By Barchoch Tut Jing
MELBOURNE, Australia,22 April 2010 - Bitter campaign exacerbated by accumulated resentment dated back during the struggle for Akobo control from mid 1990s to 2004. On the first day of voting John Luk indicated that his chances were gravely affected by poverty in the area.
“The coming of Goi Jooyul (Akobo Commissioner who is Taban’s loyalist) changed things, our community got a chief and I am now having a job”, said Mut Makuei, South Sudan Relief Rehabilitation Officer in Akobo.
“I voted for Taban because he is a development-minded person. Taban considers us and see us as people”, teacher Biel Gai told this reporter on phone.
However, John Luk taskforce blames this on the registration process which they said was concentrated on areas the Akobo County leadership believed will favour Taban during the elections.
“They registered voters only from villages where they have supporters”, said Koang Rambang when he broke the news to this reporter in a telephone conversation. “We lost John Luk’s seat but the rest of SPLM flag bearers in Akobo succeeded”, he added.
“We have done enough, actually those who voted for us belonged to Taban and Goi Jooyul, the Akobo Commissioner”, Mr Rambang noted.
Here in Melbourne, Australia Taban and the Commissioner’s supporters are celebrating the news. “Taban is great for development in Akobo. John Luk is always for destruction. We said we must get rid of him, John Luk will no longer represent Akobo in Juba”, said Makuach Kutey Thiep, a university student from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
Taban Jui deserted the SPLM/A from 1984 for Anya Nya Two where he and his group fought the movement bitterly until 2005 when the peace deal was signed. During the violence in Akobo from mid 1990s to 2005 Taban was largely responsible for all the chaos. Civilians who today voted him in were indiscriminately bombed by Antonov and helicopters.
Analysts agree that inter-sectional fight within Akobo is the cause of this voting direction and that Akobo South remains in mess than ever and has nothing to do with service delivery to the people.
Akobo people need services and assistance, no matter where these could come from.
“Our objective is to take service to the Akobo people; we are tired of one man rule”, said a resident only identified as Mr Kutey while referring to the ousted area representative John Luk.
The winning group is planning to celebrate the victory at a party.
When the current commissioner of Akobo ascended to the county’s leadership, a big celebration kicked off here in Melbourne.
Other winners in the elections include Chol Luak and retired Colonel Ugut. However, election results for Akobo West were yet to surface at the time of going to press.
In Akobo South, Dr Riek Gai Kok of NCP was ahead of SPLM flag bearer Mr Gatluak Ruon.
Taban won the contest with about 1,200 votes over John Luk, a lawyer, who asked all the Akobo people to remain calm and accept the outcome of the vote.