Padang Dinka community: The UN, IGAD, AU and our Government should not listen to the petitition from Shilluk Community over Malakal
By Riak Gordon Minyiel, Juba, South Sudan
May 4, 2016 (SSB) — Padang community has been alarmed and dismayed by some rumours circulating in the area that a number of Shilluk Elders Council has presented to Republic of South Sudan government, UN and international organizations, IGAD, African Union a petition claiming parts of the lands from Section of Dinka Padang (Ngok Lual Yak) to be part territory of what they called the Shilluk Kingdom. Yet during the struggle, had there been knowledge that some of leadership council of the SPLM/A have the intention and the planning of establishing their kingdoms, then non-kingdom seeking fighters in the SPLA from Bahr-El-Ghazal, Equatorial and even Upper Nile would have not be in a position to sacrifice their lives and die for establishment of such kingdoms.
When I was reading Dr Lam Akol book, it’s all about causes and creating of problems in the neighbouring communities, and encouraged Shilluk Community practically to claim the Dinka Padang land in the East bank of River Nile either by war or by law, which was the reason to why he signed Pachoda Peace deal with Khartoum to establish arm group which was support by Khartoum government and it happen in the eye of Padang Leaders. Dr Lam Akol also killed many officers and soldiers’ son of Padang community when he was in charge of Northern Upper Nile command in the SPLA/M under DR John Garang leadership, even also further more discussed Malakal issues in which Dr John Garang promised him (Dr Lam) that he will give them Malakal if he re-joining the movement and in that way Dr Lam Akol rebelled from Khartoum Militia.
Also the census of Ngok, Dongjol and Malakal had/ have been an amalgamated one ever since up to-date. Another second decree, was a decree of the Governor of the Upper Nile State H.E Gatluak Deng Garang with many as an eye witnesses, the decree passed was annexing Ngok Lual Yak parts of Malakal to Fashoda in the year 1992. After this Decree, the Shilluk assumed of claiming Malakal, which have ever been in their thoughts (and for which they lack Documentary evidence) from the time of the colonial Rule up to the time of independence. Mostly to Shilluk, the claim of Malakal only happened after the citations of Decrees, just like Dr John Garang promise, H.E Gatluak Deng Garang decree and then the Shilluk Elders fall into its and granted their eyes and wrote a letter in 1995 to H.E the president of the republic of south Sudan.
We Padang community saw those issues of decrees as politically motivated and totally un-political to save political purposes during that period of political polarization as part of divide and conquer and some ethnic groups were more favoured than others by the salvation Government on that time- dictated by the war situation and building alliance.
The Shilluk people are known to live in the west bank of River Nile from Pinyikango in south to Maganes or Kwaek from our border with kosti. They called LOK COLLO which means the land of Shilluk in other word it is Shilluk side. In contrast, they call the Eastern bank of River Nile as LOK JANG (Jieng) which is mean the land of Dinka or Dinka Side. Since the colonial Administration of the Upper Nile Province, the Dinka Ngok and Dongjol have never ever been separated administratively. Before the Districts designation and establishment, all the Padang sections in the Upper Nile province had been all amalgamated into one Administration based in Malakal. These sections had their chiefs namely:-
- Deng Mayeny Riak, chief of Ngok
- Ayong Dengdit, chief of Dongjol
- Yol Kur, Lual Kaak are chief, of Abiliaang, Ageer, Nyiel
- Wieu Aguer chief, of Luac, Paweny, Rut, Thoi
This entire chief used to make their cases in the following places- Malakal, Arang (Renk), Abwong and khorflus. The following facts make baseless and contradict Dr Lam Akol Ajawin and his people claim over Malakal:-
- The office of the inspector of the local government of sobat District, then called District Commissioner or DC was built in Malakal in 1928. The building is now in a good condition up to former governor H.E Simon Kun Puoch time and it may be destroyed by agwalek militia Johnson olony.
- All the taxes from Ngok and Dongjol were brought to this office in Malakal from the colonial ruler to the date the Decree annexing Malakal to fashooda in 1992.
- All the Chiefs of Ngok and Dongjol were appointed in this office of the districts Commissioner. E.g
Chiefs from Ngok are:-
- Riak Deng Mayeny appointed in 1938
- Deng Awuok appointed in 1938
- Abiel Maker appointed in 1942
Chiefs from Dongjol are:-
- Nyok Ayuel appointed 1942
- Thon wai appointed 1948, killed by Dr. lam Akol arm militia, because he was only one know history of shilluk in east bank 2011
- Chol Adoor appointed 1948
- The police station of Malakal town since then was known as Sobat District
- The District commissioner of Sobat District who administered the district in Malakal since the colonial period and post- independence period are as below but only few of them are who I’m mentioning:
- Donald
- Driver (called anyuantim in Dinka language)
- Agrey Jadden
- Muktar El Tayip
- Karam Mohamed Karam
These are commissioners who based in and operated from within Malakal, handling Dinka Ngok and Dongjol Administrative issues in Malakal as their headquarters. The Shilluk who have then and now stayed in the Eastern bank of the river Nile and around Malakal were appointed a coordinator by the Kodok District commissioner to rule these people.
How, When and Why did Shilluk come and settled in the East bank of river Nile?
