Mostly elderly people like Achol Ajang-Powuong’s father since they are unable to help themselves are at risks. Other people who highly at risk are children, orphans, women (partially) ,and of course elderly or aging people since they can’t help themselves out.
Of course, Achol and participants said that they can communicate with people at authority locally; however it seems they heard them, but nothing happened.
If there is hand-soaps(sanitizers), washing detergents, and drugs to treat ourselves and livestock and mosquitoes-net, then it could either reduce and mitigate our potential problems of insecurity or ‘rioc’ in native Dinka language and/or of vulnerability, ‘niop’ also in Dinka language.
NGOs international and UNMIS are highly welcomed to help us to stay much safer and or stable. It would be much better if Governmental agencies can bring in arms apart from disarmament commission policy put in place to the people so that they can distribute them to the right people. Having guns something according to Achol Ajang-Powuong and participants is not good. “You see, people can get drunk and shoot themselves up,” asserted Achol Ajang. Monopoly of livestock guarding guns is good if other folks do not take and bear proper possessions and responsibility.
The only benefit of current peace according to Akuol Mabior Dum is open transportation and other essential one is human rights commission. Before then, there was no right for children and women combined. Infrastructure /or road is slighted fixed,especially in the regions of Equatoria and almost partially muddy-like road is engineered, but before it was not constructed and schools are built and hopefully clinics and water-pumps will come or be built here in Pakwor Town and ‘suburbal’ village where community share water-pumps with students at Garang Secondary School compound in Pakwor Town in Kongor payam districts’ backyard.
“Not talking in one voice is so bad and perturbing here in South Sudan”, said Malek Giet Joh. Malek also suggested that there should be a ‘boundary demarcation’ between the North and South and Government here always has been deceiving peoplesince stipulation of so-called Comprehensive Peace Agreement(CPA) in the Naivasha, Kenya six(6) protocols in 2005. “And this was one of the reasons, we went to war,” added Malek Giet Joh.
Well, “we should sit and speak in one voice,” repeated or reiterated Achol Ajang-Powuong. Of course, according to Achol and participants, there are a lot of series problems that havethreatened us and ought to be protected. Today, a person can’t walk at night from Pakwor Town of Kongor Payam districts to Wangulei town of Nyuak Payam districts, but back then people used to walk peacefully without worry.
Achol Ajang, Athok Kuir, Yar Atem, and Lueth Diing said there is big different now rather than before the war started. According to Achol and participants, there are a lot of big differences of their lives now and before the war began.
Achol Ajang and participants are not that confident tht the peace will continue and they pray that God can interfere to keep peace running until general referendum elections in 2011. Well, Achol and participants say if we are going to return to war, then they are not sure who can protect them.
Of course, Achol Ajang-Powuong and her participants are not planning anything if there is a return back to conflict. It could be our main duty doing more plans if there is a return to conflict in this after civil war period.
Long time ago, there used to be some indicators that were used to indicate severity of conflict, telephone networks knows as ‘ariel’ probably in local native Dinka language, would be one example, of those indicators, which have been or can be used as a ‘mean of communication’. There are now telephone network companies installed in all of these three Counties: Duk County, Twic East County and Bor South County, which were badly affected by the 1991 massacre, which was carried out by Nuer insurgency in ‘liaison fashion’ with Khartoum rogue regimes
You know, disarmament deteriorated or worsen everything here in Twic East County and it would be better to have or allowmonopoly guns to the hands of people in the community with strictest certain responsibility stipulated so that enemy who escalated insecurity or ‘rioc’ in the local native Dinka Language in the area, can go away or never come again to kill and/orabduct children again. For example, we had cows and these cows have been taken due to disarmament since young youths and adult people have possessions of those protective devices.
Atong Garang Atem said she has been taking care of children in absent of husband. She is so desperate that ‘rioc’ in the local native Dinka language or insecurity may not stop since she never thinks of anything that can lessen insecurity.
