The Voice of Padang Jieng Community Union (PJCU): Press Statement
13 min readFrom the the Padang Jieng Community in Diaspora:
- Your Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan & Chairman of the SPLM.
- Your Excellency Kuol Manyang Juk, Minister of Defense of the Republic of South Sudan.
- Your Excellency Paul Malong Awan, Chief of Staff of the Republic of South Sudan.
- Your Excellencies Jieng Council of Elders.
January 21, 2016 (SSB) —- At the outset, Padang Jieng Community in Diaspora and on the ground congratulates and expressed deep gratification for President of the Republic of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit on the creation of the 28 States. It is one of the finnier jobs well done and a historical milestone to the Padang Jieng Community as well as for the entire South Sudan. It is a move that will bring back the broken trust, peace and harmony between the Communities, only if it is not abused. It will create a ground such that each community will work hard to focus on their State development, security, and relation with neighbors, State affairs and the overall administration toward building a better future for the State as well as for the entire country.
Nonetheless, Mr. President, the Padang Jieng Community Union in Diaspora hailing from the two newly States of Eastern Nile State and the Ruweng State are deeply disturbed, infuriated by the tone and plot being hovered by the SPLM/IO and its devil head of advance team Taban Deng Gai against the Padang in which he point blank defined the border issues of Padang as a permanent problem on 01/7/2015; a signal of the same tone and footsteps for declaration of war as once advocated and demonstrated by Jonson Olony two years ago on the national SS-T.V. The Padang people have been patience, but vigilant about the scheme and tactics being used by the government of the ROSS to marginalized and humiliates Padang Jieng Community for being patience, kindhearted people, and peace loving community who do things with fairness.
In case many readers do not know where the oil fields are exactly located in South Sudan, a case which has cost two million people’s lives beside the land and freedom during the SPLA armed struggle is by 92% located in the land of Padang Jieng. However, the government of the ROSS decided to give away that Ministry of Petroleum to the SPLM/IO during these critical times because a son of Padang had that position; the same negligent of Padang’s voice or present during the negotiation until Mr. President and his government signed the peace with the Rebels in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Under the same token, Mr. Kiir and his government knows very well that the Riek Machar and Taban rebellion was because of the oil of the ROSS they claimed to the entire world to be located in their Nuer land which you the Jieng Council of Elders and the government of ROSS knows very well that it was a lie.
But yet, you the government and the Jieng Council ignored the significant presence of the land owner’s representative to be among the negotiation team on the government side; in fact the oil might be for the GOSS, but the land is for the people that owned it. The more disturbing things is when Mr. President and his GOSS refused the call made by Padang Community to include at least a stake holder or reprehensive from the land owners, the Padang Jieng Community to be in the negotiation. The GOSS and the Jieng just wanted the rebels to be rewarded thinking that it will stop the war and also a technique to incite another violent between communities around the Padang areas; a technique deemed contrary to the vision we all fought for during the South Sudanese Armed Struggle which is shocking to see preferred by the government of ROSS we trusted from day one till today.
It seems to prove the point that, this current administration respects those who rebels against its principles, so it become a doctrine especially to the President of ROSS and its government that you will not get your right unless you rebels, but have to kill to get your right. This has been a culture and true of David Yau Yau and true numerous times in the case of Riek Machar. Mr. President you have got it all wrong with your organs and selling Padang Jieng will be a peak as high as mount Everest when Padang Jieng raise its horn. Padang Jieng rejects any attempt please. We are faire people Mr. President as well as your organs who have lived in our area, nevertheless, Padang Jieng have denounce this trade deal. If you want what is happening in Ager Jieng land to be same as in Padang Jieng land, than keep it up.
We, the Padang Jieng Community Representatives, Youth, Women and Community leaders from all the Padang Nine Counties of the two States in Diaspora have overwhelmingly condemned and are angered by the remark made by Taban Deng Gai on the National SS. T.V about Padang boundaries with its neighbors which is an incitement of another atrocities in the Padang land by terming it as a permanent problem exactly the same way Johnson Olony has advocated for. According to the constitution, the new States boundaries issues across the ROSS are not only problems just in the Padang areas as Mr. Taban Deng has provoked, but a whole Issue of the ROSS.
