In Jonglei State, all Counties are Equal but some are More Equal than Others
This commentary is exploring NBS’s fault-lines and the Jonglei State of today which is at the verge of disintegration caused by unfair distribution of Members of Parliament by some members who whimsically think they are the majority. (The case of Duk County and others in new Jonglei)
By Kon Joseph Leek, Juba, South Sudan
March 7, 2016 (SSB) — The headline is not mind own but just a re-adjustment of how George Orwell’s book, “Animals’ farm” could have looked like if he had written about new Jonglei. In Orwell’s book, when animals take over the farm, they think it is the start of the better life. Their dream is of the world where all animals are equal and all property is shared.
But soon the pigs took control and one of them, Napoleon, becomes leader of all the animals. One by one, the principles of the revolution are abandoned, until the animals have even less freedom than before. So, the phrase, “animals are all equal but some are more equal than others” was used and so, I twisted it abit.
Earlier before the fragmentation of the then 10 South Sudanese states into current 28 states, Jonglei state was the largest in size and population as followed by Western Bahr El-Ghazal in size and Central Equatoria in population
| According to statistical yearbook 2011 (No. 3.4: Population density by state, page 7) which is a rejuvenation of Sudan’s 5th population and housing census 2008
Jonglei state had the population of 1358602 (no filtration was considered) and land area of 122581.0sq/km Central Equatoria’s population ; 1103592 Western Bahr El-Ghazal’s land area; 910760sq/km |
Western Bahr El-Ghazal which falls in the second place in total land area became the least populated where as Jonglei state maintains its place of “largest in land area, biggest in population”.
Upper Nile state which falls in the fourth place in land area also maintained its position (number four) in population; it follows Western Equatoria in land area and Warrap state in population
| Western Equatoria total land area; 79343.0 sq/kms
Western Bahr El-Ghazal’s population; 333,431 Upper Nile state’s population; 964,353 Upper Nile’s total land area; 77,283.4 sq/kms Warrap State’s population; 972,928 Warrap State’s total land area; 45567.0 sq/kms |
This number four state (upper Nile) had the highest number of Counties than Jonglei, Central Equatoria and Warrap which are highly populated than Upper Nile; this makes one to ask the modalities and criteria of how the counties were distributed (Jonglei had 11 counties, Warrap seven and Central Equatoria six).
Former Jonglei state was the largest and the highly populated than other states and still stood out to be the most homogenous state of up to five different languages and also won the fame of being the most violent state with selfishness, arrogance, hooliganism and cantankerous behaviors of many people of the host (native of the headquarter), who, at the same time had their county-Bor highly represented in the state assembly than any other county in Jonglei due to their selfish lobbing, backbiting and bootlicking, and later accepted perhaps by the authority above through the peak connection of the top Jonglei’s official who happened to come from Bor, with the assumption that Bor-where old Jonglei was headquartered had the highest population while ignoring that any headquarter, whether church or prison is always highly populated because it does not only contain the natives but the others to whom it is their headquarter.
Bor being the headquarter contained the Murle, Nuer (from then four counties), Anyuak, Kachipo, Tui/Twic and the Dinka of Duk and Padang of Pigi County
But they had anyway tackled where the topic of interest would have come from – population, but what population? We will look into that in maybe part two or three of this article.
A lot have been attempted by all the former governors of Jonglei state but nothing has been fully achieved and maintained starting with Thon Leek, the first governor whom in his time had a marvelous start by disarming the Jongleians which was later frustrated when it had only remained Murle to be disarmed after Dinka and Nuer’s disarmament became successful, tribal invasion from one to another in the name of raiding was minimal. Cattle raiders could only attack as thieves not as invaders
Then later was Kuol Manyang whose roles as a fierce military general during the war of liberation and tough actions against deserters worn him fame. When he came, many thought, at least with a military brain, these war-like tribes of Jonglei would have some sense pumped into their minds through force.
Kuol’s reign went on, nothing of the expected improved instead violent worsened. Murle attacked Nuer, Nuer retaliated ……and the game moved on
Later, the Murle changed their course of attack from Nuer to Dinka. Then, Nuer as well followed their nemesis’ (Murle) course by attacking the Dinka and this is evident in 2009 when Nuer attacked Duk’Padiet of Duk County twice in two months and invaded Wernyol payam of Twic East County in the same two months-and that was Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk’s reign, and the general was still famous until he was removed in 2013 to his current position after President Kiir sensed the high pressure of opposition from within the party and therefore decided to guide himself with the people he knew most –Kuol Manyang, Malong Awan, Mamuur Mette, Aleu Ayieny and many others
We then saw Koang Nyuon and no improvement still, and the little hope that had left is now being slaughtered by the incumbent, Aguer
When the president issued the decree of establishing 28 states, Jonglei was divided into four. Jonglei of three counties of Dinka remained a state.
By the virtue of once being under Jonglei District in the past or by being a Dinka county just like Twic and Bor County, Duk County remained under current Jonglei state.
This is just a brief background of how we existed in terms of population and size according to South Sudan statistical yearbook 2011 produced by National Bureau of statistics; the commission under Isaiah Chol Aruai
To be continued……………
The writer is a commentator on contemporary
South Sudan, he can be reached on 0955091449, j.konleek@gmail.com
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