Sometime, you may have a good place and happened to build house, where you can live in, but due to recurring insecurity you untimely evacuate that house you had built and find other shelter-like place to live in popularly built in the Kenya-Kakuma refugee camps in Turkana District.
Also, in Khiir village ‘rioc’ or insecurity is getting so bad. Enemy used to abduct children and rustled cattle, however it hasstretched and switched from ways we used to know it. Recent Murle pundits’ diastrous crisis from Pibor County carried out in Twic East Counthy at Khiir Malei village of Kongor Payam is so unique and it showcased that Murle enemy campaigns have intentions to re-introduce old phrase known as ‘wiping out’people in three consecutive Counties: Duk County, Twic East County and Bor South County like this one family of Mabut Abul Majak in which Murle enemy massacred him, wounded younger daughter and abducted his little boy and left out cattlestockade in the barn without rustling them out as they always do. This is unusual and people in that village known today as KhiirMalei village have now relocated to a safer area much closer like Pawel town, Panyagor Town, Pakwor village and so forth.
If insecurity comes, Abul Bul-rieu said that they have to alert people to run and also get together to see what enemy havedone. Abul Bul proceeded that alerting or “kiew” in local native Dinka language is the way to let people know where there is a problem in that area. “Many people have learned this technique a lot and when there is a little sound whether child’s cries, people listen carefully to understand thoroughly if it is an enemy’s whirling outcry or not,” Abul Bul-Riew asserted. Now after alerting people by and at large, they became aware that there is an enemy on the ground and yet they wait attentatively of what to do next whether to run or follow the enemy in one direction path. Young and adult people ran after the potential enemy attacks in concert and cluster boxes if there are weapons borrowed from soldiers or local police departments since police in this state are strictly not allowed to fight or to patrol this type of domestic problems: livestock rustling, children abduction, stealing of people’s properties. “Of course, this is unusual scenario,” said Abul Bul-riew.
Before disarmament commission policy, local civilians used to protect themselves by going after an enemy; however, momentarily and today large majority of civilians appeared to do nothing to the incidents, which had occurred. Only to report it or alerting people in time of an attack so that everybody knows there is an enemy attack and of course, people whose machine rifles have not been taken, go after and follow where alert came from for evidences.
Abul Bul-riew said that people in the community, to which she is staying or anywhere else around this Twic East County, have not been recruited, and mobilized whatsoever. They are notpatrolled and armed with protective guns to protect them in period of an enemy attack. “Of course, I did not hear anything about community mobilization, but only heard of borrowing of rifles from local police departments and from the main South Sudan soldiers who happened to visit his or her family in the community,” reiterate Abul Bul-riew.
Athok Kuir and Participants ( Athok Kuir Joh, Kuol Ajang Aguer, Abuk Ajang Aguer and Arok Barach Aduot): War-time memoir
War-time nipped together memoir is as such:
Athok Kuir and the participants said that the war started in 1983. Numbers of their family members were killed in the war. Like in the case of Athok kuir’s son as well was killed as young as two (2) months old toddler. A lot of damage was done and this was not good. Roughly twenty (20) people died in the war within Kuir Joh’s family and have also lost properties such as cows and only few cows left, however awaiting livestock raiders to take them. Also the father of Athok Kuir’s lost lime in the civil war and he is now one of the disabled persons.
Athok and participants suggested arming themselves with guns they borrowed from County police so that they can protect themselves from growing insecurity. Participants in the panel discussion said that they did not do anything to celebrate during the signing of CPA since they were still in refugee camp in Kenya. However, they were pleased that the war ended.
Participants said that they got assistances from NGOs and there was not any ‘coping mechanism’ they had applied and used to support themselves.
Athok Kuir and participants have a fear of growing overfowflood from river Nile basins on the ground since this is a natural disaster, which has tattered and passed thick German Tech Zones (GTZ) made dyke. They fear that they may lose few livestock, they have collected. They urged NGOs to look into this issue to tackle immediately since they would not be able to resist -----it will wipe out few livestock they have collected and bought thus far or upto to this point.