The Presidential decree for creation of twenty-eight states in the country also made it clear that border committees will be established to address the issue of borders. AS a clear message to you the government of ROSS as well as the Jieng Council of Elders, it is to inform once and again that, Taban Deng Gai, the newly appointed minister of petroleum on the SPLM-IO side’s speech has once again “reminded Padang of Eastern Nile States and the Ruweng State about another plot the Rebels are planning on attacking and destroying Padang States” so they can be closed to the Arab of Khartoum for an access to destroy the vision and the will of the entire ROSS because their principles and ideas are not up to no good nor would they every be productive, it is just a way to another war like what Johnson Olony has planned on Padang Jieng and GOSS which he has announced publicly on the national T.V in 2012, which he later carried out in 2014.
Publicly and clearly, Johnson Olony nationally stated that, “he brought his weapons from the Arab of Khartoum to fight the Padang Dinka over the Land;” claiming that certain areas in the Upper Nile belong to Shilluk and were taken by the Padang from the Shilluk if you all recalled. Without a doubt, Olony has been carrying out his attacks on Padang Jieng since 2012-2015 and government has never condemned him, yet the GOSS is still giving a close ear on the activities of Shilluk on the Media and around the globe for another incitement against Padang Jieng. Padang Jieng message is simple Mr. president, any other trigger or an attempt on Padang children and land without your positive intervention will not be pretty this time so be mindful of that because it has become crystal clear that things are not being run the right way under your administration.
The Padang Community do remind both the government and the rebels that we are finally aware of your power struggle and the politics behind it, but the sad part of it is that we are tired and ready to close the door for whoever wanted to gamble Padang land and the people to the enemies. Padang Jieng feel that our trust to the government and neighbors is being distorted purposely by the ROSS government and the SPLM-IO because Padang Jieng and the Nuer as well as Shilluk community have lived for centuries side by side just with minor brutalities than what Padang Jieng have witnessed during this administration, but the little trust we were left with after the civil war has been destroyed by the recent war which was created on purpose. This trust will not be restored through marketing the citizen of Padang States without pain this time around.
The voice of Padang Jieng vow to take any measure to defend its territories and to not let any child died of trusting the enemy this round if the government and the Jieng Council does not involve in to this matter or review betting on Padang’s lives and land sooner than later. We, the Padang Jieng refused to watch the second mistake happen again on our land therefore, with no productive thought toward your plan on Padang Jieng will raise the stake higher such that your dream for peace may not prevail in Padang Jieng land if Padang Jieng is again being sold with its land for the freedom of the other Dinkas and the Republic of South Sudan.
We, the Padang Jieng Community have been a big building block of the solid center part of the movement from its creation, but we have witnessed that our honesty, patience plus the love for peace has been used against us. We have seen that, so enough is enough. Factually, the Padang Jieng is the Second largest group of Dinka Community after Malual De Giernyang. Mr. President, Defend minister, Chief of staff and the Jieng Council of Elders, be advised that Padang Jieng is mad as hell and we will not witness Taban incite another atrocities on Padang States nor shall Padang watch Paul Malong Awan and Kuol Manyang Juk and the government of ROSS in Juba sell Padang people and the land once again in our Youth’s watch for the reward of the few for peace as your government have already done in 2012 by arming Johnson Olony.
Taban has awful history with Padang Jieng since he was in the government as a governor of Unity State that is why Ruweng had demanded their State. If the government and rebels allowed him to hold that position to repeat the same aggressive behavioral attitudes toward Padang Jieng again, then Padang refused his footstep on Padang Jieng soil. Taban does not suit any position in the government of ROSS since he had repented the separation of The South Sudan in Khartoum.
Padang Jieng inhabitances two years ago before the war erupted, have informed your offices about how arming Olony is a terrible move and dangerous game to play without arming the Padang Jieng since he has a pending agenda, but each of you knows how you have downplayed or chased the people away in your offices when they came in to complain. However, little did some of you and so was Johnson Olony too young to know that the Padang Jieng was a “sleeping mighty giant champs” when it comes to war.
Lastly, but no least; Padang Jieng Community on the ground and all across South Sudan should bear in mind that their land and lives is being auctioned out because your future as well as the future of your children does not matter to the other Jieng, GOSS or the rebels despite the good neighborhood we have shared with our neighbors in the pass; and that is why Riak Machar and his team did not even mention Padang in his 21 States proposal; an indication that the rebellion was form to make Padang land a battle field with GOSS so they can have an easy access to Arab North.
So it is a call to all the Padang Jieng Community of the two States on the ground and across to be on high alert that we have got problem and it will be up to you to watch another killing of your innocents hand folded because you have heard once again on national T.V from the head of a devil Taban Deng. Should Padang Youth, Leaders, women and children except to be treated less than any Southerner and displaced as we have seen it already happened to the Paweny people of Atar in Pigi County, then it will be your choice to witness the coming massive displacement of the entire Padang Jieng States because it is a game, so wake up say something or fight for your right.
