CHAPTER 3.  Sudan’s Civil Wars: Survival Stories

Anya-Anya I time period (1956-1972) could be categorized as ‘a pastoralist life’ phase, where citizens, and/or residences alike of South Sudan had a ton of livestocks, especially to the livestock rearing ethnic groups such as Nuer ethnic groups, and Dinka ethnic groups. And to rest of other river-lake Nilotic groups, the Murle ethnic group became a worst enemy in Cattle rustling for consumptions in the Regional Province of Equatoria, and Upper Nile in South Sudan. Especially in the Jonglei State in South Sudan, it is extremely rampant killing, or looting for merely sake of consumptions. Although, there was an ongoing Civil War between the South Sudan, and Old Sudan in those time period, people still were keeping livestock, where they deeply depended on, in supporting themselves combined with little Agricultural farming.

Moving from one place to other, it is unlikely as an ‘usual adaptations, and obvious life’ for a pastoralist ethnic groups like Dinka people and Nuer ethnic groups in South Sudan. In their stronghold Area of Upper Nile State in South Sudan, this could not be ruled out in search for better livestock pastures from one season to other. It is a routine habit since their Ancestors has had down to them from Creations, probably. It is so dangerous, especially livestock’s enemy are not that far away. But they unlikely dwelled in closest, and common place that makes risk and vulnerability of cattle disappearing to the hand of enemies. This Cattle rustling risk become extremely high alert. The Murle people of Pibor County, Jonglei State in South Sudan made life in the herding of cattle so much risky and dangerously onslaught life. In the herding and keeping of livestock, herdsmen should train their dogs, or horses for unpredictable cattle raiding events. People of Equatorial region in South Sudan, especially Anuak ethnic group had stopped keeping and herding the large quantity of livestock they had due to the Murle ethnic groups’ raidings. And only few of those ethnic groups in the Equatorial region in South Sudan  still have cattle, but they no longer depended on cattle keeping, anymore. Due to the Murle ethnic groups’ raiders, they literally vanished in those mountainous hillside, and canopy of region of Equatoria very easily in South Sudan. Even during the South Sudan and Old Sudan’s struggles, cattle raiding specifically did not calm down to which they made people’s lives in the ‘pastoralist phase’ so dangerous. And it is worth stopping and switching back to other sort of “ways of life” like Agricultural works. Although there were not any sufficient ‘ploughing machines’ for farming, the amount of rainfalls, on one hand, in the Country is pretty much improving, thus far. The Weather forecast was not being controlled and predicted by Meteorologists as it is today. In the past, they used to predict amount of rainfalls by using Barometer. They unlikely depended on the Weather Meteorologists’ forecasts. There were time when the weather forcast stay steady clear without scattered clouds in the Sky. This was what made farmers so anxious to continue with Agricultural farming in conjunction with livestock farming.

Few rifles were in the hand of people since they were not easier to acquire, to find, and to afford as well. In 1956-1972 Anya-Anya I Civil War was unlikely being waged during this time. People, who keep cattle had a high demand of purchasing rifles instead of ‘Spears and Bow-Arrows.’ In order to maintain herding and rearing cattles in those period of Joseph Lagu, who was the leader of 1956-1972 ‘Anya-Anya’ I Movement, Herdsmen used to protect their cattle by Spears, and Bow-Arrows. And the Freedom Fighters used to wage 1956-1972 Sudan’s Civil Wars with Old Sudan by using rifles, spears, and bow-arrows. They achieved their 1956-1972 Addis-Ababa Agreements in Ethiopia, after Intensive fighting with those aforementioned smuggled weapons, and ammunitions. There were tons of Political agenda, platforms, and protocols to which the South Sudanese(SPLM)Liberation Movements, the South Sudan Independence Movement(SSIM), and the South Sudan People’s Defense Force(SSPDF)people had set forth. With this life, people, especially in Jonglei State of Bor South County, Duk County and of Twic East County, they become so unenthusiastic and uninterested in maintaining livestock farming with sophisticated weapons like today. They decided to avert increasing threats of nonstop problems of cattle raiding attacks, the disputing problems of children abduction, and women kidnapping by smuggling weapons, and ammunitions from Old Sudan. In addition, they started to undergo nonstop problems of cattle raiding attempts from Murle Ethnic groups from Pibor County in South Sudan. Despite problems of Children abductions, and women kidnapping, cattle raiding attacks began to happen frequently. After raiding, and barbaric clashes, herdsmen started to think about ways to give up cattle. And there were unlimited choices for tendency to abandon livestock farming in these Counties of Duk County, Bor South County, and Twic East County in South Sudan, where I am from, was so high alert of cattle raiding insecurities. However, people did not stop Agricultural farming, and/or livestock keeping, although they posed deadly threats from 1990s Nuer Ethnic groups’ insurgency fighters, and from 1970s Murle Ethnic groups from Pibor County in South Sudan.

With also a low literacy amongst ethnic people of Dinka, abandoning livestock farming was not so easier things to stop. Since people would not support their families without livestocks farming, Agricultural works was their optimum choice available. They continued keeping cattle all those years from ‘Anya-Anya I Movement’ period of 1956-1972 until the second Intifada Uprising. This ‘Antifida’ word literally meant ‘uprising.’ And this uprising started in 1983-2005 against the Old Sudan. Since 1972 Addis-ababa's Agreements in Ethiopia was not satisfactory, it was worth keeping it without South Sudan’s 2011 Autonomous voting referendum from Old Sudan. With Comprehending agreements in both countries’ wealth sharings and other protocols that had been finally achieved in Naivasha—Kenya agreement in 2005.

Livestock farming in Twic East County, it was basic necessities for people of South Sudan. And also in other Dinka people’s stronghold area in some of Eleventh of Counties of Jonglei State in Bor South County and Duk County, there was unlikely a ‘career legacy. And this was ingrained to their traditions. It was probably passed down from one generation to other. Although it poses onslaughting threats to herdsmen in the farm, nobody really wanted to stop keeping livestocks as well. Depending on how many people in the households, they divided themselves of who to keep cattle. Portion of the households go, and acquire English and Arabic literacy. After graduating, they would be able to provide supports for their families. And  they also provided aid to rest of households whom they have had left herding livestock in the farms behinds. I do remember correctly from my family that they often talked about their forefathers. they said that past generation, and their ancestors had a legacy of livestock keepings. During that ‘stone Age’ period further back in the history of South Sudanese people, the literacy was something that comes with modernization. In 1890s, the British colonizers and Arabian Merchants of Mahdi from Middle East arrived at soil of the South Sudan. They of course, began to scramble the whole of Africa of its minerals to which they were on the reserve. They also started to setup system of governments like Boma’s Administrations. In addition, they eventually taught them on how to govern themselves.

Right after 1972 Addis-ababa agreement, they then eluded that second political intifada uprising began from 1983 to 2005. Between the two Countries of South Sudan and Sudan, this period could be said that it was the durations when ‘the end of pastoralist life trend ceased. Majority of people of Dinka ethnic groups, had started to enlist into the Sudan Army Forces(SAF). They went to the 1980s Sudan’s Civil Wars. And everything like livestocks in the farms were left in the hand of depopulated people, especially in our County of Twic East County and as well as to other two Counties of Bor South County and Duk County in Jonglei State in South Sudan. Bor South County, and Duk County’s residents also joined into SPLA Army Recruitment Training, too. These people, who went for Army training for South Sudan’s uprising against the Old Sudan, they were outnumbered. In 1983, this was trended, or known today as Koryom II Battalion Division of SPLA Army to which en mass number of people were young adults from cattle camps. It was a remarkable military surge. And this was unlikely a success story for the South Sudan SPLM political organization. In 1956-1972, the Anya-Anya I Movement’s uprising was also trended as an Equatorial uprising. That meant majority of  Equatorial regions’ people were in that movement. They were predominantly from Equatorial region in South Sudan. There were a lot of Dinka ethnic group from Twic East County, who had involved in the 1956-1972 Anya-Anya I Movement against the 1956 Old Sudan.