Focus Group Discussion(FGD)#1
Question
How is your lives now comparing with lives before the war started?
In the discussion with local participants, I met with Akon Kur Mading and Atong Garang Atem. As I introduced myself, they were so pleased and asked them few questions whether answers I got from them will help them out of the hardship in after civil conflict or not.
Atong Garang as she responded said that nothing has changed yet…..it is still the same. Sickness and hunger strike for instance are getting worthier.
Back before war started, lives was so good and much better comparing with today and/or war-time lives, where people were living in the hands of “malathema in native Dinka language” or NGOs’ organizations aide. Sickness is not so rampage and severe as of today----Atong Garang is now so stunned of what is happening, where people are getting sick regularly as if they have been poisoned.
Only things we needed, is a clinic, especially in Pawel town, in Twic East County and people now go for Duk County to get good medical treatments. And this is not good since it is so far away from here with jurisdiction as different county and not even that, there is no good transportation from here to Duk County only good during Summer time; however, enemy also kill people in the way when they dispensed and went to Duk County for medical treatments after diagnosing.
Focus Group Discussion(FGD)#2
Question:
What is your understanding of insecurity or ‘rioc’ in native Dinka language?
In a focus discussion panel, I had a discussion with Amuor Yuot Deng, Athok Thon Mayen, Mayen Dut Bul and Maketh Kuir Atem. As discussion proceeded, I asked them how they understand problems of insecurity or ‘rioc’. Each one of them gave his or her view or definition of the phenomenon. “When there is rumor for an enemy to come, you prepare yourself to leave for good to a place, where there is no “rioc” or insecurity,” said Mayen Dut Bul. Amuor Yuot understand problems of insecurity or “rioc” as when there are people, who come for abduction of children and rustling of cattle or livestock.” Athok Thon Mayen alluded to the discussion that this is when enemy come for an attack, which can cause relocation or migration of victims to the safer area. As discussion continued Maketh Kuir Atem took a turn and said that his understanding of ‘rioc’ or insecurity is any problem that is threatening people in a particular place.
I paused and asked them questions on what they do to reduce and lessen insecurity or problem of “rioc” in their area. Amuor Yuot, Athok Thon, Mayen Dut and Maketh Kuir gave me various answers to the questions. Mayen Dut said that he passes information or could pass information to enemy or enemy leaders if he knows them so that they can make peace with people they have done damage against.
“For lessening of “rioc” or problem of insecurity, Athok Thon reiterated that people sit and look for taskforce or ‘jiec’ in native Dinka language to safeguard them out of growing insecurity and also look for those people who come for an attack or “yotyic” in native Dinka. Youth representative called for youth members in the communities in order for them to go after enemy or in order for them to fight suspicious people with borrowed rifles,” Amuor Yuot Deng added. Maketh Kuir Atem stepped in to the discussion and said people negotiate solutions for incoming problems of “rioc” or insecurity. Elderly people and chiefs in those particular areas hold meetings to find wrong-doers and to make peace with that community, where those attackers and/or raiders came from.”
Insecurity is so various and it can be tribal insecurity, livestock rustling, children abduction, etc. It always happens seasonally in summer, winter, spring, etc. Group concluded as we close up discussion that whatever they said is how they understood problems of “rioc” or insecurity.
Observations and/or comments about NGOs:
Achol Ajang and participants appreciated NGOs a lot. In the beginning, NGOs used to install water –pumps for running water initially and then after supplied us with relief aides and mosquito-net as well.
Achol and participants said that NGOs sometime reduced some of items such as cooking oils, grain sorghum etc. And groups of refugees became upset sometime against this decisions they think that the NGOs should be consistent in what they provided to communities in the refugee camps.
Provision of farming tools was a great idea and Achol Ajang and the groups of displaced refugees highly appreciated this stepforward since this is a way to go after foreseeableindependent from Old Sudan. As people returned home, they would be able to find gardening and field-clearing tools and jump-started their cultivations after arrivals.
