Jonglei-Bor Woes aren’t the making of its neighbors
BY: Isaiah Abraham, JUBA
NOV 5/2009, SSN; I hear some people blaming loudly the government of Southern Sudan leader and the JongleI State Governor for failing to protect civilians there from its neighbors- areas surrounding Jonglei-Bor. Insecurity has become an issue in that state, especially within Bor Area. People are killed and their properties looted at gun points. Government stations are under attacks from unknown gunmen roaming the area.
Generally, the security for the larger South is very poor indeed than it has been during the war. Innocent lives are lost everyday by those who want to get rich quickly or on sheer hate for others. But even if the fingers are still being pointed to Juba for its decimal role to curb insecurity and to protect lives of its citizens, the matter in Bor is primarily something to do with some elements within that community; criminals who are out to deny our people peace they badly need.
We have heard unprecedented lost of lives in Wernyol and Duk few months ago, just to cite few examples. We had then searched for answers and only end up assigning blame to our government for failing to protect innocent civilians. We might be wrong or right, but perhaps somewhere in between.
May be the cause-effect law could have helped out, if we mean really business. And delving further here, there is no way anyone can laugh over that heinous act of taking away lives in the aforesaid two areas of Bor. It stands condemned and an act of evil. Southerners can’t be allowed to be killed just like that, it’s pointless and a shame on all of us. This is particularly so when we need each other most and when in fact we are already masters of our own affairs.
But take the incident in Wernyol for example, do you read anything behind it, the same way I have come to deduce? If not, then look at this: an incident happened at the same spot barely a week or so, before the violent attack at that Payam headquarters occurred. Uror County Cashier left Bor town with big money on his bag, routing on his way back to Uror County headquarters; he was mugged and he lost everything including the money for the entire staff there. The attackers remain at large despite some wind that they actually come from one of the Bor geographical area. Simply put, their whereabout was exposed but hushed by local leaders/authorities.
Could that be the cause that brought about those deaths and destruction, and if the answer again is no, then someone must go on a research and find out the whole truth on what actually prompted that attack when the cattle camp wasn’t around and nothing special could be the target for the criminals who attacked that Payam.
The same scenario is true in Duk. It was again an attack on the car carrying Uror passengers, they were violently looted and their belongings taken away before the nose of the government security officers. No action was taken and the attackers weren’t apprehended. In the absence of law enforcers, the aggrieved took the law into their own hands and the vicious cycle of reprisal attacks we are hearing now daily ensued.
These are two wrongs and therefore unwarranted to write a blame on Mr. President on this matter in Jonglei. Something is clearly wrong there; attitudes and values are in the deficit, just to not to waste your time. This is not what our fathers said about Bor community; they were known to be competitive and achievement-oriented people. Albeit, the today’s generation (below my age I suppose) everywhere in the entire South is a drip of moral decay and effrontery talents that drags to the edge of abyss.
It is indeed very unfortunate to every aspect of our lives; it requires elders to sit down and do something about it and even ask for divine intervention. We have an invidious generation of boys, with older people sidelined. Southerner below 30 years then could not stand the words of any other older than him/her, leaving his older one in the family; this has fairly changed, thanks to crop of young ones whose social reverse is their papers and guns in their hands. They say they know it all and can do it again all. What a shallow foundation we are building!
Imagine a couple of nights ago, a criminal from Bor was caught selling two little kids to Murle at the Juba Bridge Junction. The kids were returned to their parents in the same area, where that human trader comes from. What do you say is happening in that society, brethren?
There are stories that you don’t need to hear, including the razing down of Mundari homestead and total scorched earth clearance of the Mundari people on the East of the River Nile. Of course Mundari were wrong by attacking cattle herders, but the disproportionate use of force with an intention to wipe out the Mundari altogether was uncalled for and totally unacceptable. The two communities lived side by side for time immemorial and even Lou Nuer and Bor are cousins. They have the same characteristics and shared similar values. But first reacts only when it is aggressed and doesn’t engage in clandestine cowardly activities.
Someone has exaggeratedly joked by telling me that 40% of Southern internal problems are caused by elements within Dinka community with a big fraction from Bor people. I didn’t buy it because a land that has produced big figures such as the two Garangs (the bishop and the de Mabior) and Mulana Alier surely can’t be mistaken to have characters that secretly steal innocent children from one village and sell them across to neighbors under the disguise of being abducted ones.
Sincerely, it is puzzling, for a land so rich with potentials such as oil, animals and enough land for agriculture, and human talents. Unbelievable stories; what a pity! Where are the community leaders, the very people our elders used to tell us about their positive things; the same people who claim to be on top of things? If they can’t control their dirty emotions/affairs, how would they expect others to take them serious?
I thought the Good Book , Matthews 7:3 talks about the need to check yourself before you correct others. What makes this community so small in the eyes of criminals that they can reign on them, we whisper. Was it by mistake that Dr. Garang was born there? Really, you can’t expect others to lie low in the flying face of moral decadence in that community.
Bor people, can you now deny that you are the problem, not your neighbors? People deserted you for a cause and will do the same as they inveigh in disgust on every move you will make.
It’s neighbors have joined the bandwagon and if anything, the change everyone wants to happen must begin in Bor. That land should have been an oasis of peace and love, not the other way round. There is no way Bor should be a pariah among many other communities in our beloved land called Southern Sudan. It’s just good! It has to have at least one or two good neighbors.
We have opened up for/against you because people love you and want you to change. The South is abound with wealth everywhere, one section of our society can’t dream of running faster than others.
People of Bor and by extension those who taint the name of Dinka, I have bad news for you: other Southerners will continue to hate you and God above will send troubles ahead of you wherever you will be! You will not escape unless you beat a 360 degree turn (change) of heart; you are animals who will never learn from your mistakes. None could stand such hallowedness anymore.
The Nuer you think is violent and knows no laws is a million miles ahead of you, they have the fear of what is unethical and wrong and are men indeed. Just live among them and try by yourself how humane and gentlemanly are they. On the contrary, you don’t even have a single alien that is absorbed from anywhere, the same way others have done it, find out, why. By association therefore, I hate you ya mujerimiin of Bor and haramiin of Bahr El Ghazal!!!
Isaiah Abraham lives in Juba; he is on Isaiah_abraham@yahoo.co.uk
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