The Shilluks who are now residents in the East bank of the river Nile which is the Lok Jieng – had rebelled against the Shilluk king (Reth) and had come to sort refuge. They were forced to flee from the western bank to eastern bank seeking protection and the Dinka allowed them to live in harmony and peace. The Shilluk king did not follow them because they had reached a foreign land and became under Dinka ruling area. Any trans-river shilluk-shilluk aggression could have precipitated a shilluk- Dinka show down and none of them wanted that. The Shilluk kingdom has no powers over the Eastern bank of the Nile because it is not their home land.
Few examples of the Shilluk who escaped from Reth of the Shilluk king:-
- Gol Akwot runs from his brother Reth Kwathker Akwot. Gol Akwot killed his own wife. Then the king (Reth) was so angry with his brother and wanted to punish him. So Gol Akwot run to the Eastern bank of the Nile and took refuge and sheltered in the Ngokland of Ngok Lual Yak.
- Kur Ajak (Bany de baai) the leader of Dinka Ngok Lual Yak accommodated Gol Akwot and his followers who were the run-away protectorate groups (Body Guards) from Shilluk king. Gol and his groups were given a place to stay, a place called Mijok in Dinka language on a Sobat river, and Gol called it Nyijok in their own Shilluk languge. Kur Ajak is the one who named that place including Anak-diar which mean two different words in Dinka where Anak mean killing and Diaar mean Women. The named Anak-diar was derived from unknown person who was a serial killer, a guys who specifically killed women with impunity.
- Bol Acien also run away to Eastern bank of the river Nile and was accommodated by Awin Mayen a leader of Dongjol in a place called Biu in west bank and later his followers cross the river to the eastern bank and joined him and settled in the warm area on the East side of the Nile, the shilluk leaders start to give their daughters free to the Dinka of Dongjol, Ngok Lual Yak leaders, so Dinka accept the peacefully living with those two group which are still in Eastern bank till now and hence across the river Nile which is contemporary being claim by them as their land.
Also in 1899 (Reth) King Padiet married a girl from Dinka Ngok Lual Yak from family called Pagak. The girl name was Achol. Achol give a birth to her first child son called (Dak) Padiet. The child grew up and became the Shilluk king. As a King (Reth), he issued an ordered to his family to go and stay with his mum family in Pagak. When Pagak people went Eastwards on Sobat River in search of cattle grassing side, and land for cultivation some of them remain behand with the family of their sister; Son Dak in place called now Dolleib Hill which was called Bur Achol in Dinka. Some Pagak people remain there and are still in Dolleib till now, and they call themselves Pathworo in Shilluk languge. The Shilluk groups now called them kuajang, which mean they are from Dinka clan.
And for the above showed few example, these are the reasons to how and why did shilluk come and settle on a Dinka Soil of Lok Jieng meaning Dinka side, the quotes which brought the Shilluk to the East side. They have no right at all to claim this land unless they want to occupy the Dinka areas, and it will cause a big tension in our peaceful communities who lived together for many years.
CDR. Dr. Lam Akol Aja win and shilluk Elder council and their MPs, are responsible for all consequences happing in our upper Nile communities since 2005 clashed in Malakal stadium through conflicts going on up today. I advise the Shilluk people to understand and go back to the old cooperation between communities. Dinka Padang is not a violence people as all of you know. The issues of East bank of the river Nile will not involve all Shilluk community. But Dr. Lam will never ever stop creating problem among Shilluk themselves and with others as well. He doesn’t have sound to live in peace.
My question to our Shilluk people is: Which place in Chollo kindom of Nyikango broke up with their kinsmen, the Anyuak kingdom? The Kingdom that was in East bank? Dr. Lam said that Ngok Lual Yak came from Abyei, in which place in Abyei? What about Shilluk tribe where did they came from? Were they coming From Uganda under leadership of nyikango in the 16th Century? Those people who are making this claim should understand the land is a something that no one can sell out. We have been living together and solved our problem without UN, AU, TORIKA, IGAD or even our neighbouring Nuer tribe we have never involve them to solve our issues.
I sometime feel shock, seeing Shilluk people fighting for land and there are 400 young girls and Women who have been taken away by Nuer militia and no one claim them back to their parents. Is this not an important issue in your Shilluk Community? If Dinka Padang are not Peaceful People, how come we have inter marriage with thousands of our son Daughters who’s their mother hailed from shilluk? Yet after war started, Agwalek of Olony begin killing these inlaws to Shilluk in cool blood in Malakal till now. I never seen People killing their own blood related relatives. To Us as Ngok Lual Yak some Shilluk who are related to us are still living with Dinka even during the conflict and no one kill them. We except to live with others in our land, but I never seen others tribe living in the so called Collo Kingdom land in west bank of river Nile bank, even the neighbouring tribe except Arabs, I believe this Collo song which goes like this is true “Collo kene boonya chaam luool akielo” Meaning Shilluk and Arab can eat in one plat, in other hands they are brothers. Shilluk community must consult and calm the crisis going on in our region, otherwise they will pay the consequences.
Riak Gordon Minyiel is a concern South Sudanese Citizen who can be reach on riakgr3@hotmail.com
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