NGOs according to Abul Bul-riew are so functioning and they helped people with medical treatments and transportation in time of insecurity or “rioc”. Right now, people are getting lazy or controlling themselves in one area or not to cultivate because of growing insecurity in major villages, where people used to cultivate. “Of course, NGOs are helping people in the areas and without them, people would not be still here,” said Abul Bul. “NGOs are of course very good because they are helping for project they are not supposed to have done like in construction and of roads,” acknowledged Mayen Dut. “Yea, not all of NGOs that do not play and perform a good works; some of them, have tried their level best by providing local people with needs. For example, Joint Act Management (JAM) has played a good and pivotal role this year in supplying local people’s primary schools with food aide needed in time schedule. Other NGOs like UNICEF are not playing their roles to the local people’s expectation. They have been supplying primary schools all these years; however they did not supply them with enough materials. For example, NGOs only brought stationary: Text books, pens, notebook, but they forgot to supply chalk-boards in concert with rest of items described,” John Yuot Thuch stressed. “Some NGOs have done their project to the level they set forth, but other NGOs are not performing their works. For example, CARE International has not played a good role in part of healthcare, water facility, hygiene and sanitations,” said Peter Atem. “NGOs provided local people with a good learning, however some NGOs are not doing their works and projects as other NGOs like CARE International is not running its prescribed jobs and that one organization can show them as functional organizations in this country,” Achiek Chol believed. “Actually, those NGOs are running a good works and project in this Twic East County since the war began and up to now; so as I am an observer, some things from them, which I have to appreciate the job the NGOs have done like UNHCR have really made great things to ‘we South Sudanese’ since we were sought refuge in foreign East African countries, UNHCR with other NGOs have supported South South Sudanese people a lot,” stressed Nunu Kuir Kuol.
“Those NGOs are not doing their works as we expected them to assist nursery schools, primary schools, and High schools for necessary items required, although other participants appreciatedtheir works as fabulous and helpful,” said Michael Kuir. Majok Bol Chol reiterated, “Lack of ‘seriousness’ is now showcased and manifestedly featured in construction of certain schools in the Counties or in other academic institutions in the country such as in Duk County, particularly in Pajut, etc. Some NGOs are not serious because they are much lower in construction: It would be better if they can speed up the construction projectswhen they started so that they can finish their projects on the scheduled times as expected. And these NGOs especially LWF is very slower in finishing construction when it began its work. And of course, this organization, known as Lutheran World Federations (LWF) is heard and known for not finishing upprojects they started in time manner when started. And this has not happened in this county yet, but people speak of its slownesspace because they witnessed it in Duk County, particularly in Pajut Town.” “Those of NGOs are doing their works and featured projects as we expected because NGOs such as CAREInternational has supplied us with needed medicines, working computers and food aide security,” Tabitha Adut Lam added.
“Actually, those of NGOs are bringing dramatic ‘change’ to the community; especially those of Lutheran World Federations (LWF) are now bringing youth activities to any payams. This youth activities are becoming popular in towns and villages across the board and these activities are now known and referred to as ‘Income Generating Activities’ (IGA) to both Twic East and Duk County,” said Dorcas Amuor Yuot. “Some of NGOs like ‘Save the Children’ , has done their best. As we know, they are the one used to rescue depressed and needy children by providing them with their basic necessitated needs,” said Elizabeth Athok Thon Mayen. “Well, my observation is that NGOs are helping in provision of seeds to the local farmers,” reiterated Daniel Dau Kuir. “NGOs are participating in job creations and working tirelessly hand in hand with both local and semi-autonomous federal government of South Sudan to avoid livestock raiding by those who do not have jobs, especially the youths. NGOs are allowed to open up many centres for training local people in order to reduce poverty in the family,” added Majok Goch.
“Most of NGOs are headed by ‘foreigners’ which is challenging to government; so we expect NGOs to be led by local citizens because they are located in South Sudan and natives need ‘fit and proper’ representations since they can speak local languages,” complained Joshua Deng Akol.
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