MAR-PAL: Solution to controversy between Ajuong and Pakeer over the naming of their new county
5 min readAjuong and Pakeer should name their new county; ‘’MAR-PAL’’
By Reech Malual-Akumric, Juba, South Sudan
March 12, 2016 (SSB) —- As part of the SPLM’s vision of taking town to people, government at the national level in coordination with state authority resolved to seek ways of dividing old counties into new ones. This created a controversy between communities in various states across the country as regards the naming of the new county and capital city’s location.
Maar [Pakeer] and Paliau [Ajuong] communities in Twic East County of Jonglei state happened to have controversy over the naming of their new proposed county. These two communities have a good history of harmonic and peaceful coexistence with each other over centuries and decades.
Pakeer and Ajuong never had a historic communal conflict but have always even during uninformed era of greater Bor Community before condominium rules [Turko and Aglo Egyptian’s]
During the struggle, both communities had always contributed their daughters and sons collectively to the liberation Armies; [Anyanya one and SPLA] consecutively without any divisions.
Pakeer and Ajuong communities never had a problem of power as an issue, Paliau has been their city and Maar community never complained, and head chieftainship has been collectively for each of these communities at a time.
Both communities have stayed in one famous payam during the struggle named ‘’Jonglei Payam’’ still there was no complain, however; perhaps with blessing of the new county, ropes are being pulled as regards what shall be the name of, and the location of the headquarters for the newly proposed county.
Overtime Paliau and Maar communities have witnessed attacks and armed robbery by human traffickers/child kidnappers and cattle raiders amongst other enemies.
To me as Reech Malual-Akumrich the Solution to controversy between Ajuong and Pakeer communities of newly proposed to be created unnamed county follows the line below:
All members of these communities need a collective county name and collectively located and named county headquarters.
And to me this name shall be ‘’MAR-PAL’’
What is MARPAL? What does it mean? Why MARPAL? Where?
MARPAL is a compound name derive from both names of Maar and Paliau existing headquarters of both payams, taking three letters from each name as one ‘’A’’ of Maar is dropped to make [MAR] and PAL is the first three letters of Paliau.
And this creates a new meaningful interpretation ‘’MAR-PAL’’ which amounts to two words in Dinka; Mar; means ‘’Loose or loosing’’ and Pal; means knife or a dangerous shaped steel used for fighting by Dinka people in general. So it’s [MARPAL] formal meaning is ‘’LOOSE THE KNIFE’’ [indirectly meaning; coexist ever, do not fight with any blood shady]. This name could be traced our historic, peaceful, and well-remembered harmonic coexistence.
As to why [MARPAL]?
It is easily or else simply because we are wondering whose name takes over and whose place shall be the new county’s headquarters, so we are left with a compound naming to keep us together still.
And as to where will MARPAL town be located? We can just learn easily from the name itself, if my knowledge of the area cannot fail me, Paliau and Maar areas can amount to MAR-PAL making a one vast well-surveyed town.
Emerging the two Payam headquarters into a town comes with the following advantages:
- There will be more unity between the two communities [Ajuong & Pakeer]
- One urban area will come with services that are being chased by our people in the country and elsewhere in the world
- As we are being targeted, our children kidnapped, and our cattle are being raided yearly forcing us from the home, this shall be our opportunity to create a secure town.
- MAR-PAL shall be the second largest town after Bor Town
- Services shall be available though leaser than Bor Town’s, but; better than rests counties.
- It will give us new way of organising our lives.
- More schools and health facilities would be seen
- Amongst others
There are minor disadvantages as Adubaar Akonychok, Adubar Nyopiny, wunlir, and WunKuel shall never be cattle camped, and other little issues that may arise during the town survey.
I am of a suggestion that; the county name shall either be Jonglei County just as we used to be Jonglei Payam [headquartered at Marpal Town (a combination of MAAR and PALIAU as one town] or else MARPAL County with headquarters Marpal Town (a combination of MAAR and PALIAU as one town)
In my conclusion: all of us do not want division, insecurity, lack of basic services and so this is our chance to reaffirm our stand as one community that has never departed for one or another reason for its valued historic harmonic existence over centuries.
The change we want is in our hands, we dream, we actualise our dream and then live in the achieved dream.
May we in the grace of Almighty God keep our unity and make our new county as if it is in heaven. [AMEN].
Reech Malual-Akumrich
0955660611
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