There is a popular Dinka Ethnic groups’ folklore that was coined and/or composed. During the SPLA Army’s Koryom II military enlistment in 1983, the livestock farmings have had been left to the hands of young people, elderly people, and women. There was high risk of livestock farming, and vulnerability of entrapment to hands of enemies, where the cattle started to disappear in the pasture Bush. The Murle ethnic people from Pibor County in Jonglei State in South Sudan,  and the Nuer ethnic people from Ayod County in Upper Nile State in South Sudan, were the like minded main cattle raiders. And the residents of Jonglei State in South Sudan have had experienced a high risk of cattle disappearance.This folklore literally goes in Dinka language: ‘Acie dong e madwei e mach e hok.’ This literally meant that what left are only young people with elderly people, and women. They were left out for herding and/or rearing cattle. Without hope they thought that they will manage by maintaining livestock farming. After young adult men left for SPLA Military Recruitment Training site, this eras was trended as the SPLA Army Koryom II Battalion Division. They were gone for South Sudan’s SPLA Army Military Recruitment Training site. They have no hope for return to resume livestock farming again.They were getting known and be praised for huge SPLA Military Enlistment surge.

The folklore as it was composed, tended to have literally meaning that ‘ livestock farming’ will definitely cease once day. Since only young people, elderly people, and women, they were left to herd livestock. This had manifested itself. And livestock farming, and Agricultural works got less popular in the ears of South Sudanese people. When South Sudan, and Old Sudan resumed fighting, they were getting less enthusiastic about farming, generally. Resumption of South Sudan, the Old Sudan’s Civil Wars did not directly affect people’s mental illness. There is a short lifespan of livestock farming. However, it affected them in a ‘backlash fashion’, where majority of young adult men had overwhelmingly joined and enlisted into 1980s SPLA Army. In the 1983, the South Sudan’s was the actual date for uprising against Old Sudan. Since dissatisfaction from 1972 Addis-ababa Agreement, this was unlikely the main driving force behind enlistment into SPLA Army in 1980s. And resumption of the South Sudan and Old Sudan’s Civil Wars, had affected a lot of people both emotionally, and psychologically. Mr. Joseph Lagu, the leader of 1956-1972 Anya-Anya I movement from Equatorial region did not get position in the unified governments to which he was the pivotal architects. There was  nothing much about aftermaths of 1956-1972 Sudan’s Civil Wars according to political platform he once drafted. Everything on the unified governments was accomplished so that he become a successor. A different person from South Sudan was snapped into the unified governments of the 1956-1972 ‘Anya-Anya I’ movement leader, Mr. Joseph Lagu from Equatorial region in South Sudan. He eventually was demoted. Since the Old Khartoum governments thought he would still be rebel leader rather than puppet leader, he unlikely accept compromise of unified governments according to what they stipulated in the 1972 addis-abbas Agreement to which Mr. Joseph Lagu had brokered and had signed.There was unlikely the total oversight, and monitoring from Africa Union (AU) organization, which was formerly known as Organization for African Unions (OAU).

There was likely a predictions about the end of pastoralist life phase. Mass majority of young adult men had gone to the 1980s SPLA Army Koryom II Recruitment Training. They finally returned from 1980s SPLA Military Training after in the aftermaths, and effect of 1991-1993 Nuer ethnic groups’ Ethnic-cleansing. Some of them had defected from the 1980s South Sudan’s SPLM mainstream political organization. Number of Prisoners of Wars (POWs) had penetrated into 1990s Nuer Ethnic groups’ insurgency fightings in the Twic East County, Duk County, and Bor South County in South Sudan to stop political propagandas. And some of these political propagandas, had to weaken the 1980s SPLM political organization and its leaderships. From the grassroots campaign by plundering and taking everything they left behind like civilian populations, especially from winning the heart and minds of residential core grassroots. The 1980s South Sudan’s SPLM political organization late chairman, Dr. John Garang Mabior, had depended on, things like livestock farming and Agricultural works. There were nothing left in the hands of young people, elderly people, and women populations. During this 1991-1993 Nuer ethnic groups insurgency, which resulted in taking of livestocks of civilian populations had unlikely escaped their lives for riparian river Nile basins in South Sudan in Africa. They left for hiding and to acquire temporarily staying until the South Sudan’s SPLM political organizations and leadership take a procedure  of counterinsurgency fightings. They ended up averting the situations by curbing them out of those affected areas of Twic East County, Duk County, and Bor South County, Jonglei State in South Sudan. The SPLM political organization and politburo leaderships eventually had never thought about it. In 1993 the Nuer ethnic groups’ insurgency, they were completely, and totally defeated. They were finally rooted them out of those aforementioned areas to which the 1990s Nuer Ethnic groups had devastated and left vulnerable. There were humongous numbers of affected populations from three Counties of Twic East County, Bor South County, and Duk County in South Sudan.

We, the Dinka Ethnic groups, whose tukul ‘homes’ have had been invaded by 1990s Nuer Ethnic groups, we had survived from collecting of water lily known as ‘Gor’ in Dinka Language, swampy root plants known as ‘Athoon’ in Dinka language, and papyrus root plants known as ‘thahr e apaath’ in Dinka language. And we found the laundry list of fruits to which we have had consumed in 1990s during the Nuer Ethnic groups’ Ethnic cleansing. And these might consisted of the tall weed plants known as ‘Nhom e Mon’ in Dinka language, wild rice known as ‘laws’ in Dinka language, Quasi-water lily known as ‘Aguieu’ in Dinka language, swampy root plants known as ‘Keich’ in Dinka language, seasonal perennial trees such as ‘Thou’, ‘Lang e Jieng, and lang e Turik’, ‘Chueu’, ‘Paach’, in Dinka language, Sugarcane planted in offshore of the riparian river Nile. There were also sorghum stalks known as ‘Behn’ in Dinka language, cassava known as ‘Bob root’ in Dinka language,yams known as ‘Bahm Bear’ in Dinka language, sweet potatoes, coconuts known as ‘Tuur Akot’ in Dinka language. And for coconut trees, we waited for them until they were ripped. We had to use water boats to transport them to our people in the islands. In addition, we had to go for fishing twice a day. There was hardwood trees known as ‘Gier’ in Dinka language. This hardwood trees was carved. And it was used for rowing boats for transporting those produce groceries of water lily, papyrus roots, coconuts, sweet potatoes, yams, and sugarcanes. And we also had to use rowing canoes to transport people, who were stuck in water streams basins of the river Nile in South Sudan. We used to go the swampy spots to for fishing. It seemed that we have had a lot of produce groceries in the rowing boats to which we had gathered for consumptions.

Lives during the 2011 South Sudan’s referendum votes from Old Sudan, was literally not bad, though.  In 1990s the Nuer ethnic groups’ insurgency fighting was peacefully averted. This was ‘reconstruction life phase’, where everything that has had been lost in those decades of 1991-1993 is unlikely being compensated. Affected population of Twic East County, Bor South County, and Duk County are working tirelessly to acquire livestocks as well as reclearing their Agricultural fields again. Everything had been lost after more than two decades of 1980s South Sudan’s fighting with Old Sudan. These affected populations to which livestock keeping and herding is their traditions and ways of life, they are yet returned from hiding spots in South Sudan. They buy number of livestocks from cattle vendors in the various Public market. They sometime had to travel beyond Ayod County in South Sudan, despite the insecurity in the ways to acquire cattle. There is scarce of ‘monies’, but they used those monies to which they have had generated from their swift shop business, and stores. There is a livestock market established in the village/Town of Panyagor in Twic East County, Duk County, and Bor South County  in South Sudan in Africa. There is a tremendous legal supervisions from the local governments of those three Counties as well as from the World Food Programme (WFP) organizations that documented cattle vendoring receipts in conjunction to their procurement and logistics of the food security in the area. If you want to know more details story, and then someone from International Community could travel for Africa to visit the Twic East County, Jonglei State in South Sudan. And they should request cattle vendoring receipts. Since start of interim governments of 2011 South Sudan, there are a lot of people, who go there to see this sovereign Nation from Old Sudan. They might access informations from the World Food Programme(WFP) in the South Sudan. Anyone would get a tons of informations from the organization to which field workers have had collected and documented. They are determined to provide NGOs Food Security depending on weather, infrastructure, and roads’ conditions in the areas, where the World Food Programme(WFP) organization can make a substantial and solid request for immediate food security assistance from the United Nations(UN).

