SOUTH SUDAN’S STATES GET NEW BOUNDARIES – ALONG TRIBAL LINES
(Posted 04th October 2015)
In a surprise move, which very likely belies the utterings made publicly about the IGAD peace agreement signed between the regime in Juba and the SPLM-IO [standing for ‘In Opposition’] has the president of South Sudan over the weekend signed new state boundaries into effect, largely redrawn along tribal lines. It could not be ascertained if or to what extend the parliament of South Sudan has been consulted before the announcement was made.
While no immediate comments were available from regular sources in Juba is it suspected that the move is in part aimed to keep the various tribes, and especially those with a belligerent nature against others, within their own state lines and administrative units, to avoid once again sentiments turn into bloodshed when no compromises on resource allocation and other issues like jobs can be reached.
The information received speaks of now 28 states, plus the clearly shown region of Abyei which South Sudan claims from Khartoum Sudan alongside other territories which are still denied a vote on where they want to belong to.
The new states are listed below with the respective state capitals shown in brackets.
1- Imatong State (Torit)
2- Nyamonong State (Kapota).
3- Maridi State (Maridi).
4- Amadi State (Mundri).
5- Gbudwe State (Yambio).
6- Juba State (Juba).
7- Terekeka State (Terekeka).
8- Yei River State (Yei).
Greater Bhar el Ghazal States region
9- Wau State (Wau).
10- Aweil State (Aweil).
11 – Lol State (Raja)
12- Aweil East State (Wanjok).
13- Twic State ( Mayen Abun).
14- Gogrial East State (Kuajok).
15 – Tonj State (Tonj).
16 – Eastern Lake State ( Yirol).
17- Western Lake State (Rumbek).
18- Gok State (Pngeik).
Greater Upper Nile States region
19- Northern Liech State (Bentiu).
20- Southern Liech State (Leer).
21- Ruweng State (Pariang).
22- Eastern Nile State (Malakal)
23- Jonglei State (Bor).
24- Western Nile State (Kodok).
25- Western Bieh State (Ayod)
26- Eastern Bieh State (Akobo)
27- Latjor State (Nasir).
28- Boma State (Pibor)
There is intense speculation now if this is a precursor to a more federal system of government, as sections of the opposition have been demanding or simply a ploy to divide and rule from the centre from where resources for the management of these states will have to come, together with ego stroking appointments. Prior to this apparent off the cuff announcement did South Sudan have only 10 states, already hard pressed to generate sustainable revenues to delivery social and other services to the people and the proliferation to now 28 is bound to further aggravate the situation of financial and human resources.
4 Responses
“The miraculous multiplication of South Sudan’s 10 states into 28”
Very miraculous indeed! But l believed this presidential decree is not etched in stone though, it can be reversed. However, anything that can quieten our Nuers and Equatorian brothers/sisters’ habitual whingers is worth trying even if it will require a dinka/Jieng to get a passport to visit a Nuer or an Equatorian state.
The Nuers and the Equatorians have been making a lot of noises ever since with their understanding of the ‘word’ federalism/federation. The Equatorians believed the ‘word’ federation/federalism to mean “no Dinka/Jieng will in Equatoria”. We have been to this stage right after 1972 first Anya-Anya peace deal—-It was called “Korkora” (everybody else in his/her own province)—-that is the then greater Upper Nile, the Greater Bhar el Gazelles and the Greater Equatoria.
The Equatorians have been calling the Dinkas/Jieng every name imaginable on this planet earth; that the Dinkas/Jieng have cows or cattle mentality; that the Dinkas/Jieng are backward people; that the Dinkas/Jieng are uncivilised; that the Dinkas/Jieng are stealing other people’s lands and that the Dinkas/Jieng are uneducated people.
But if we are as a people have to be honest to themselves in South Sudan, then the Dinkas/Jienge are the most well educated in South Sudan. The Dinkas/Jienge that are often called names by our Equatorian brothers.sisters as backward people and to have cows or cattle mentality are the same Dinkas/Jieng that stood up against the cloned so-called arabs of the North Sudan. When the Equatorians cowered and ran to Uganda, Khartoum, Congo, Kenya and numerous other places for safety when things went tough.
My own humble self, Cris-crossed much of the Equatoria in late 1990th to early 2000 liberating the Equatoria from the cloned so-called rabs of North Sudan. My own battalion helped in capturing Yei with other battalions, Lainya and Kapoeta, but i have never ever seen any Equarorian or a Nuer in my battalion then, but the Dinkas/Jieng boys and a few boys from the Nuba Mountains, the Blue Nile and Maban. Every village we used to passed in Equatoria; we used to find only the elderly in the villages. I am not trying to talk down the Equatorians contribution to the liberation of the South Sudan fellows, and the South Sudanese people here. The elderly Equatorians that we used to find in their villages used to serve us water, food and accommodations.
So the Equatoians have contributed in the liberation of South Sudan and the South Sudanese people like everybody else. But calling the Dinkas/Jieng, backward people, uncivilised, having cows or cattle mentality and uneducated people is way far too off.
I was injured very badly in the battle of Kapoeta, until I was excused my superiors for treatment in the ICRC run Lokichogio Lubiding hospital in Kenya, but this days I am back in the SPLA early last year fighting the Nuers and their Riek Machar madness again in our country.
For our Nuer cousins, they have been playing brats against the South Sudan and South Sudanese people, all their lives. The Nuers believe in their Ngun Deng superstitions and fantasies.
That the Nuers will somehow, will one day rule the Dinkas/Jieng of the South Sudan and the whole of South Sudan through *a gaped teeth and left handed Nuer* called Riek Machar. Good luck to our Nuer cousins. Just stop your madness and be Nuers. The Dinkas/Jaang are not playing your nonsenses with Riek Machar demigod this time around.The Dinkas/Jaang and other South Sudanese people want to do other things than always to be fighting the Nuers and their Riek Machar aimless armed rebellion.
Thank a lot brother for narrating this story of liberation, some tribes lack story of how Dinka/Jieng suffered for this nation, they thought just fallen from the sky. You talked for truth and let some slaves who like to liberate the nation which was since liberated through our blood we Dinka/Jieng continuously try their best and they will later on drink the cup of blood that we had drunk from Arab in the liberation of South sudan, we donot say that we are the only liberators, there were some few men from other tribes those who tried their best in the struggle but we do not mean the power struggle should cost our blood again like what riek Machar did to our innocents both Nuer and Jieng. People were ready to voted for who ever the like in 2015 but riek dismantle thought to take power on blood which he will never get in his live for ever.
Wise syestem but you came let
No single tribe can claim to have “liberated” South Sudan. unless one is myopic, and illiterate indeed. Every South Sudanese “fought” in one way or the other. The Equatorians did go into exile as a choice but were force to doing so by the very so called ‘liberators’ or SPLA. Please note that if it was not for Equatoria and the Equatorians the Garang rebellion would have died long before him!