Photographic Interpretation: Remembering the Unsung Heroes of the SPLM/A
4 min readBy Kur Garang Deng, Nairobi, Kenya
April 22, 2016 (SSB) —- The picture above was taken at Teda Village, also known by SPLA soldiers as Pan-Anyuak, in Western Ethiopia. I came across the picture later during my days as a Commando member assigned to the Headquarters of the C-in-C, Dr. John Garang, in 1986. However, the event in the picture took place when I was in the training camp in Bonga, Ethiopia.
For this reason, the picture is hereby dedicated to Victor Bol Ayuolnom. A story of our history came about when remembering our old comrades with a friend a few days ago. When mentioning Bol Ayuolnom, many people, especially my friend who was chatting with me, did not recognize that hero.
People in the picture: Dr. John Garang de Mabior (RIP), Kerbuno Kuanyin Bol (RIP), Salva Kiir Mayardit (our current president), Victor Bol Ayuolnom (RIP), Deng Alor, Costello Garang Riiny, Kuol Deng Abot, who was a sergeant and was responsible for the prisoners of foreign origin shown in the picture, for the handover. Costello Garang Riiny was sent from Germany as the coordinator for the release of these prisoners between the SPLA and one of the European countries of the prisoners’ nationality.
The rest of the comrades in the picture were some of our soldiers and our friends, besides the prisoners.
The late Victor Bol was assigned to Bahr al Ghazal operation. He was a lieutenant Colonel deputizing Lt. Col. Khawaj Makuei as commander of Jamus II Battalion. Lt. Col. Bol was also in company of some of his comrades, mentioned here among others: 1st Lt. Deng Alor, the Political Commisssar of Jamus II Battalion, 1st Lt. Ayuen Alier Jongroor, 1st Lt. Baghat Aguek and 1st Lt. Warabek Ayuel Warabek (aka: Mabaai Ayuel). I have just mentioned these few officers to my friends and readers as points of reference on the mission of the Buffalo (Jamus II) Battalion, in case of further inquiries.
In the picture, 1st Lt. Deng Alor is seen with an open chest because he was undergoing a bullet wound pain that he sustained in his chest in action at Ajuara, an Anyuak Village near Pochalla. They fell into a Sudan Forces’ ambush on their way from Bahr al Ghazal to Ethiopia around May or early June 1984.
I kindly ask members of Buffalo, Tiger and Tumsah (Crocodile) battalions, who were around by then, to confirm.
NB: The SPLA/SPLM was an orderly and discipline movement that recognized human rights. They used to free thousands of POWs (Prisoners of War) including thousands of their enemy troops. The white men in the picture were the first POWs taken and released by the SPLA in our history of liberation struggle. We meant liberation by its real meaning, even liberation of individuals like these foreigners and thousands of other Sudanese. Unfortunately, the NIF Islamist regime used to finish off our soldiers and other hostages right away in the field. The culture of killing women, children and other vulnerable groups was not our practice.
ENDNOTE: For this or any other picture of our heroes, anybody who wants to use it for private or public consumption should contact me for permission and for a copy of a clear one. In addition, as in all my other history accounts, I like mentioning names and origins of the fallen heroes for ease of reference. It is only for historical, not political, consumption. This is also to refresh our readers and balance their daily reading of other non-history materials both online and offline.
To borrow a Kiswahili saying: Sisi natoke mbali bwana (We have come a long way, ya Jamah).
Your Comrade,
Kur Garang Deng
E-mail: kurgarang@gmail.com
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