CHAPTER 9. South Sudan’s Courts: Statutory Court Cases

It is still a very new Nation-State of the Republics of South Sudan in Africa, but there are formal legal systems installed in their Court of Laws in South Sudan. And this legal Court System are unlikely arranged from federal levels down to local governments’ level of pariah of Payams and Boma courts. The Supreme Court, of course, is the highest court of lands established on this orbiting and rotating exoplanetary of Earth. And they have probably had appointed nine (9) justices with their Chief Justice. They are installed to oversight and review the juridical Court systems of the lands. It must be striking and stunning to most people that South Sudan has already had established a formal legal system. During the last those transitional six (6) years term for 2005 CPA Agreement’s referendum votes in 2011, they were working to bring 1980s Sudan’s Civil Wars to Justice for their past unjustified brutality.

Yet, there is not any statutory laws established. However, they have had adopted, or inherited the customary laws and traditional laws from the 1890-1953 British colonial powers and from their localities. Most statutory cases have had been tried in the Court. There are only few statutory cases like property cases, which are yet not tried in the Court. However, they unlikely did not have those statutory cases ‘fit and proper’ according to crime in their nature. They probably did not produce verdicts until statutory laws are made.

Warring sectarian clans of Awulian sections’ statutory case: Chol Maduor (From Pan-Diing Section) vs. Majok Atem Majok (From Pan Akech Section), (Nov. 20^th, 2010)

These two gentlemen fought in ‘wut’ in Dinka language meaning cattle camp in Pawuoi livestock camp due to ‘zhien’ meaning livestock internal boundaries previously put in place by elders of the land. And Chol Maduor had accused Majok Atem of trespassing to his ‘zhien’ internal boundaries. Within no time elapse, Chol Maduor rushed into fight and hit Majok Atem Majok in a head with a ‘shepherd stick’, or herdsmen’s sticks. Other people came in and took Chol Maduor away from the fighting ground. In meantime, Chol Maduor was taken away while Majok Atem, on one hand, ran and grasped a working livestock’s guarding machine gun.  And as he returned, he noticed that his fighting opponent was nowhere to be found. He probably hid himself,” asserted Panyagor Magistrate Court Clerk, Mr. Bol Ayiik Bul from Lith Payam Districts of Adhiok section clans in Twic East County, Jonglei State in South Sudan inAfrica.

Majok Atem also grasped a shepherd spear and intentionally injured a cattle calf of Chol Maduor, in the thigh, instead. Since Mr. Chol Maduor has hurt him in the head, he eventually did not get a hold of Mr. Majok Atem. Awulian sections split themselves into various Awulian sections of Pan-Diing against Pan-Akeech. And they fought each other until Jonglei State’s Police Squad Unit in South Sudan in Africa came in to stop them from escalating into sectarian fightings. Majority of Awulian sections says that they were caught fighting. And they were eventually taken into jail cells, where they probably have had been handcuffed, and/or lock up.

Decision

Good thing was that Chol Maduor’s cattle calf did not die of inflicted wounds. And therefore, the collateral damage worths a compensation was not yet entailed in their ruling.During the rulings, there were the Council of Dinka Ethnic Groups’ Elders(COE), and the Awulian section clans’ Paramount Chief, Mr. Manyok Deng Biar,alongst with Council of Dinka Ethnic groups’ Elders(COE) representative, Mr.Yoro Gak Angok. And of course, the Jonglei State Police Department’sRepresentative in Africa were also called to be present. They are expected to listen to the victims, whose other groups’ reconciliation hearings wasawaiting. They did not fight again or resume a bloodshed sectarian fightings one more time,” explains by Panyagor Magistrate Court Clerk, Mr. Bol Ayiik Bul.

Cattle Robbery Case: Bol Achijang Duot vs. Gatkuoth Nyok Bol, (September 3^rd, 2010)

It was not easy to get a hold of Panyagor Magistrate Court Clerk, Mr. Bol Ayiik Bul. However, I waited for him for few minute folds away from his desks. And there He came. Of course, this is coming from his memory of statutory case from court records as He wrote it in the time of proceedings. And therefore, everything was what he found in the Panyagor Magistrate Court dockets in the village/Town of Panyagor, in South Sudan in Africa.

Court Clerk Bol Ayiik Bul

Bol Achijang, an accusing plaintiff, recognized a cattle cow in the Public market. And both Gatkuoth and Mayar, the statutory case dependent, on behalf of Gatkuoth asserted that it was their cow and He wanted to resell it. This cattle, which was recognized in the Public market, described as it was among a thirty heads (30) of livestock raided between the 2006 and 2007. Mayar, the person, who was caught reselling a livestock of someone else as accusing plaintiff referred it to. He went home and told Gatkuoth what happened in the village/Town of Panyagor Public market which was sponsored by the South Sudan’s World Food Programme(WFP) and the Twic East County, combined. Both Mayar and Gatkuoth persisted that they brought this cattle cow from Pibor County of the Murle Ethnic groups’ residential areas. And He rejected the way an accusing plaintiff, Mr. Bol Achijang Duot explained it to the Panyagor Magistrate Court’s panel of grand jury selections.

Decision

Sitting Judge Francis Amum Awin from Wangaru County Court dismissed a statutory case, where they wanted to be settle it down. Since it was beyond their jurisdictions scope, they ended up referring this statutory case to the Jonglei StateHigh Court of Appeal in the village/Town of Bor in South Sudan in Africa. And also there was not any appropriate criminal penal code laws to execute, or to draw a final rulings. It was tried, however this criminal case of cow recognition is hard to give a verdict since there is not any written customary laws, and traditional laws as well. So Judges Francis Amum Awin decided it to refer this criminal case back to Jonglei State Court in Bor Town so that they can make their state of minds on what to do. And Jonglei State Governor Kuol Manyang Juuk can do his work combined. There is not any written statutory law or property law inherited from 1890-1953 British Colonial governments, and from 1956-1972 the Government of Khartoum regime of Old Sudan. Jonglei State Court of Appeal can unlikely look if recognized cattle cows can be returned back to the criminal case dependent with investment compensation. This was stolen cattle cow. And therefore, they will return it to the cattle dependent.

Another Cattle Robbery Case: Aleu Kuek Aleu vs. Majok Luk Mabil , (Dec.14^th,  2010)

A cow or a grown-up cattle calf was also recognized in the Public market here in Panyagor town, Twic East County in South Sudan. When it was about to be sold, .Mr. Aleu Kuek, an accusing plaintiff, said it is his cattle calf to which it disappeared in August 2009 in the village/Town of Wernyol raiding in Lith Payam districts in South Sudan. A Criminal dependent, Mr. Majok Luk told Mr. Aleu Kuek that he bought this cattle calf from undisclosed witness person. Of course, they both had brought into their witnesses to the court.

Decision

Sitting Judges Francis Amum Awin did not grant a verdict, but the Panyagor Magistrate Court decided torefer it back to the Jonglei State High Court in Bor Town in South Sudan. Since this statutory case is ‘beyond their jurisdiction’ scope, they need the Jonglei State High court to give a verdict on what to do with this criminal case. Panyagor Magistrate Court Clerk, Mr. Bol Ayiik Bul persisted that there is not any statutory laws, or property laws inherited to execute this criminal case of cattle cow recognition. But only Jonglei State Court can decide what to do with it, the grand jury selections of Panyagor Magistrate Court will vote for their final verdicts. The Jonglei State Governor Kuol Manyang Juuk and Jonglei State Attorney General, Mr. Michael Makwei Lueth will either preside in the over grand jury selections in the Court. The South Sudan’s history narrative cannot be told without the Old Sudan’s trajectory trends.

