Council of States holding crucial meeting over Jonglei crisis in Juba [©Gurtong]
By Juma John Stephen
JUBA, 15th December 2012 [Gurtong] – The Council of States summoned the Governor of Jonglei State, Deputy Minister of Defence and the Minister of Internal Affairs last Wednesday to answer questions over the continued insecurity situation in Jonglei. The Speaker of the Council, Joseph Bul Chan guided the deliberations.
The Vice President Dr. Riek Machar early on intervened to calm the situation but that did not stop the Lou Nuer youths camping for a few days in the Murle land. The Lou Nuer youth agreed to leave the area if their injured brothers were taken for treatment.
President Salva Kiir later sent a strong message to the Lou Nuer youths to retreat and that seemed to be the call that made them retreat to their rightful destinations. This is after 80% of Murle villages were set ablaze and cattle looted.
Kiir later declared Jonglei State as a humanitarian disaster area to allow humanitarian aid to help the internally displaced citizens. This came after the Lou Nuer youths over Christmas Eve in 2011attacked Pibor County killing hundreds though not yet confirmed in numbers. There seems to be little action taken by the authorities to curb the insecurity. It is upon this background he State Council summoned the three leaders to account.
The Deputy Minister of Defence, Majak Agot Atem’s statement started from the genesis of the crisis to the present situation. He admitted in some situations that the army was aware about the move of the Lou Nuer youth to Pibor but could do nothing due to logistic reasons and called for a collective solution.
“Communities are forming forces like the ‘White Army’ if this is left unchecked it will generate political content which will undermine the country’s legitimacy and erode national sovereignty and South Sudan may fail,” Majak said.
According to Makjak, the Council of Ministers ordered for deterrent forces, disarmament and peace building in the area, to achieve the supremacy of the rule of law.
Some leaders of the Murle community want a separate State of their own from Jonglei to end the chaos but will it be the end of the crisis. Looking into States which are predominately one tribe like Lakes State and Warrap dominantly Dinka, Unity State Nuer but wrangles and killings are happening. This means that the government and the people of South Sudan need to focus on nation building, because a divided nation cannot talk of engaging in any war or progress, Makjak elaborated.
The Deputy Minister continued that, “SPLA has a vision that by 2017 we must have reached the level of a professional army with strong air force and deterrence for any aggression.”
The Minister of Internal Affairs, General Alison Manani Magaya acknowledged that indeed the Ministry is unable to transport police to Jonglei to quell the inversion.
“We are to deploy 4,000 police but due to logistics we are unable to do so. Our deployment will not meet the timeline given by the President but we will continue to acquire capability to reach this objectives and gain our territorial integrity,” said Manani
The United Nations is showing her goodwill for the nation, but this goodwill should be accompanied by doing the right thing and show accountability. Hon. Clement Janda a Member of the Council of States from Central Equatoria State urged the government to stop quantifying human life and said one death should be considered a tragedy.
“This Republic should uphold the death of one South Sudanese as a tragedy and be investigated. The culture of rejecting numbers of people killed should be discarded. Let us respect the sanctity of any South Sudanese,” Col. Janda said
“Even in 2012, I find it extremely difficult that we can glorify the act of grabbing somebody’s cattle for marriage and pride. Whose daughter is that who wants to be married with stolen cattle? The business of turning women and cattle as inter-changeable must be changed,” he added.
Khartoum is blamed for sending arms to South Sudan by planes. One of the Members of the Council questioned the capability of the army in handling or detecting planes coming from Khartoum.
“Why is the SPLA not shooting down planes of the Sudan Armed Forces? We are hearing that Khartoum planes land in (Jonglei) South Sudan where George Athor operates, why is it not shot down? Hon. Sarah Ngachol asked.
The Deputy Defence Minister confessed that it is certain that the army lack proper equipments.
“This is true, because in Jonglei our intelligence states that over 30,000 rifles were brought by George Athor between 2010 and 2011. They are in the hands of the people they include PKMs SPG 9 among other big guns that you see in the hands of the youth. You do not detect planes with your naked eyes, we need military radars, we have not acquired them in order for us to be secured,” said the Deputy Minister
Societies change with time, long ago there was cattle raiding but currently they have changed in dimensions. They now hold guns and trained causing more harm by moving to neighbouring tribes.
The Governor of the troubled State of Jonglei, Hon. Kuol Manyang Juuk gave a comprehensive account of what happened. Governor Manyang said he reports what happens to the government on weekly basis and through the Governor’s forum. He gave two reasons why the youth in his State took up arms.
“The poverty in the State is one such cause. Mature youths who want to marry feel the pressure since there are no cattle for marriage because the in-laws demand these cattle. There are no roads for conducting business and unemployment rates are also too high. The climate could not allow cultivation hence the people resorted to cattle rearing. Now, when there are no cattle for marriage the youths go raiding. Secondly other groups take up arms for protection,” Governor Manyang explained .
“200 police were recruited by the State but they don’t have guns. There is going to be a buffer zone in garbing anybody and any Dinka, Lou Nuer or Murle crossing has to be apprehended. I want the roads constructed, so that I can move to all areas. We do not know who the leaders of the youth groups are,” he elaborated.
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Micheal Makuei said without roads construction in Jonglei, all measures to pursue for peace will be futile. “Without roads construction in Jonglei, you can’t talk about laws and order or peace,” Hon. Micheal Makuei said.
The Council of States referred the matter to the peace and security committee. Recommendations will be drawn next week.