Public Press Release: Padang Dinka Borders with the Shilluk Community
9 min readBy Padang Dinka Borders Committee
May 16, 2016 (SSB) — Padang Dinka Borders Committee is happy to make this release to the public with the hope that it shall be informative and educative on the issue of borders between the tribes of Dinka Padang and Shilluk. This issue of borders-between the two tribes- has received heightened political sensitization and agitation against the will of Dinka and Shilluk people practically on the ground and who had been in the past, and remain today and forever as brothers, in-laws and neighbors. Undoubtedly, politicians, on both sides of the divide, have hijacked the peace between the two tribes. The release is an integral part of a document that is narrating the position of Padang Dinka sections of Paweny, Luac, Thoi, Rut, Ngok (Lual Yak), Dongjol, Nyiel, Ageer, Abielang and Ruweng and shall be made public soon. The release goes as below:
Inhabitant tribes of colonial Upper Nile Province in South Sudan are historically and geographically known. These tribes have remained and largely identified in this sequence as Dinka, Nuer, Shilluk, Anyuak, Murle, Kachipo, Maban and Burun/Koma. These Nilotic tribes shared much of their culture and traditions in areas of economic activities such as farming, cattle herding, and fishing and micro scale business among others. As humans and animals growth expanded with time, each and every community exerted efforts for survival in search for resources. This reality came with challenges of competitions that caused anxiety and constant tribal tensions and conflicts that were largely settled by tribal leaders. See the map of Malakal above
The Padang Dinka (Jieng), throughout the history inhabited the Eastern bank of River Nile as early as (12-16) Century AD. They occupied, throughout the history, the colonial Upper Nile Province from Joda (Wun-Thuow) in the North up to Fangak in the South, along the Eastern Bank of the White Nile River and extended eastwards along the Sobat River. The maps: map of Nubia from the late 12th Century to the Funj Conquest in the early 15th Century and the map of the Shilluk Country-Sudan Notes and Records in attachments.
P.M. Holt: in his book titled: “A modern History of the Sudan” (From the Funj Sultanate to the Present Day) London. 1963. Pages (5&6), wrote:
‘Three southern tribes will appear fairly frequently in the following pages. Shilluk now occupy a comparatively small area on the western bank of the White Nile, but formerly their range was much more extensive. As late as the mid- nineteenth century their northern limit was the island of Aba, thirty years later to be the cradle of the Mahdia. Until the early years of the Turco-Egyptian regime, they raided the Arab settlements down the White Nile, and one such raid is said to have led to the foundation of the Funj Kingdom by a band of Shilluk warriors. Until the coming of firearms and steamers, they were able to meet their northern neighbors on equal terms. The Dinka occupy a much more extensive territory than the present day Shilluk, but lack their unity: they are a group of tribes, some of which dwell on the eastern bank of the White Nile, others, the majority, in the grassy flood- plains of the Bahr al- Ghazal, where they herd their cattle”
Anders Breidlid, AvelinoAndroga Said & Astrid Kristine Breidlid: in their book titled (A concise History of South Sudan), New and Revised Edition, 2014, in pages 69 & 70, wrote as follows:
“Settlement of the Shilluk: The Shilluk settled along the west bank of the Nile between Lake No and latitude 12 N in the south of the Sudan, just north of the point where it becomes the White Nile. With easy access to good land along the Nile, they depend much more on cultivation and fishing than the Dinka and Nuer and had fewer cattle”.
Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed Hajj Musa, in page 583 of his book (the Democratic experiment and Development of the Governance Systems in Sudan, published by Dar EL-Jiel- Beirut/Dar El-Mamoun –Khartoum 1970) wrote as follows:
(Dinka Tribe: the individuals of this tribe are distributed between the two provinces of Bahr-El-Gazal and Upper Nile. The Dinka group of Bahr El-Gazal is the largest one and its individuals live in the central Bahr-El-Jabel and Upper Bahr-El-Gazal. The group of Dinka of Upper Nile Province lives on the Eastern Bank of Upper White Nile. Shilluk Tribe lives on the Western bank of Upper White Nile that is Northern Upper Nile Province. Although the population of this tribe does not exceed one hundred thousand, however, they are characterized by being independent tribe and not divided into small tribes).
Padang Dinka (Jieng) and Shilluk tribes have had long standing relations, characterized by intermarriages that cannot be denied by the current political establishment. Such peaceful co-existence was translated into various social and economic functions that have helped two communities over the centuries. It is observable that the two tribes have had intermarriages at a massive scale that unlikely is found elsewhere in South Sudan. They shared common cultural heritage, evidently seen in the use of nouns, such as names. They had free movement; mostly from the west to the east bank of the White Nile which is inhabited by Padang Dinka (Jieng) from Renk to Fangak.
The conflicts in Sudan, ranging from invasion by foreign invaders (Turks, Egyptians and British) as well as the conflicts in the independent Sudan had negative impacts on the population movement and settlement particularly within the conflict ravaged present day South Sudan. The Shilluk movement across the river was prompted by several factors, inter-alia includes the In-laws and cousins migrations, trades and farming, internal-clans conflicts among Shilluk that displaced clans and families, kingdom fugitives that run to east bank for protection and the monarchy transitions system in which kings fight each other in Struggle for power. These are- but few among many that-are main reasons that contributed in Shilluk migrating to the East bank of the Nile, and which have brought these consequential relations. Another factor is the establishment of commercial towns along Eastern bank of the Nile which has encouraged Shilluk massive migrations to urban cities. Particularly with growing of Malakal, Renk and Maluth towns along the eastern bank of the Nile.