Incident of Cattle Rustling from the village of Pajoma in South Sudan

It was evening of of November 10^th, 2010 when this incident of cattle robbery happened. And there were only three (3) cattle herdsmen, who were looking after them that day. Of course, these three (3) cattle herdsmen were the same people, who saved these cattle from nine (9) households. According to Mr. Deng Biowei Deng, these three (3) cattle herdsmen did not see livestock raiders at all, whatsoever. And they did not know what ways, where cattle raiders penetrated in the cattle pasture. They were magically vanished, and stealthily outmaneuvered those stolen cattle. In meantime, they heard the drumbeat of gunshot sounds, where these three (3) cattle herdsmen were literally got shot into death. This incident of Pajomba livestock raiding to which it happened in November 10^th, 2010, was peculiar in its nature. And number of these people ran after them to save livestock from robbers and unfortunately community people did not get cattle robbers. Raided livestocks just were unlikely taken closer to Atedaan livestock camp, and Paduon livestock camp in South Sudan. And these livestock were afterward saved from the  Murle Ethnic groups, or from unknown cattle enemies, where they could be recognize through footprints on the grounds,” added Ameer Chol Duop and Aluel Deng Kudior. It was once evening when cattle of Pajomba village were taken from 9 households, where these three (3) cattle herdsmen were after the livestock until their dead bodies were found,” says Mr. Khot Atem Dut and Agau Atem Lueth.

These stolen livestock according to Mr. Deng Biowei Deng, they probably were taken closer to Atedaan and Padon cattle camp in the South Sudan. Once time, these were cattle camps for residents of Kongor Payam districts in South Sudan. Cattle were unlikely returned before taking them pass the previous cattle camps of Piomyom, Atedaan, and Padoon, which were once time used for cattle ranching,” stressed Mr. Khot Atem Dut and Agau Atem Lueth. Of course, cattle raiders did not take livestock pass the GTZ dyke dam. However, they were about to reach it, or retrieve back from 2010 Murle Ethnic groups’ attackers.

Mr. Deng Biowei once joked that cattle rustlers did not kill any person in South Sudan’s attempted attacks. He continued that this might have had been his first incidents back in summer of 2010. When cattle raiders shot down two (2) cattle herdsmen, nobody kept hesitating of not going after 2010 Murle Ethnic groups’ attackers.

As I asked them about what kind of defense system arrangements, they have had used, Mrs. Ameer Chol Duop, Mr. Deng Biowei, and Mrs. Aluel Deng Kudior said that they did not know what type of defense mechanism to which they have had used. Probably, they might have had borrowed machine guns from concerned Jonglei State patrol department in South Sudan in Africa.

Reactions

It would be better if people run after them immediately when they heard incident of raiding so that they fully protected their livestock from ubiquitous cattle robbers.

Twic East County Court in the village/Town of Panyagor in South Sudan

I spoke to both Panyagor Magistrate Court Clerks, Mr. Garang Deng, and Mr. Ajang Nyuop Bol if they have had a record of Aluel Chol v. Diing Garang’s statutory civil case. We all checked in the dockets, but we find no redacted records. Probably, this statutory civil case did not make it to County court since it is not to be found.

I also found a statutory civil case of divorce. And I thought I should record it for you so that International Community can see how verdict was reached. This statutory civil case of divorce was between Mr. Malou Gak Bul, and Mrs. Awut Biar Ajak, the daughter of Mr. Biar Ajak Yool. Mr. Malou Gak Bul was recorded in demand of 31 cows and 3200 Sudanese Pounds in return from Awut Biar Yool. Since he no longer wanted to keep her as a wife, He was asking the Family Court for civic divorce impending. He only filed a civic divorce to get his own bridewealth from father-in-law, Mr. Biar Ajak Yool,” said Twic East County Court clerk, Mr. Ajang Nyuop Bol from Kongor Payam district of Pan Ajang Aguer sections in South Sudan.

Judgement/Decision

Section 62/63, the Code of evidence Act 2006

Order

Twic East County’s Court Judge Francis Amum Awin ruled in favor of Mr. Malou Gak Bul to consciously divorce Mrs. Awut Biar Ajak in the Family Court of laws. And they had to get back the bridewealth he once offered in full according to tampering evidences, provided. And according to the Dinka Bor Ethnic groups’ customary laws, this bridewealth was scheduled to be reimbursed back to him on 20^th of April 2010.

CHAPTER 8. In 2011, the Ayual section clans clashed against the Dacuek section clans overland grasping of Wangulei Town in Twic East County in South Sudan

This is a stunning and unimaginable statutory case to understand since these people are intermarried and yet they kept raising a question of whose this village/town of Wangulei including surrounding lands and swampy areas known as “tioc” in Dinka language should belong to.

On approximately February 23rd of 2010, both Nyuak Payam Districts’ sectorial clans of Ayual and Dacuek, rashed into bloody fight or bloodshed. And reportedly four (4) people were left dead as a result.

Panyagor Town Police forces, Wildlife forces and number of neighboring sectarian clans within Twic East County in South Sudan ran into to stop them from fighting. And therefore they were stopped. And in February of 2011, the this sectarian violence case was brought to special arbitration ad hoc committee, whose number of them were randomly selected from different Counties of Duk, Twic East and Bor South County in South Sudan in Africa by Jonglei State Governor Kuol Manyang Juuk. They were expected to execute this Dinka Ethnic Groups’ Sectarian violence case for viable verdicts since they are outsiders,” said Bol Ayiik Bul from the Wangaru County Court in Twic East County, Jonglei State in South Sudan in Africa. The Village/Town of Panyagor’s Magistrate Court Clerk alongst with Special Arbitration Committee Clerk Emmanuel Mabut Ajith. Of course, the twin causes of conflict were ownership of Wangulei Town, power monopoly, managerial partnerships and part of swampy area possession next to the water body stream known as “tioc” in Dinka language.

On 1st of March 2011, decision was granted after number of weeks collecting physical evidences and clues to execute ‘beyond the reasonable doubt.’ Special Arbitration committee, which consisted of group of five (5) Special Arbitration members and a clerk gave a verdict in a favor of Ayual section clans to take back a perceived power to own Wangulei Town plus surrounding landscape regardless of special interests, concurred. Although this  village/Town of Wangulei in Twic East County, Jonglei State in South Sudan, will still be a meeting place for three Nyuak Payam Districts of Twic East County in Jonglei State in South Sudan. This Nyuak Payam Districts of Awulian, Ayual, and Dacuek, on one hand, is legally said to take three (3) historical livestock camps of Pakat, Pathoc and Guer, which historically have had belonged to Ayual section clans according to the physical evidences and witnesses’ testimonies provided,” asserted Emmanuel Mabut Ajith and Bol Ayiik Bul.

Historically this land, which is now in contingent disputes used to belong to ancestral figure Ajak Kur Ayuen. He was the first man to inhabit the village/Town of Wangulei Areas in Twic East County in South Sudan. And in addition, ‘Wangulei’ literally meant a corridor for opening place to which belonged to individuals of Ayual section clans. And of course, he is said to be the forefather of Ayual section clans. Mr. Reech Deng Lual, the ancient Paramount chief of Dacuek section clans, was said to have had acknowledged whether this Wangulei Town combined with its surrounding lands were completely belonged to Ayual section clans, whatsoever,  or not. Especially, this land grasping place was perceived to solely belonged to our late ancestral figure, Mr. Ajak Kur Ayuen. He was once believed that he bicentennial stayed with his family before everyone has had inhabited the areas.

Today, Wangulei Town is turned to be a ghost town because of a fighting between Ayual section clans and Dacuek section clans erupted again after a ‘pestle of injustice’ decisions from Special  Arbitration committee, or the group of five (5)Special Arbitration members from three (3) Counties of Duk, Twic East, and Bor South County in Jonglei State in South Sudan.

More and more casualties have had been maliciously reported from both sides including the local police officers and wildlife officials. They were sent to stop them from fighting. Ten people are said that they have had died or killed from Ayual section clans’ side. In addition, three people killed were amongst casualties of last year. Only Twenty-three(23) people are confirmed that they are wounded from Ayual section clans’  side. For Dacuek section clans, eight (8) plus two foreign resident fighters from Awulian section clans. And other wounded was believed to belong to Duk County, Jonglei State in South Sudan in Africa. There are also a lot of casualties of people confirmed that they have had been killed according to buriers’ testimonies from the Magarau County Court Judge, Mr. Deng Aruei and Pastor Awuol Garang. And eighteenth people are likely said that they have had been badly wounded as a result.

