Malakal is Ours: Press Statement from Collo MPs in national legislative assembly
Malakal City is our Land: Press Statement from Collo MPs in national legislative assembly
The Republic of South Sudan
National Legislative Assembly
Date: February 8, 2016
February 9, 2016 (SSB) — We, the Collo MPs in South Sudan National Legislative Assembly are hereby obliged to bring to the attention of the peace loving people of the Republic of South Sudan, the blunders of the Governor of the so-called Eastern Nile State. He has become so obsessed with the power given to him up to the extent of continuing to cause havoc to the Collo and Nuer government official whom he has now dismissed illegally from the civil service. He has also appointed the town Mayor and the deputy from his Dinka Padang with disregard to the feelings of the original inhabitants of Makal County, the Collo Community who are the right historical owners of Malakal town.
The evil intention of the governor has gotten exposed by the decree he issued that attempts to dismiss the rightful owners from Malakal and replace them with trespassing Padang Dinka. If we can cite a simple example of the Juba town which is accommodating everybody, we don’t hear theGovernor giving orders to non-Bari to immediately leave the capital city. The fact that former Sobat Rural Council was hosted in Malakal town didn’t translate into Malakal town being part of Sobat rural Council while the borders of Sobat Rural Council and former Kodok district lies at Banglay at least twenty miles east of Malakal town. This unnecessary aggression by the governor must be responded to strongly. We condemn the behaviour of the Governor of the so-called Eastern Nile State in the strongest terms possible.The Governor should know that Malakal town belongs to Collo People, full stop. The baseless claim and the nonsensical noise the Jieng of Padang is making is not substantiated and must be dismissed with the contempt it deserves.
We know very well that the Executive Order Number 36/2015 that imposed the creation of 28 states is nothing much but an evil ploy to annex Collo lands east of the Nile and along Sobat river to Dinka areas. That is why eight (8) unconnected counties are lump up to constitute this huge so-called Eastern Nile State as a conspiracy by the Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) against Collo people. What criteria were used in dividing up the 28 states when a single or two counties could become a state in the Lakes, Warrap and NorthernBahr El Ghazel states? The available history and legal documents about Collo Kingdom speak volumes about the boundaries previous to and as of 01/01/1956. It has been known even by the Turks, Egyptians, Arabs, British and French that Collo community have always lived on both sides of the river Nile and along Sobat river for centuries. The American Missionaries established Dolieb Hill Mission in 1902 which is the Collo land. For more information, we can refer you to the Upper Nile Handbook (written in the 1930s) that clearly demarcated Collo District in Upper Nile, contrary to the illusion of the Padang Jieng.
We hope that the Jieng of Padang and their plotters understand it well that if this illegal occupation of Malakal and other Collo areas is not revoked, it would be a recipe for a nonstop deadly war, given the already broken social fabrics and coexistence that has beenexisting between Chollo and the Padang Dinka groups.
As we are standing before you today, we come from geographical constituencies of Malakal town and other Collo areas. Hon. Andrew Okony Ayom represents Constituency No 2 of Malakal South, Panyikang County (East and West bank of river Nile). Hon. Samuel Aban represents Constituency No 1 of Malakal North/Ogod (West and East}. Hon. Benjamin Bol Joknyang represents Malakal Center. Hon. Onyoti Adigo Nyikwec, Hon. Johnson Olami, and Hon. Mary Riro Jwac, were all voted for in both the eastern and western banks of the Nile of Fashoda,Manyo and Panyikango Counties. No single Jiengpolitician from Padang group contested and passed in Malakal town. If what they are claiming is not flagrant injustice then what else can we call it?
To qualify the injustice done so far, 75% of the civil servants working in Malakal alone are from Collo tribe, followed by 20% from Nuer and less than 5% from Padang Dinka. As this is the case, how convincing will the wrong claimers own Malakal? It would be a surprise to many if they come to know that the Padang Dinka don’t even own land plots and houses in Malakal town beyond fifty (50), and if you ask of how many of them were born in Malakal town who are 40 years now, they will never go beyond thirty (30). The architects of the false claim like Mr. Joshua Dau Diu of Lwac Jieng of Pangak District came to Malakal in 1970s. Together with some half educated (mostly in theology) politicians of Padang Dinka, they tried in 1980s (during the Southern Sudan Regional Government era) to put their dark hearts on the precious Collo lands. They continued to conspire in 1990s with NCP of Omer Al Bashir. Further, they tried in 2000s with the SPLM/A able leader Dr. JohnGarang but were told categorically that their claims over the historical Collo lands on east of the Nile are all baseless and useless. Now they have come around again to confuse President Salva Kiir Mayardit on the basis of controlling what they have called “Dinka Oil”. They will still fail in shame and shambles.
We stand resolutely by the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD) on the implementation of the Agreement on Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS), and welcome the Communiqué released by the IGAD Council of Ministersin Addis Ababa on 31st January 2016 and adopted by the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) on Tuesday the 3rd instant as well as by all the Parties to be the new binding road-map for speedy implementation of the ARCSS with suspension of the operationalization of the proposed 28 states that has now taken more tribal troubles toUpper Nile people instead of services and development.
We appeal to the International community at large to urge the sitting government to reverse the evil that is taking place in Malakal, which is wrongfully given to Padang Dinka as their administrative capital. The unfounded imaginary Padang Dinka’s claim over Malakal and other areas of Collo Kingdom is hardly explained to those who know well the history and geography of the area. If this looming catastrophe is not contained quickly now, there will be no peace in Upper Nile State.
We want peace to prevail among the two communities in upper Nile as it used to be in the past. This will not be realized unless the Order of the governor dismissing Collo and Nuers from Malakak town is immediately revoked by the sitting government. And to withdraw forces in Malakal to their cantonment areas and deployment of joint Integrated Police force inside Malakal.
Thank so much for listening
God bless you all.
God bless South Sudan.
Signed:-
1-Hon. Onyoti Adigo Nyikwec ——————————————
Constituency number 9 Fashoda and Manyo Counties (East and West)
2-Hon. Andrew Okony Ayomo —————————————————-
Constituency number 2 Malakal South and Panyikango County (East and West)
3-Hon. Samuel Aban Acien ———————————————————
Constituency number 1 Malakal North/Ogod (East and West)
4-Hon. Benjamin Bol Joknyang——————————————
Constituency number 3 Makal County (East and West)
5-Hon. Johnson Olami Nyikwec—————————————-
Constituency number 1 Panyikango, Fashoda and Manyo Counties (East and West)
6-Hon. Mary Riro Jwac ————————————————-
Women list Upper Nile State
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