Dinka Padang Community in the Diaspora: Open Letter to President Salva Kiir Mayaardit
8 min readOpen letter to the Office of the President of the Republic of South Sudan H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit: The Padang Union in the Diaspora in the U.S and Canada are hereby on a Follow Up Letter.
Dear Mr. President,
July 28, 2015 (SSB) — On behalf of the Padang counties in the Republic of South Sudan, we the Padang Union in Diaspora would like to appreciate your administration for working tirelessly to defend, protect the constitution, and the people of South Sudan from tribal rebel leaders, Mr. Riek Machar and Taban Deng Gai. The Padang communities relentlessly stood firmly during the liberation struggle with the people of south Sudan against repressive regime in Khartoum for the last 22 years without betraying the aspirations of our beloved people of South Sudan. However, the Padang communities have suffered an immeasurable loss during the war struggle for freedom, justice, peace and equality, which had eventually result to an independent of the Republic of South Sudan.
Mr. President, we would like to bring Padang grievances and concerns to your attention that, we are outraged by brutality and gross human right violations imposed on our vulnerable civilians by tribal rebel leaders, Riek Machar and Taban Deng Gai during this senseless war. The Padang counties across the South Sudan have become a battleground for tribal rebellion of former disgruntled Vice president, who is at the point to commandeer the whole Padang’s God given Land for bargaining. Our civilians are subjected to all kind of cruelties and human sufferings simply because of their God given resources and Land. The Padang communities do not deserve to be deprived from their ancestral geographical locations.
Mr. President, we met with minister in the Office of the President, Mr. Awan Guol, on 9/27/2014, during UN assembly in the U.S. We held a teleconference with him and outline our concerns through him to bring them to your attention. We are grateful to you for choosing a man for the people, Mr. Awan Guol. Here are our grievances and concerns we had discussed with Minister, Mr. Awan:
- Short term plans: Security in all Padang counties.
We are unequivocally clear that, we are demanding the change of commands on the battlefields in Upper Nile States especially in five counties namely: Renk, Melut, Baliet, Akoka, and Pigi from Jonglei State respectively. The security of our civilians in these counties is in danger in the hands of rebels due to covert operation within the commands in the battlefields in Upper Nile State.
Here are series of rebels’ operational sequences based on chronological order: First, the rebels led by Riek Machar attacked on Baliet County killing over 300 civilians, destroyed their livelihoods, and obliterated the whole county in devastated manner. Second, they also attacked on Renk County in surprise manner, whereby over 25 civilians were murdered as a result. Third, they attacked on Pigi County killing many civilians, destroying their livelihoods, and displaced the whole county to live under tress as well.
Nevertheless, these suspicious attacks were believed to be a linkage between pro-rebels within Upper Nile State commands network that allow rebels to sneak in the villages of vulnerable civilians without warnings. In this case for instance, we would like to seek for your permission to allow our senior officers in the SPLA to take over the security of our communities in Upper Nile State than being under the security of those who are killing our innocent civilians because of the reason known to them.
Below are the proposals of the Padang Union in the Diaspora in North America demanded to see changes within command leadership in Upper Nile State and replace them with Padang sons to take care of their own territories for security reasons. We know that, it won’t be easy task but we do care about the livelihood of our civilians to be protected. Here are individuals for us to see some changes or removed.
- Simon Kun Puoch, Upper Nile State’s Governor.
- Lt-Gen. Gony Biliu, sector two in Upper Nile State.
- Brig. Gen. Nhial Batong, a commander of Guelguk Payam at Melut County.
- Brig.Gen. Stephen Buoi, a commander in Renk County.
In Western Nile front, the same case happened in Unity State, whereby all the civilians who were working in Unity Oil fields at Panrieng County, were murdered on their basis of ethnicity, especially from Abienhom & Pariang Counties respectively by tribal rebels of Riek Machar and Taban Deng Gai. Also, the rebels under the command of James Koang Chuol in Unity State launched series of attacks on 12/26/2013 at Pariang county killing children, elderly people including U.S citizen in their villages without mercy.
These gross human right violations and hatred posed on our civilians are unprecedented and must not be compromised even if peace is prevailing. These atrocities result into displacement of civilians from their home villages and they are gravely needed assistances. Therefore, we kindly request an urgency of humanitarian assistances to these civilians in Padang communities who were being deposed deliberately to hunger from their respective home villages across the three States by this catastrophic tribal rebellion of Riek Machar.
We ask your government to help these civilians to feed their children because their studies were interrupted by this senseless conflict.
- Long term Plans: creation of Padang States.
We are also calling on your government in long term to create two states for Padang Dinka in the Republic of South Sudan. We propose that, five counties will constitute one state in Upper Nile State because we are a peacefully people, and we had shown this co-existence to our neighbors for long time, but this time, we want our own security to be under our control. Below are five counties to be named as one state.
- Renk County.
- Melut County.
- Baliet County.
- Akoka County.
- Pigi County.