This fighting between these Dinka Ethnic groups’ section clans of Ayual and Dacuek erupted early in the morning about 9 AM on  March 3rd,  2011. And this sectarian fighting ran until it was stopped by two 2 PM. Since the sectarian fighting report came very late,  a pace of response Team was also believed to be much slower.

Basically, this resumption of sectarian clashes between Ayual section clans, and Dacuek section clans started when members of Dacuek section clans’ Church Members dug a foundation of Episcopalian Church denominations of Anglican Church of England according to the derivative heritage founding. In the surrounding lands, there was juridically verdict, which ruled in the favor to Ayual section clans. Without legal procedures of request to build the Anglican Church, they unlikely had land grasping rights to opening landscape of village/Town of Wangulei backyards in Twic East County, Jonglei State in South Sudan in Africa. Both sides of Ayual section clans, and Dacuek section clans have had quarreled in the meanwhile that nobody knew what led to a bloody fighting.

Wangulei town is now evacuated until juridical further notices for 2010-2011  Dinka Ethnic Groups’ Sectarian Fighting Agreements. And only local police forces and few wildlife forces are now stationed in the town. Local police forces are yet monitoring both sides from returning back into sectarian fightings since they have had higher casualties of dead people, and wounded people are more than ever before.

CHAPTER 7. South Sudan’s Gun Control, and Disarmaments Commission Policy

Basically, it is a policy that was drafted and implemented right after signing of 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Naivasha in Kenya. This is probably what stipulated in the CPA six(6) Protocols mandate to which it advocates removal of arms in the hands of mentally deranged civilians. Nobody is expected to bring harms to any innocent people in South Sudan. Since the 1956-1972 Civil Wars with Old Sudan was ended, I know in the United States of America(USA), the Second Amendment of US Constitution authorized ‘gun control’ monopoly of legal licensing of “non mentally deranged Individual-1.”  “It is the rights of people to keep, and bear arms. And it  shall not be infringed(US Constitution Pamphlet, page 21, (2003).Edition).”  However, in the South Sudan, this gun control, and disarmament ad hoc commission was created to take away loosely guns from the hands of convicted South Sudan’s Civil War Criminals, which were apprehended to be dangerous to the general publics. And this was only now under the latest 2010 interim government of South Sudan. They could get ‘machine guns’ with appropriate authority so that the STEM problems of children abductions, women kidnapping, and livestock rustlings would be lessened by licensing the guns’ owners, and of machine gun barriers.

After creating this “Machine guns” removal ‘ad hoc commission’ to remove loosely machines from civilian monopoly, Message was dispersed and dispatched to certain South Sudanese. States like people in Jonglei State in South Sudan, which has had history narratives for 1990s Nuer Ethnic groups’ insurgents. And probably there might be reprisal for relatives, whose parents were killed between the 1991, and 1993 by the Nuer ethnic groups’ insurgency as well as “gun control” ad hoc policy for relatives, whose parents were barbarically killed by the Murle people. The cattle rustling has never had stopped since before the 1980s Sudan’s Civil Wars with Old Sudan ignited. Governments of South Sudan had decided to lessen a high rate risk of livestock rustling, and historically influx of children abduction, and women kidnappings in the State of Jonglei in South Sudan.

Even before I made a visit for South Sudan, this “Machine guns” removal ad hoc commission was meant to remove ‘loosely guns’ in the hands of civilian populations. Unless you have had an appropriate licensing that when this “Machine gun control” ad hoc commission was led by 2nd Lieutenant, Mr. Bol Kong from Ayod County in South Sudan. He was the low ranking SPLA Army Commanders, especially from SPLM Liberation Movement Party like High Commander, Mr. Bior-‘Manyunduk’ Aguerdit from Twic East County, Jonglei State in South Sudan. And there were a lot of delegations from 2010 “gun control, and disarmaments” ad hoc commission. They probably were  selected for temporary “gun control and disarmament” commission. As talking to residential people of Twic East County, Jonglei State in South Sudan, they had told me that this was a ‘second time’ occasion for SPLM Party’s “gun control and disarmament” ad hoc commission to remove unlicensed machine guns from the hands of mentally deranged civilians to which they were awfully affected by 1980s Sudan’s Civil Wars. I was so fortunate and lucky enough to meet with some of this “gun control and disarmament” ad hoc commission in 2010 right before referendum was held in 2011. These gun control and disarmament delegations were working to enforce gun removal from suspected Sudan’s Civil War Criminals dwelling in the Protections of Civilians(POC) site in Tonyping Neighborhood of City of Juba in South Sudan. This temporary agency was rushing to disarm people in South Sudan. Since they tended to foster ‘formidable threats’ to the domestic tranquility and to the well-being of people of Twic East County, Bor South County and Duk County in South Sudan, we know these 11 Counties in Jonglei State in South Sudan, they just got out of 1980s Sudan’s Civil Wars. And they are waging Counterinsurgency fightings. This 1990s Tribal Horrors was ended in 2002 Nairobi Agreements in Kenya. These are innocent populations, who just recently got out of 1980s Sudan’s Civil Wars with Old Sudan as well as from 1990s Nuer Ethnic groups’ Counterinsurgency fighting that was ended in 2002 Nairobi Agreements in Kenya.  The 2002 Nairobi Agreement was ended before 2005 CPA Agreement was brokered and signed in Naivasha in Kenya. The South Sudan has gotten a lot of Political Parties. And some of those Political Parties are the South Sudan People’s Defense Force(SSPDF), and the South Sudan Independence Movement (SSIM), which are led by the Rebel leader, Dr. Riek Machar-Teny. He is today transcended to the post of South Sudan’s vice-presidency to 2010 South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit after ending the so-called 1991 Nasir Declaration in the Two-gentlemen Agreement in Nairobi, Kenya in 2002. They both have had signed the September Agreements in 2018 in Khartoum in Sudan. And we know that the South Sudan has gotten independence in 2011 by ‘secession’ vote from Old Sudan during the referendum as it is stipulated in the 2005 CPA Protocol mandate. In 2005, this was almost the same year when the South Sudan and Old Sudan concluded 2005 CPA ‘Naivasha-Machakos’ Agreement mandate in Kenya.

When was the Gun Control and Disarmament ad hoc Policy started?

It was just begun right during the South Sudan’s 2011 referendum for six years Term of 2005 CPA Agreement protocols. Before 2011 referendum of secession votings, especially in the Jonglei State, Twic East County in South Sudan, they have also eventually had unearthed the ‘clustered bomb and land-mines. They were sowed during 1991-1993 Counterinsurgency fightings against the 1990s Nuer ethnic insurgents. Since they had defected from the mainstream South Sudan SPLM Political organizations, they are free to form their own distinct factions as well. They probably had removed landmines, which were sowed during the South Sudan’s political struggles in the 1980s Sudan’s Civil Wars.

These regional Areas of Deep Southern States were awfully affected, especially in the Equatorial region and in the Upper Nile region with exception of Bhar-el-ghazal region in South Sudan. Since there were the so called ‘Mural Dheen’ militias, they penetrated and they rubbishly destroyed everything by horseback. It had adopted the different fighting strategies that was imposed to protect those civilians. Of course, I wanted to speak volume about it since 1980s Sudan’s Civil Wars operations’ was based in one part of region, especially the Equatorial region in the South Sudan. Part of region are already annexed to the Old Sudan. To these regional areas, there are exceptions of Nuba Mountain territory, Blue Nile territory, and of Abyei territory, which are still annexed to the Republics of South Sudan according to the Sudanese Governments of National Unity(GONU). This condition might have had been what stipulated in the 1905 Dinka Ngok Ethnic groups’ Speaking people of late Paramount Chief, Mr. Deng Majok‘s “Border Demarcations” agreements between the South Sudan and Old Sudan. Although the Country was still united under the 1950s colonial British overseas Boma Administrations, they still had to run regionally by uniting “Junubin” people of South Sudan  with the “shuman” people of Old Sudan. This has historical trends with 1905 Dinka Ngok Ethnic groups’ speaking people  of late Paramount chief, Mr. Deng Majok, who I think he is the father of Brooking Institute Professor Francis Mading Deng.  And yet he is the South Sudan UN General Assembly Ambassador to the United Nations(UN) in New York(USA).

