“Dinka leaders and their community have failed our country, South Sudan. What’s wrong with you people, wherever you go, problems and havocs follow? you ran from danger in your areas and only to come and cause havoc in our state. You don’t like peaceful coexistence of people. Your leaders need to look themselves in the eye and find out why you are not welcomed by anyone anywhere in South Sudan…I blame the Moru Youths for allowing a snake into their house and crying loud for me to come all the way from Yambio to kill the snake….You have to just kill it, why wait for me?” fumed Governor Joseph Bakasoro of Western Equatoria state.
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Equatoria: South Sudan’s “Dinka Leaders and Their Community Have Failed Our Country” – WES Governor
Jan 17, 2015
By Equatorian Voice
While addressing a conference on Jan 16, organized to mitigate hostilities in Western Equatoria State, the Governor of Western Equatoria, Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro, boldly narrates how the “Dinka leaders and their community failed the country”.
“Dinka leaders and their community have failed our country, South Sudan. What’s wrong with you people, wherever you go, problems and havoc follow?” The WES governor narrates.
Bakosoro believes that members of Dinka community, who are internally displaced to Western Equatoria, are the source of havoc in his State saying:
“you ran from danger in your areas and only to come and cause havoc in our state. You don’t like peaceful coexistence of people. Your leaders need to look themselves in the eye and find out why you are not welcomed by anyone anywhere in South Sudan” Bakosoro said!
Narrated in a local proverb, the state governor blames the Moru Youth for harboring a “snake” yet cries for distant help to kill the snakes when it turns hostile. Bakosoro urges the youth to kill the snakes without hesitation!
“I blame the Moru Youths for allowing a snake into their house and crying loud for me to come all the way from Yambio to kill the snake” the governor narrates.
“….You have to just kill it, why wait for me?” Governor Bakasoro tells the Moru youth.
The statement was condemned by members of Dinka community, who call on President Salva Kiir to remove Governor Bakosoro from Western Equatoria leadership.
Last week, the Central Equatoria State Governor, Clement Wani Konga, while addressing his newly appointed cabinet described the war in the country as a “Dinka-Nuer” war, and urged the people of Equatoria to unite to end the conflict.
“It is the only chance that for the people of Equatoria coming together so as to bring an end to this war between Dinka and Nuer.” Governor Wani emphasized.
“Who are you going to fight, are you going to fight with Dinka or Riek Machar?” the CES Governor wonders!
Although the statement was condemned by Ateny Wek Ateny, the spokesman to president Salva Kiir, the Government of Western Equatoria State strongly backed the statement of Governor Konga.
“If indeed there there is [a] statement from governor [Konga] which is not pleasing, why don’t we use the established government structures to find out what went wrong?” Said the State’s Information Minister, Suba Samuel Manase told reporters in Juba on Monday.
Since South Sudan returned to civil war in 2013, Salva Kiir leadership has very limited control over the leadership of the ten states, and the country, due to fear of triggering more rebellions.
While ex-governors Kuol Manyang Juuk of Jonglei states and Paul Malong Awan of Northen Bhar el Ghazal State still control their states leaderships, acting governors of Lake and Unity State, governor Matur Chut Dhuol, and Joseph Monytuel, respectively, are exploiting the conflict.
South Sudan conflict broke out in December, 2013 following an abrupt SPLM’s National Liberation Council meeting to reconcile the ruling party and to renew SPLM mandates.
Ten of thousands have been killed and nearly 2 millions people have been displace.
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Pastoralist-farmer peace conference commences in Mundri
A peace conference has started in Mundri, Western Equatoria, to resolve disputes between pastoralists and local farmers in the area.
In October 2014, the fighting erupted after cattle destroyed farms. Several people were injured, including a little girl.
The chief guest of the two-day conference told Eye Radio that the meeting will discuss how to address insecurity caused by cattle raids.
The pastoralists from Lakes, Central Equatoria, Jonglei states seek pastures in the area.
Hon Joseph Ngere, who represents Mundri in the national parliament, says delegates from the home states of the cattle keepers are participating in the conference.
“The agenda of the conference is the likelihood of them to be taken back to their places because there are no logical reasons for them to be around while the eco-environment in South Sudan, particularly in our neighbor in Yirol is just the same,” said Hon Ngere.
Hon Ngere says chiefs from Western Equatoria, Central Equatoria, Lakes and Jonglei are attending the conference.