Headline Issues of Concern and Intolerances
- Padang Jieng community first and foremost condemns the choice made by the government of ROSS to give the Petroleum Ministry to the Rebels, it was miscalculated.
- Padang Jieng Community everywhere, denounce and reject the nomination of Taban Deng Gai as a Minister of Petroleum by the rebels because he is not a man of peace and he has already revealed that when he spoke in Juba, and since 92% of oil field is in Padang Jieng land, there is no any good reason Mr. Taban and Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth shall ever set foot on Padang land before the wounds healed if the ROSS think that is ok by their schedule.
- If the SPLM-IO and the GOSS want peace and dialogue in the Padang Jieng land with its neighbors than the Ministry of Petroleum should be issued to the Equatorian who is on the SPLM-IO side.
- If a blind eyes is turned on to this matter, then the Padang shall not afford to witness the same National T.V style plot as Johnson Olony did hand folded because we dearly know that many elements in GOSS and the entire rebels group are corrupted in which no one endorse fairness or humanity, so why should Padang Jieng?
- Padang Jieng Community asked the government and the rebels to review their plan that might be enclosed and the nomination of Taban Deng Gai as a Minister of Petroleum, otherwise the Petroleum Minister should be from Equatoria because the Oil doesn’t belong to just the Dinka or Nuer, it belong to the entire South Sudan in case you have missed it.
- Padang Jieng vowed and rejects any move or an attempt proposal by the Rebels or government to impose nomination of our two Padang Jieng States governors of Eastern Nile State and Ruweng State to be nominated by the Rebels under Riek Machar’s command or SPLM-IO. Padang Jieng did not rebel, so rebels shall not determine the fate of Padang Jieng States, therefore, Padang Jieng refused any such tactics or ideology.
- Padang Jieng has seen it all and is vigilant after the government has shown interest in rewarding some angry elements and smooth talkers with lives of Padang Jieng people and the destruction of their properties in the 2014 by introducing a meaningless war in the country, a war that has destroyed the trust among communities across the ROSS, seeds left by the 21 civil war and the productivity of the entire country.
- Marginalization and marketing Padang Jieng has become a culture and trend in the GOSS rulings political arena, tracing back to during the 21 of the civil war till today.
- Padang Jieng Community without a doubt have been oppressed and neglected throughout by our own government we have been dearly loyal to.
- To Whom It May Concern, make no mistake that Padang Jieng will not accept anymore silence and humiliation from any entity.
The Voice of Padang Jieng Community Demands and Recommendations for the Way Forward
- The Padang Jieng Community demand without any excuses that: 1. The Finance Minister must be from Padang Jieng Community. 2. The Padang Jieng would have demanded the Deputy Minister of Petroleum to be from Padang Jieng Community, but since as per the agreement, that a minister and his deputy shall come from the party that has been allocated the ministry, Padang deserve a deputy of Chief of Staff if your GOSS still want the oil on Padang Jieng land. 3. Padang Jieng ask the GOSS for Padang sons to be active duty generals in the military right now because you have retired all our high-ranking generals while internal wars are in session.
- Padang Jieng Community shall no more take any oppressive acts or an attempt by the GOSS to impose any dangerous unethical proposal on Padang Jieng Community just to favor the interest of certain South Sudanese people, group, or community when Padang Jieng have suffered more than any community in the hands of Nuer leaders rebellion and Arab during the 21st long civil wars.
- Padang Jieng Community thought that the GOSS as well as the Jieng Council of Elders should be alert than that and pay a close attention to that signing owl. Padang Jieng Community refused to remain the victims after the survival for live struggle we have passed through; Padang Jieng are vigilant and we will not rest until something is done before is too late. Padang Jieng love this country more than any other citizen in the ROSS that is why they are loyal just to promote peace, but it just been noticed that neither the SPLM-IO nor the GOSS care about peace so that is why rebels won.
- Finally to Thondit Jieng Padang, this is your moment to wake up and say something or fight for your right before you are turned to a no man land, stop being ignorant now!!!
Long Live Padang Community
Long lives the Republic of South Sudan
Best regard,
The Chairman of the Padang Jieng Community Diaspora
Wilson Thonkur Lual, wilsonmakur@yahoo.com
Deputy Padang Jieng Community Diaspora
Mayiik Deng Kiir, kiircam2000@yahoo.com
Acting Secretary of the Padang Jieng Community Diaspora
Ngor Kur Mayol, ngorkur@yahoo.com
Date: 01/12/2016
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