Who enforced 2010 “Gun control and Disarmament?”

It was enforced by this SPLA Army’s gun removal ad hoc commission to which it comprised of special landmining Technicians. They were commissioned by the South Sudan’s federal governments and State governments. They are also meant to remove unlicensed machines guns as well as by removing sew clustered landmines, and bombs in the areas of Twic East County in South Sudan. They were planted during the 1993 Counter-insurgency fighting to curb back enemy from backlashing inflations of economic long Austerity.

Advantage and Disadvantage of the “gun control and disarmament” Commission Policy

 It was awesome having loosely machine guns control policy. They are supposed to be removed from the hands of mentally challenged civilians of Jonglei State in South Sudan. Since this deep Southern States had never had ‘long-Term peace of minds’ Agreement with itself. Initially, it began with ongoing tension of livestock rustlings, children abductions, and women kidnapping to which people of Twic East County in South Sudan always reiterated. Why Murle people of Pibor County in South Sudan never multiple by procreating for children, and of families? They had never stopped kidnapping childrens, and women. Probably, they might have some sort of genetics pathogens and diseases that keeps them barren or having ‘no children.’ Instead of taking other people’s children and women always, they also decided to rustle cattle for well beings. This is what I am paraphrasing some of statements from people of Twic East County in South Sudan. In response to the ongoing livestock rustlings, children abductions, and women kidnapping, they are ‘tampered with evidences’ that the Murle people of Pibor County in South Sudan frequently stole their cattle. With exception of cattle rustlers from 1990s Nuer ethnic groups, they come in the large quantity of people, who are equipped for barbaric battles. And they used an “excessive force” to plunder livestocks. After horrific battles with people of Twic East County, Jonglei State in South Sudan like 1970s ‘Pagaak battle’, the Nuer ethnic groups’ speaking people had resulted in killing of my late grandparents, Mr. Jok Ajur Kibai Ater, alongst with late Kongor Payam districts’ Paramount Chief, Mr. Duot Bior-’kweigak’ Ajang Aguer.

And there was recently 2010 ‘monstrous battle’ with Murle people of Pibor County, Jonglei State in South Sudan, in the village of Payom which had lasted for several hours fighting. Numerous quantity of Murle people were killed including their renown best warrior and fighter according to Murle people of Pibor County by the name Mr. Majuong. This was dedicated and named after 1950s Murle Ethnic groups’ Warrior by the name Mr. Majuong. Today this is literally referred to as ‘Beher Majuong’ battle. This also meant fighting with Murle people. They made history to which  word ‘Beher’ in Dinka language are yet definitively rhymed with Murle.

 I think ‘Saving lives’ would denote ‘advantage’ to this gun control and disarmament ‘ad hoc commission’ with which they have had put in place. They would rather take away loosely machine guns from the mentally deranged Suspects. And they should stop them beforehand getting into the Civilian populations. The South Sudan’s deep Southern States and Local governments could also be held accountable for contingent insecurities in the County levels. Whereas disadvantages of this gun control, and disarmament ‘ad hoc commission’ is that, this is the disproportionate measure. Since the gun control and disarmament is being enforced in the various deep Southern States, they should also necessitate, or impose it in all Eleventh Counties in Jonglei State in South Sudan. In addition, the  Murle people were not disarmed. And they were not hardly found in their Pibor County in South Sudan. There was not any disarmament operations in the Equatorial regions in its three(3) States of Eastern Equatorial State, Western Equatorial State, and Central Equatorial State in South Sudan. And in the Bhar el Ghazal regions with its four(4) States of Western Bhar-el-Ghazal State, Lake State, Warrap State, and Northern Bhar-el-Ghazal State, the gun control and disarmament is also being effectuated in the all levels.

CHAPTER 6. Non-governmental Organizations (NGOS) regarding Food Security: Procurement, and Logistics Situations in South Sudan, Stories

Since Sudan’s Civil Wars started in South Sudan, NGOS has been providing Food Security to people with devastating conditions. Not only Food Security, however medicines were also provided for basic treatments, although roads, the overall ‘physical infrastructure’ were ruined and blockaded my ongoing fighting. With coordination of South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation agency (SSRR), the United Nations organization got updated where they could be able to make much safer flight for ‘supplies, logistics and appropriate procurement’ needed.

Getting NGOs delivered food security and medicines to people in the war devastated area in the South Sudan became a first priority amongst the South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation agency and the South Sudan SPLM leadership since they had worked in the liaison fashion to make logistics and procurement possible even in the rogue weather conditions to which landing is so hard, but dropped food security from above the skyline space with exception of medicines since they are delicate and fragile for aircrafts dropping.

Basically South Sudanese people tended to flee into the Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs)camps as well as fled into the recognized refugees’ camps. And they received their UNHCR-Food Security and other supplies with communications from SSRRA the Relief Agency for appropriate direction and paperworks needed in those Sudan’s Civil Wars periods. For instance, when I was in Panyagor town, Twic East County, Jonglei State in South Sudan before I flew for Kenya, we used to receive NGOs supplies and rations almost every month. Although my Biological father, Mr. Wuor Deng jok, and 3rd Household wife, Mrs. Achol Anhon Dau, were working for GOAL International humanitarian organization, we used to receive our UNHCR-Kakuma Refugees Camp in Kenya’s Food Security Aide. We still got NGOs Assistance through Kongor Payam districts’ Administrations in South Sudan.  And I think the same was applied to every citizens at the time. They were receiving their NGOs food security through their respective Payam districts’ Administrations. Although it was different from the refugees and Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) camps, everyone was registered with UNHCR, the Refugees Agency’s ration cards as an appropriate Humanitarian identification in UNHCR-Kakuma Refugees Camps in Kenya for Food Security Aide.

Of course, we had got supports from Non-governmental organization(NGOs)’s Food Security Aide. We still continued until South Sudan and Old Sudan brokered a peace dividend in January 2005. And in addition, we had received our support from United Nations organizations. They did not abruptly stopped our UNHCR-Food Security Aide. However, they have had expanded their projects and support systems in the South Sudan. They also have had established the Protections of Civilians(POC) site in Juba City in South Sudan. Although they have had built their UNDP Field offices in the State levels, they consolidated, and received their NGOs’  Humanitarian Assistance, especially in the time of Natural disaster. Since the South Sudan is still young, number of people are yet in both the UNHCR-Kakuma Refugees Camps in Kenya as well as in the UNHCR-Dadaab Refugees Camps in Kenya. With an influx of IDPs Returnees fleeing back for South Sudan, they probably will still need the NGOs to give them a foundation. Before they are left on their own discretions, they will contemplate whether they will be able to cultivate their crops, or not. They might still be going back to workforces with skills they have had acquired in the UNHCR, the Refugees Agency camps in East African Countries. The United Nations(UN) organizations is yet had increased their support systems almost every other year depending on the NGOs Field Assessments’ reports they daily received from the South Sudan’s Deep Southern States level offices.

South Sudan’s Physical Infrastructures, and roads Assessments

 It was terrible since there was a deep concerns of NGOs insecurity in the way to given destinations. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) logistics, and procurement became very hard, especially the NGO Food Trucks’ Convoys are loaded with the United Nations(UN)food supplies. They worried so much whether this NGOs Supplied could not make it to their respective Disaster affected areas. During the rainy season, they had to get some logistic coordinations from the SSRRA liaison Agency in South Sudan.  Summer season became a good season for NGOs to load their big convoy Trucks to South Sudan.  This context literally referred to as ‘convoys’ Trucks going to the Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) camps in the South Sudan, especially in the Equatorial region, where there were established IDPs displaced camps.

