel state could be re-named Central Equatoria state within a very short time, do you think it would be hard to remove the name 'Jebel Dinka' and re-name it 'Jebel Bari'? It is just a matter of time and getting a good leadership in GoSS who would listen to the people. Every thing will change! So, please, cousins, don't spoil your name for short-lived tactics. It can backfire on you and spoil your history for generations to come. Don't drag Equatorians to the point where they would loose temper and consequently hell gets loose, too.

Gatkuoth Deng, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.