By Manyang Mayom
RUMBEK, 23 November 2009 (Gurtong) - The inhabitants of Makundi payam were displaced last year by the Jur-beli following inter-clan confrontations between the Jur-beli and cattle raiders of Rumbek East County particularly Kook youth sub-clan who invaded Wulu County headquarters last year.
As a result, thousands of people live outside the payam headquarters since the incident in which over 400, 000 people were displaced to Wau, the capital of Western Bahr el Ghazal State while a number of the locals were killed.
The voter registration exercise has been received with some contempt in Makundi as the local community claims to be marginalised and ‘with nothing to eat’.
![Residents of Makundi payam tune in to Radio Rumbek FM-98 to catch up with the latest updates.[© Gurtong]](/Portals/0/GlobalResources/EN/images/Editorial/Makundi Payam residents.jpg)
Residents of Makundi payam tune in to Radio Rumbek FM-98 to catch up with the latest news updates.[© Gurtong]
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“We are being told by the Government of Lakes State to register yet it has not provided us with drinking water or a hospital. What would change if we register ourselves? We still feel that this government will do nothing for us”, said a Makundi resident Simon Mading Maluac.
“Even if we register and someone will still die before the election day in 2010, then how will we have benefitted from this government?” he posed.
A dissatisfied woman added her voice to the discontent by pointing the constant attacks from neighbouring communities, while the Lakes State Government watches.
The community faces a number of challenges including lack of safe drinking water since it originally had only five hand-pumps, two of which have since broken down in Kombi.
The only primary health-care unit that serves the entire community has also run out of drugs.
There is no electricity in this payam and the children and the elderly usually fetch firewood in the evenings for energy.
Commissioner Ali appealed to the local residents to register for the historic elections.
“Come out and get registered for your last stage of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which you fought for 22 years without rest. Ensure you vote in April 2010 for the future of South Sudan”, he said.