Districts of the colonial Upper Nile Province 1956
The former (Colonial) Upper Nile Province was structured administratively into (9) districts and remained so until the independence of Sudan on 1-1-1956. Since then, no border has been altered or changed. The nine districts were as follows:
- Fangak district inhabited by Nuer and Dinka (Jieng).
- Bor District inhabited by Dinka (Jieng)
- Sobat District (Malakal) inhabited by Ngok and Dongjol Dinka (Jieng).
- Nasir District (Eastern Nuer) inhabited by Nuer.
- Akobo District inhabited by Nuer and Anyauak.
- Kodok District inhabited by Shilluk.
- Renk District inhabited by Dinka (Jieng) and Buruon (Maban).
- Pibor District inhabited by Murle and Anyuak.
- Bentiu District (Western Nuer) inhabited by Nuer and Dinka (Jieng)
The districts’ boundaries were demarcated from 1921-1928.
As stated in earlier remarks, borders/ boundaries between Shilluk and Dinka (Jieng) are clearly known to be in the middle of River Nile. Shilluk on the West bank of the Nile and Dinka Padang on the East bank of the Nile. Current notions expressed by Shilluk intellectuals are baseless attempt to curb out Dinka land. Shilluk‘s unfounded claims of occupancy of both banks of the Nile from 17th century, are just a recent invention by Shilluk intellectuals in the person of Lam Akol Ajawin in particular. Genesis of these baseless claims came after Shilluk intellectuals saw an increment of Shilluk population on East bank of the Nile among the Dinka Padang, encouraged by factors already observed, coupled with Dinka’ kindness. Shilluk quest for East bank became even more persistent when Malakal established itself as a commercial city in Upper Nile during the war. Massive number of Shilluk descendants migrated, thereafter; disputes between Shilluk and Padang Dinka (Jieng) started to become an issue for debate. Shilluk politicians who envision political opportunity outside Shilluk Kingdom control area, became more aggressive in pursue of this political opportunity. Starting with those that served in the government of former Upper Nile State then, and subsequently, advanced by those within the SPLA army as well, Shilluk elite, in the person of Lam Akol Ajawin, have instigated and championed these conflicts
The Shilluk members within SPLA, with few officers and without countable soldiers, managed deceitfully to persuade, the late Dr. John Garang De Mabior into issuing a message to all SPLM/A units on October, 3rd, 2004. The message addressed (the unity and merger of SPLM/A- united into the SPLM/SPLA) and that (the following four counties in Upper Nile Region are hereby this order approved as counties with effect from 16/10/2004). The message named the counties as Panykango, Makal, Pachoda and Manyo. The merger annexation of Malakal to Shilluk on the West of the river fueled anger and furthered suspicions between the two communities. Shilluk intellectuals are using, this order as bases, for their ownership of Malakal. They talk as if Malakal was for the first time discovered in 2004 in Dr. Garang’s message!!!!!. Why do the Shilluk intellectuals rely on and have to wait for Dr. Garang’s message (in the bush) of Malakal annexation to them as the basis of owning the town if this city land originally belongs to them?
An important note is that, Lam Akol Ajawin and his SPLM/A-united from 1991 to the signing of Khartoum Peace Agreement in 1997, and throughout the conflict from 1983 to 2005 , had never controlled and administered the areas of Malakal, Kodok, Manyo and Paniykango. These areas were under the control and administration of the government of Sudan as Mahaliat (localities). Ironically, Lam Akol Ajawin abandoned his SPLM/A United shortly after signing the Peace (from Within) in 1997, joined the National Congress Party (NCP); becoming the minister for Transport and later defected to form the Justice and Equality Party with Mr. Mekki Ali Blail of Nuba Mountains. So Lam had neither party nor armed movement when he rejoined SPLM/A in 2004. The SPLM/A-United in Dr. Garang’s message was only an ink on papers and the merger above was a face saving formula to accommodate Lam Akol Ajawin for the sake of South Sudanese unity and peace!!!!!
South Sudan Legal and Constitutional linkage to the Borders
The comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) signed on January, 9th, 2005 between the Sudan government and the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army and Movement (SPLA/M), maintained the boundaries between Northern and Southern Sudan and within Southern Sudan administrative units as of 1-1- 1956. This is the foundation of the constitutional making in the CPA era; as evident in the Constitution of Former Upper Nile State of 2006 Article 1(1); to the independence of South Sudan on July 9th, 2011. Based on CPA stipulations, Dr. John Garang de Mabior, SPLM/A C-in-C and chairman, issued the cancellation order on 16th July, 2005 of the SPLM/A administrative structures in the liberated areas including Lam Akol’s so called Collo Counties, prior to his death and adopted the (10) ten states structures.
Padang Dinka (Jieng) sections of Paweny, Luac, Thoi, Rut, Ngok (Lual Yak), Dongjol, Nyiel, Ageer, Abielang and Ruweng, are prepared and committed to settle all controversial issues with dialogue and to maintain the centuries long peace, economic and social interactions with the Shilluk neighbors. This entails bilateral recognition and adherence to the history, geography and administrative units pertinent to the two tribes (Shilluk & Dinka).
- Map of Nubia from the late 12th Century to the funj Conquest in the early 15th Century (PDF)
- Map-The Shilluk Country- Sudan Notes and Records (PDF)
Signed by Padang Dinka Borders Committee:
- Thon Giei Ajak
- Marial Mijak Chol
- Monyjok Kong Monyjok
- Chol Kierweath
- Kur Deng Kur
- James Chol De’Guin
- Joseph MarengWal
- Francis Ayul Yuar
- Akouc Deng Teng
- Chuok Mareng Deng
- Yod Mayiik
- El-Fakki Chol Lual
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