Renaissance of the Murle-Aftermath of Sultan Ismail Konyi
By Biar Peter Ayuen, Juba, South Sudan
Thursday, April 01, 2021 (PW) — As far-fetched tribal leader is laid to rest, he is wished “Rest In peace” as usually done to anyone else. All things considered, it is an opportunity to revisit history and reflect on how he affected lives of so many people. Sultan, Honorable, General Ismail Konyi Guzulu as commonly known could be a man born around 1941 who later rose to a noticeable key player in the Murle tribe and eventually attained himself a title of a “Sultan”. Sultan Ismail Konyi has lived an exceptional life and he has a few positive and negative impacts he is to be recollected of. The role of this article is to investigate the road for the renaissance of Murle tribe after the end of a key player whereas reflecting on the positive part he had played in nurturing Murle today. Jonglei State {comprehensive of Pibor Administrative Area} is one of the biggest states inhabited by the Nuer, Dinka, Murle, Anyuak, Kachipo and Jie tribes.
These tribes have veteran communal violence for so long and continue to undergo it till today. The cause for this violence is widely attributed to the Murle heinous activities of Cattle Rusting and Child Abduction which later on matured into revenge and counter-retribution obviously imitated by the aggressed tribes mentionedabove. This has led to Anyuak abandoning cattle raring as they realized it’s their main cause of insecurity from fellow Murle (Undocumented Source). These tribally, communally and individually coordinated savageries have subjected these tribes to untold human suffering and devastation.
Necessitated by the fact that these tribes predominantly live on cattle as their main source of income and prestige where distinguishing proof of wealthy is whole judged on the premise of statistical expression of this particular creature, Numerous endeavors to resolve these clashes have been made worthless over span of timeextending from communal engagements to the peace accords encouraged and supported by governments and well wishers. People in both ends are left in limbo on how this afflict be brought to rest and it is the reason scholars and concern citizens toss opinions in a quest to finding durable solution so that our people return to peaceand normalcy. Some have opted not to succumb to the saying that “it’s a common thing among these tribes” which government has felt short in ending it.
Sultan Ismail Konyi is widely believe as the architect and planner of scaled up and perpetual cattle raiding, child abduction, eventually led to ceaseless counter retribution vindicating massive displacement of the populations in these tribes. This has tremendously staged Murle as number one adversary to these tribes and it has given birth to copious tribal communal attacks on Murle by the Nuer and the Dinka Bor. These attacks were highly or usuallycondemned by the government and international partners though these parties knew the real perpetuator. These attacks are never halted completely and are expected to reoccur any time given the facts that pending scores are not resolved between these tribes. Sustainable peace has never been achieved because all the accords consented to were left unreinforced by law enforcement agencies.
Experimentally, Sultan Ismail has these commitments to his title in favor of Murle tribe. Sultan Ismail Konyi has contributed to the welfare and picture of Murle over the nation and no another Mulrle can be compared to him. He has taught a certain number of youthful Murle which is a nucleus to Murle intellectualism. He has built outside relations of Murle with allies particularly amid the freedom battle where Murle secures arms for self security and propelling of animosity on their neighbors (Clearly, Murle never ran out of arms supplies). He has supported the rate of child kidnapping which has improved its populace and quality human index.
Contrary to the inspiration brought into Murle by late Sultan, irrefutable contention on the negative part played by Late Sultan cannot be cleared out. Sultan Konyi inadvertently or considered it an “Opportunity Cost” to realizing the highlighted desires hampered the relationship of Murle with the over specified tribes/communities by disrupting tranquil coexistence (the foremost critical of all) with the said tribes and this has abundantly caused incredible pulverization of lives and properties. Murle without fear or favor is the foremost abhorred and number one foe (as mentioned above) of all tribes in More noteworthy Jonglei State and this was Ismail Konyi’s making. Murle is more acclimated to attack, murdering in look of spontaneous and unjustified pickups. This has stuck Murle on the guideline of “Survival for the Fittest”. An act of animosity and wrongdoing against humankind has been ingraining into the minds of Murle since it is taken for “Heroism”. Among others, Sultan Ismail Konyi can be taken to have cleared out Murle in add up to abyss.
What can be offered by the rankled neighboring tribes? This can be my take.
Despite the truth that a few tranquil efforts never materialized, I am exceptionally idealistic that Nuers and Dinka Bor can offer something to assist Resurrection of the Murle Tribe which is nothing other than changing their ways of life which clearly is a long term arrangement and overwhelming. Certain percentage of individuals may not concur with this but it isa reality to acknowledge and live with it. In the event that we are not to take off our children from the eras to come within the same mess, we shall be deemed as failed generation/parents of the time.Communal wars have been battled, lives lost, properties and vocation annihilated, populace greatly uprooted, et cetera and it isn’t ending. Isn’t it the proper time to think exterior the box and discover a friendly arrangement? Yes, certainly! Our issues continue to persist not because we don’t think or the quality of our thoughts but we don’t act on our belief. There’s clearly a variety between those who go to war with less or negligible care to slaughter or be slaughtered and those who restlessly delay to go to war or to slaughter anybody for they esteem the significance of being lively or for any other reasons. It is the reason this communal viciousness must be brought to stop until the end of time.
3-15 Years Old Murle must go to school…..How plausible is it?
The government and global development partners ought to critically prioritize “Must Instruction to the Murle Land” by upholding “Must go to school” principle for the age of 3-15. This will be an exigent and intricate objective to attain but it is the only way this syndrome can be arrested. Forceful “school going” for the above age group, motivating the adult Murle to embark on trade while providing them with maximum protection so that they relent their arms; advancing them loans to start up their businesses, strengthening law enforcement agencies to augment peaceful efforts in restoring hopes and transformation. It is the only way to educate Murle that there is life without raiding another one’s cattle, abducting someone’s child, destroying someone’s properties, spending sleepless nights in the bushes, nurturing young ones to live similar way of life, etc.
What is the part of neighboring tribes in achieving this?
Obviouly, killing/muredering breeds alike and arming neighboring tribes in preparation for revenge attacks or self-defense is an endless business. Wiping out the Murle is neither a good business nor Godly and it must be instilled into the minds of those who believe it that “WE NEED THE MURLE” and all is needed is “working on them”. It has been tried, it’s happening till now and it will happen in the near future. We should alter the pall for better. It is inalienable right for all to live but it is not one’s right to infringe into the right of another for where one’s right ends, begins the right for another. Murle must cease triggering games that cause lives for them and others.
Dinka Bor, the exceedingly respected community with tall rate of proficiency must be at the cutting edge in giving needed education to the young generation of Murle by givingtheir youthful taught ones to instruct and support the school-going Murle. Keep in mind, victory may be a result of risk taking and this is case is no exceptional. The Nuer with their abundant human resource should reinforce this initiative by tightening rebuttal efforts by the government through lawful parameters as while providing their educated as well ti aid the training process of the Murle. To empower this, Government and international development partners must contribute in this educating drive with strong month to month pay of the said teaching force to boost their moral of taking such a risk. Fifteen years from now if this idea is put to good use, Greater Jonglei state shall be one of the vibrant and stable state with economic prosperity. Then, we shall have a free cattle raiding, child trafficking and counter murdering, destruction of properties and livelihood. More decades later, the trained/educated era of Murle will take over the part of remodeling their possess individuals other than being the battling constrain of the time. At that point, we must have captured these disorders.
The author, Biar P. Ayuen, is a South Sudanese Procurement and Conflict Resolution Specialist, who can be reached via his email address: biaruibe@gmail.com
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