With conditions of physical infrastructure in the Sudan’s Civil War time eras, people in the IDPs displaced camps have had suffered a lot of Tribal horrors. Since they had to wait for other months, especially months of rainy seasons without receiving the NGOs Food Security supplies, we waited until it became much safer for those big convoys Trucks to arrive to those respectively disaster affected Areas of logistics Trips in Internally Displaced Persons(IDP) camps in South Sudan. They probably had to make logistics trips to the IDPs displaced camps since infrastructure were destroyed and/or blockaded by Sudan’s Civil Wars arsenals. And some bridges are being constructed so that they do not collapse, in the meantime. Without restorations both sides have had waged Civil Wars without time for reconstructions. This is time for roads, and/or bridges’ reconstructions. But to avert insecurities in the Areas, all Parties have to adhere to both 2002 “Nairobi” Agreements, and 2005 CPA Agreement mandate  in Kenya.

NGOs Food Aide security blockade could happen since both South Sudan and Old Sudan had the History Narrative of fighting operations in the part of Equatorial regions in South Sudan. This was worrisome operations for all NGOS in the Country. And the South Sudan SSRRA liaison Agency also had to worry about all those logistic coordinations. Probably an enemy Army could blockade the NGOs Food Aide Security supplies in the ground. This might stop NGOs supplies from reaching South Sudanese people in the Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) camps in South Sudan.This was obvious acronym for the NGOs defined Persons, who have had fled their Country of origin.  

The South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Agency(SSRRA) had worked tirelessly and relentlessly in the liaison fashion to ease such problems with the NGOS in getting NGOs food supplies to displaced people in the South Sudan. They basically loaded convoy Trucks to, especially disaster affected Areas in the Equatorial regions as well as freight their convoy Trucks into other UNHCR-refugees camps in one of those aforementioned East African Countries. And NGOs supplies is what  people depended on, in the Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) camps in Uganda, Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Kenya. Without them, nobody might stand up to direct NGOs within South Sudan.

CHAPTER 3. Survival Mode Stories: Sudan’s Civil Wars

Anya-Anya I time period (1956-1972) could be categorized as ‘a pastoralist life’ phase, where citizens, and/or residences alike of South Sudan had a ton of livestocks, especially to the livestock rearing ethnic groups such as Nuer ethnic groups, and Dinka ethnic groups. And to rest of other river-lake Nilotic groups, the Murle ethnic group became a worst enemy in Cattle rustling for consumptions in the Regional Province of Equatoria, and Upper Nile in South Sudan. Especially in the Jonglei State in South Sudan, it is extremely rampant killing, or looting for merely sake of consumptions. Although, there was an ongoing Civil War between the South Sudan, and Old Sudan in those time period, people still were keeping livestock, where they deeply depended on, in supporting themselves combined with little Agricultural farming.

Moving from one place to other, it is unlikely as an ‘usual adaptations, and obvious life’ for a pastoralist ethnic groups like Dinka people and Nuer ethnic groups in South Sudan. In their stronghold Area of Upper Nile State in South Sudan, this could not be ruled out in search for better livestock pastures from one season to other. It is a routine habit since their Ancestors has had down to them from Creations, probably. It is so dangerous, especially livestock’s enemy are not that far away. But they unlikely dwelled in closest, and common place that makes risk and vulnerability of cattle disappearing to the hand of enemies. This Cattle rustling risk become extremely high alert. The Murle people of Pibor County, Jonglei State in South Sudan made life in the herding of cattle so much risky and dangerously onslaught life. In the herding and keeping of livestock, herdsmen should train their dogs, or horses for unpredictable cattle raiding events. People of Equatorial region in South Sudan, especially Anuak ethnic group had stopped keeping and herding the large quantity of livestock they had due to the Murle ethnic groups’ raidings. And only few of those ethnic groups in the Equatorial region in South Sudan  still have cattle, but they no longer depended on cattle keeping, anymore. Due to the Murle ethnic groups’ raiders, they literally vanished in those mountainous hillside, and canopy of region of Equatoria very easily in South Sudan. Even during the South Sudan and Old Sudan’s struggles, cattle raiding specifically did not calm down to which they made people’s lives in the ‘pastoralist phase’ so dangerous. And it is worth stopping and switching back to other sort of “ways of life” like Agricultural works. Although there were not any sufficient ‘ploughing machines’ for farming, the amount of rainfalls, on one hand, in the Country is pretty much improving, thus far. The Weather forecast was not being controlled and predicted by Meteorologists as it is today. In the past, they used to predict amount of rainfalls by using Barometer. They unlikely depended on the Weather Meteorologists’ forecasts. There were time when the weather forcast stay steady clear without scattered clouds in the Sky. This was what made farmers so anxious to continue with Agricultural farming in conjunction with livestock farming.

Few rifles were in the hand of people since they were not easier to acquire, to find, and to afford as well. In 1956-1972 Anya-Anya I Civil War was unlikely being waged during this time. People, who keep cattle had a high demand of purchasing rifles instead of ‘Spears and Bow-Arrows.’ In order to maintain herding and rearing cattles in those period of Joseph Lagu, who was the leader of 1956-1972 ‘Anya-Anya’ I Movement, Herdsmen used to protect their cattle by Spears, and Bow-Arrows. And the Freedom Fighters used to wage 1956-1972 Sudan’s Civil Wars with Old Sudan by using rifles, spears, and bow-arrows. They achieved their 1956-1972 Addis-Ababa Agreements in Ethiopia, after Intensive fighting with those aforementioned smuggled weapons, and ammunitions. There were tons of Political agenda, platforms, and protocols to which the South Sudanese(SPLM)Liberation Movements, the South Sudan Independence Movement(SSIM), and the South Sudan People’s Defense Force(SSPDF)people had set forth. With this life, people, especially in Jonglei State of Bor South County, Duk County and of Twic East County, they become so unenthusiastic and uninterested in maintaining livestock farming with sophisticated weapons like today. They decided to avert increasing threats of nonstop problems of cattle raiding attacks, the disputing problems of children abduction, and women kidnapping by smuggling weapons, and ammunitions from Old Sudan. In addition, they started to undergo nonstop problems of cattle raiding attempts from Murle Ethnic groups from Pibor County in South Sudan. Despite problems of Children abductions, and women kidnapping, cattle raiding attacks began to happen frequently. After raiding, and barbaric clashes, herdsmen started to think about ways to give up cattle. And there were unlimited choices for tendency to abandon livestock farming in these Counties of Duk County, Bor South County, and Twic East County in South Sudan, where I am from, was so high alert of cattle raiding insecurities. However, people did not stop Agricultural farming, and/or livestock keeping, although they posed deadly threats from 1990s Nuer Ethnic groups’ insurgency fighters, and from 1970s Murle Ethnic groups from Pibor County in South Sudan.

With also a low literacy amongst ethnic people of Dinka, abandoning livestock farming was not so easier things to stop. Since people would not support their families without livestocks farming, Agricultural works was their optimum choice available. They continued keeping cattle all those years from ‘Anya-Anya I Movement’ period of 1956-1972 until the second Intifada Uprising. This ‘Antifida’ word literally meant ‘uprising.’ And this uprising started in 1983-2005 against the Old Sudan. Since 1972 Addis-ababa's Agreements in Ethiopia was not satisfactory, it was worth keeping it without South Sudan’s 2011 Autonomous voting referendum from Old Sudan. With Comprehending agreements in both countries’ wealth sharings and other protocols that had been finally achieved in Naivasha—Kenya agreement in 2005.

Livestock farming in Twic East County, it was basic necessities for people of South Sudan. And also in other Dinka people’s stronghold area in some of Eleventh of Counties of Jonglei State in Bor South County and Duk County, there was unlikely a ‘career legacy. And this was ingrained to their traditions. It was probably passed down from one generation to other. Although it poses onslaughting threats to herdsmen in the farm, nobody really wanted to stop keeping livestocks as well. Depending on how many people in the households, they divided themselves of who to keep cattle. Portion of the households go, and acquire English and Arabic literacy. After graduating, they would be able to provide supports for their families. And  they also provided aid to rest of households whom they have had left herding livestock in the farms behinds. I do remember correctly from my family that they often talked about their forefathers. they said that past generation, and their ancestors had a legacy of livestock keepings. During that ‘stone Age’ period further back in the history of South Sudanese people, the literacy was something that comes with modernization. In 1890s, the British colonizers and Arabian Merchants of Mahdi from Middle East arrived at soil of the South Sudan. They of course, began to scramble the whole of Africa of its minerals to which they were on the reserve. They also started to setup system of governments like Boma’s Administrations. In addition, they eventually taught them on how to govern themselves.