In Unity State, we are requesting your government to give two counties a State of their own or special administrative status to manage their own security than being under security of those who are killing them. Below are the two counties.
- Panrieng County.
- Abienhom County.
Mr. President, all we have mentioned above were grievances and concerns in which the Padang Union in Diaspora in North America would like to bring to your attention. We want a comprehensive solution to address these grievances and concerns prior to the peace process in Addis- Ababa. We will be glad for Padang communities to determine their final destiny so that they will live in peace and harmony in their respective geographical locations. We are anticipating from your government to contemplate and scrutinize on Padang communities’ grievances and concerns on this particular senseless war in the Republic of South Sudan.
As a civil right leader, Martin Luther Jr. said, ‘Justice delayed is justice denied”. The Padang communities have been patient for long time about Riek’s atrocities imposed deliberately on our loving people; however, we say now, enough is enough. Riek Machar is now engaging in targeted killing of our civilians on the basis of ethnicity using his recognized tribal white armies in the eye of the whole world in pretext to kill civilians across South Sudan.
Mr. President, the rebels under tribal leader, Riek Machar, is planning to extirpate Padang communities across greater Upper Nile region because of Oil installations. This is a dangerous motive, if these rebels are allowed to conquer Padang’s territories in South Sudan to breed in. In this case, we would like our youth particular Padang sons and daughters to be trained to defend their vulnerable civilians in their respective territories from Nuer’s white armies for security reasons. This will also avoid target killing of civilians on the basis of ethnicity in Padang territories.
We, the Padang Union in the Diaspora and the world at large, are aware of what is so-called, the Nuer tribal white armies trained by Riek Machar and Taban Deng Gai deliberately trying to annihilate Padang communities across Greater Upper Nile region and other regions in the Republic of South Sudan. Our youth have right to self-defense and they are determined to deter the white armies of tribal leader, Riek Machar from Padang’s territories. They have already demonstrated that deterrence to the Nuer white armies during the course of this senseless war in South Sudan.
Mr. President, when the peace talks in Addis Ababa begun, Padang communities at large have never taken part in the peace negotiations yet they are the ones facing enormous challenges on their territories because of Oils claimed by Riek Machar that, it is found in Nuer’s territories. We therefore would like your government to consider two representatives from the Padang communities to represent them in peace negotiation in Addis Ababa. Also, we have concerns for unpaid volunteers who joined our National army to help defend the territorial integrity of South Sudan.
These youth are the backbones of national security of in our country and they need to be supported to defend the country against the enemies. Our youth are resilience and capable of defending the young nation in the face of this pathetic rebels. The Padang Union in Diaspora in North America will stand solidarity with the government of South Sudan in the face of these dangerous rebels motivated by tribal sentiments.
Thank You
Signed by Interim executive committee of the Padang Union in Diaspora in the U.S and Canada.
- Wilson Thonakur Lual, President. (Malut County)
- Mayiik Deng Kiir, Vice President. (Pariang County)
- Abraham Chol Chan, G. Secretary. (Akoka County)
- Biem Gook, Vice Secretary. (Abienhom County)
- Thon Palek Akol, Treasurer. (Pigi County)
- Kieu Monydhot, Vice Treasurer. (Baliet County)
- Samuel Monyroor, Member. (Renk County)
- Monyluak Mijak Arop, Member. (Pariang County)
- Deng Ngor Chol, Member. (Malut County)
- Ayong Ajak Guot, Member. (Akoka County)
- Kuot Arop, Secretary of information. (Abienhom County)
- Marathas Aden Geu, vice secretary of information. (Akoka County)
- Simon Mayiik Nyok, Member. (Abienhom County)
- Biem Miabek Akol, Member. (Pariang County)
- Monyroor Kuany, Member. (Baliet County)
- Abiel Kon, Member. (Baliet County)
- Thon Kuol Angok, Member. (Pigi County)
- Diing Bol Choklai, Member. (Malut County)
- Ayai Chol Ayai, Member. (Renk County)
- Balgik Ajang Lual, Member. (Renk County)
- Michar Bol, Member. (Pigi County)
- William Deng Miabil, Evaluation Committee chairman. (Baliet County)
- Simon Arop, Vice Chairman. (Abienhom County)
- John Abui Chol, Member. (Pariang County)
- Arow Akech Yuot, Member. (Malut County)
- Zecharia Ayong Reng, Member. (Akoka County)
- Monylok Yal Kur, Member. (Renk County)
- Monybany Manyang Dau, Pigi community chairman.
- Abuot Tor Abuot, Pariang Community Chairman.
- Miagak Dau, Pariang Community chairman.
- Peter Akobo Ayong, Akoka community Chairman.
- Arow Akech Yuot, Malut Community Chairman.
- Monylok Yal Kur, Renk Community Chairman.
- Biem Gook, Abiehnom Community Chairman.
- Abiel Kon, Baliet Community Chairman.
Emails: Kiircham2000@yahoo.com; wilsonmakur@yahoo.com
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