Right after 1972 Addis-ababa agreement, they then eluded that second political intifada uprising began from 1983 to 2005. Between the two Countries of South Sudan and Sudan, this period could be said that it was the durations when ‘the end of pastoralist life trend ceased. Majority of people of Dinka ethnic groups, had started to enlist into the Sudan Army Forces(SAF). They went to the 1980s Sudan’s Civil Wars. And everything like livestocks in the farms were left in the hand of depopulated people, especially in our County of Twic East County and as well as to other two Counties of Bor South County and Duk County in Jonglei State in South Sudan. Bor South County, and Duk County’s residents also joined into SPLA Army Recruitment Training, too. These people, who went for Army training for South Sudan’s uprising against the Old Sudan, they were outnumbered. In 1983, this was trended, or known today as Koryom II Battalion Division of SPLA Army to which en mass number of people were young adults from cattle camps. It was a remarkable military surge. And this was unlikely a success story for the South Sudan SPLM political organization. In 1956-1972, the Anya-Anya I Movement’s uprising was also trended as an Equatorial uprising. That meant majority of  Equatorial regions’ people were in that movement. They were predominantly from Equatorial region in South Sudan. There were a lot of Dinka ethnic group from Twic East County, who had involved in the 1956-1972 Anya-Anya I Movement against the 1956 Old Sudan.

There is a popular Dinka Ethnic groups’ folklore that was coined and/or composed. During the SPLA Army’s Koryom II military enlistment in 1983, the livestock farmings have had been left to the hands of young people, elderly people, and women. There was high risk of livestock farming, and vulnerability of entrapment to hands of enemies, where the cattle started to disappear in Bush. The Murle ethnic people from Pibor County in Jonglei State in South Sudan and the Nuer ethnic people from Ayod County in Upper Nile State in South Sudan, were alike main cattle raiders. And the residents of Jonglei State in South Sudan have had experienced a high risk of cattle disappearance.This folklore literally goes in Dinka language: ‘Acie dong e madwei e mach e hok’ meaning that only young people with elderly people and women were left out for herding and rearing cattle without hope that they will manage maintaining livestock farming after young adult men trended as ‘koryom II’ were gone for South Sudan military with no hope for return to resume livestock farming to which they were known and praised.

Folklore as it was composed with literally meaning that ‘ livestock farming’ will definitely cease since only young people, elderly people and women were left to herd livestock, had manifested itself and livestock farming and agricultural works got thinner and thinner when South Sudan and Old Sudan resumed fighting. Resuming of South Sudan and Old Sudan war did not directly people and lifespan of livestock farming, however it affected them in a ‘backlash fashion’, where majority of young adult men had joined and enlisted in the 1983 South Sudan’s uprising against Old Sudan since dissatisfaction from ‘1972 Addis-ababa agreement’ was the main driving force behind enlistment and resumption of the South Sudan and Old Sudan’s war. Joseph Lagu, the leader of Anya nya I movement from Equatorial region did not get position in the unified government to which he was the architect with nothing much according to platform he drafted was accomplished. A different person from South Sudan was snapped in the unified government and the ‘Anya nya I’ movement leader Joseph Lagu from Equatorial region was demoted since Old Khartoum government thought he would still be rival leader rather than ‘puppet’ leader to accept compromise stipulated in the ‘1972 addis-abbas agreement’ to which Joseph Lagu had brokered and had signed with the total oversight and monitoring from Africa Union (AU) organization formerly known as Organization for Africa Union (OAU).

Predicted ‘end of pastoralist life phase’ since mass majority of young adult men referred to as ‘Koryom II’ went to the South Sudan military trainings came to effect in 1991-1993 Nuer ethnic group massacre-cleansing when they had defected from the South Sudan SPLM mainstream political organization with number of Prisoners of Wars (POWs) and ignited an insurgency fighting in the Twic East County, Duk County and Bor South County for political propaganda to weaken the SPLM political organization and its leaderships from the grassroots by plundering and taking everything to which their left behind civilian populations, especially from the heart and residential core roots of South Sudan SPLM political organization chairman, Dr. John Garang Mabior, had depended on, like livestock farming and agricultural works, where they were left in the hands of young people, elderly people and women populations. During this 1991-1993 Nuer ethnic groups insurgency which resulted in taking of livestocks and civilian populations escaped their lives for riparian river Nile basins for hiding and to acquire temporarily staying until the South Sudan SPLM political organizations and leadership take a procedure counter-insurgency fighting to avert the situations and curb them out of affected areas: Twic East County, Duk County, and Bor South County, Jonglei State—South Sudan to which SPLM political organization and leadership eventually did as recent as in 1993 Nuer ethnic groups insurgency total defeat and rooted them out of the area they had devastated and left vulnerable; affected population of these three Counties: Twic East County, Bor South County, and Duk County,  had survived from collecting: 1) Water lily known as ‘goor’ in Dinka Language, 2) Swampy root plant known as ‘athoon’ in Dinka language, 3) Papyrus root plant known as ‘thahr e apaath’ in Dinka language, 4) Tall weed plant known as ‘Nhom e Mon’ in Dinka language, 5) Wild rice known as ‘lahw’ in Dinka language, 6) Quazi-water lily known as ‘aguieu’ in Dinka language, 7) Swampy root plant known as ‘keich’ in Dinka language, 8) Seasonal trees such as ‘thou’, ‘lang e jieng and lang e turik’, ‘chueu’, ‘paach’, in Dinka language, 9) Sugar cane planted in the riparian river Nile , 10) Sorghum stalk known as ‘behn’ in Dinka language, 11) Cassava known as ‘bahm rot’ in Dinka language, 12) Yam known as ‘bahm behr’ in Dinka language, 13) Sweet potatoes, 14) Coco-nut known as ‘tuhr akoot’ in Dinka language, 15) Coco-nut trees also carved and used water boat for transporting people and as well for fishing, 16) Hardwood known as ‘Giir’ in Dinka language was carved and used as boat for transporting those groceries such as water lily, papyrus root, coco-nut, sweet potatoes, yam, sugar cane, ‘keiu’ etc. and were used as well to transport people on the water stream basins known the river Nile with its swampy spot from papyrus good for fishing, 17) Weeds known as ‘Anyueer’ in Dinka language, and 18) Mushrooms especially the cultivated mushroom not the wild mushroom found on the soft trees were consumed.

Lives during the South Sudan referendum from Old Sudan for secession since January 9^th, 2005 to January 9^th, 2011 after 1991 to 1993 Nuer ethnic group insurgency fighting was averted,  was ‘reconstruction life phase’, where everything that had been lost in those decades is being compensated. Affected population of Twic East County, Bor South County, and Duk County are working tirelessly to acquire livestocks as well as re-clearing their agricultural fields that had been lost after more than two decades of South Sudan fighting with Old Sudan. These affected populations to which livestock keeping and herding is their ‘traditions and ways of life’, tended to buy number of livestocks from ‘cattle vendors’ that traveled beyond Ayod County, despite the insecurity in the ways to acquire cattle with ‘monies’ they generated from the swift shop businesses and stores. There is a livestock market established in Panyagor town, Twic East County, as well as Duk County and Bor South County with legal supervision from the local government of those three Counties as well as from the World Food Programme (WFP) organizations that documented cattle vendoring receipts in conjunction to ‘procurement and logistics’ of the food security in the area. If you want to more details and for authentics of the story, you could pay a travel to the Twic East County, Jonglei State—South Sudan and requested a ‘cattle vendoring receipts’ since start of interim government of South Sudan before it becomes a sovereign nation from Old Sudan or access information from the World Food Programme(WFP) in the South Sudan, you would get a tons of information from the organization to which field workers collected and documented to determine ‘food security’ conditions in the areas, where the World Food Programme(WFP) organization can make a substantial and solid request for immediate food security assistance from the United Nations(UN).