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South Sudan demands ancestral land from Uganda

December 14, 2009 (KAJO-KEJI) — Muki Batali Bulli, the Commissioner of Kajo-Keji County, South Sudan demands ancestral land that Uganda has “extended ownership claims.”

The meeting convened in Moyo last week to discuss the border dispute between Uganda and South Sudan’s Kajo-Keji County turned chaotic after the Uganda team dismissed Sudanese’s claiming of more areas of Moyo and Yumbe districts.

In the 17-paged report presented by the Kajo Keji commissioner, Muki Batali Bulli, the Sudanese community of Kuku did not only claim “ancestral” ownership of the 5km-stretch of land that has been at the centre of the conflict but also other areas in Moyo and Yumbe.

The meeting chaired by the Ugandan international affairs state minister, Henry Okello Oryem, at Multipurpose Hall in Moyo town on Saturday, was attended by political leaders and elders from both countries including South Sudan Central Equatoria State Gov. Clement Wani Konga.

Among the fresh claims, the Sudanese said their land extends to Kelenderia through Opiro, an area in the heart of Moyo town behind Moyo senior secondary school.

Muki said the area continues westward to West Eria hill, Lefori and down to Wano, all places in Moyo that have previously been free of controversy. Other areas claimed in the document include Dwani wano, Goburi land, Bori, Liwolo, Koriwa and several hills and streams.

In Kampala, the Ugandan State Minister for Regional Cooperation, Okello Oryem, confirmed the meeting saying South Sudanese officials demanded a 5 km (3 miles) portion of Ugandan land at a meeting on December 12.

“It’s true the Sudanese claimed ownership of a bigger chunk of land but of course we have colonial maps and other documents that clearly state where the border lies and I’m confident we’ll reach an agreement when we meet in January,” he told Reuters.

On the site where the construction of an MTN mast was halted, Muki said the area was called Koturume and lies in the land of the Lito’ba clan from Sudan.

According to Muki, they stopped the construction of the Afoji-Lere road by Moyo district because it passes through Dwani Wano, an area, he said, was occupied by Ugandan refugees following the outbreak of the 1979 war.

“We received you warmly and allowed you to settle. Now the local authorities in Moyo have extended claim over Dwani Wano. The land is undoubtedly Kuku land,” Muki said.

Moyo LC5 chairman Peter Iku Dolo, however, insisted that the road was four miles inside Uganda.

But Muki further explained that according to their grandfathers, Moyo was not a Madi name but was derived from an Arabic word for water when an Arab soldier of Sudanese descent sought water from a Madi citizen behind the present Stanbic Bank building in Moyo town.

He accused the Moyo and Yumbe district authorities of carrying out organised settlements of Ugandans in Sudan with the intention of grabbing their territory.

The settlements are reportedly located at Go’bor for people from Yumbe and the stretch from Dwani, A’baya to Bamurye for settlers from Moyo.

He said the settlers were engaging in illicit tree logging and charcoal burning, which was hazardous to the environment.

Muki also accused the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces of killing civilians in Ajio Boma in 2000.

“Properties were destroyed and looted. The attack was launched without any provocation or justification at all,” he added.

But army spokesman Felix Kulayigye dismissed the allegation as baseless. “I am not aware of that attack,” he said.

Muki said Yumbe authorities recently evicted people of Liwolo in a place called Kilaji, and razed down their dwellings.

He also disclosed that in Moijo, Ugandans took over the vacant land when the indigenous people were evacuated by the British colonial administration in 1916 following an outbreak of sleeping sickness.

The new array of accusations infuriated the Ugandan delegates led by officials from Moyo, Adjumani, Yumbe and Koboko, who dispelled Muki’s report as “rubbish and null and void”.

They protested, raising their hands up while shouting Muki down. “That is misinformation, let him sit down,” they chorused.

They also lashed out at the Sudanese team for basing their arguments on the ancestral territories which were annulled by the international borders. Sensing trouble, Oryem adjourned the meeting for 30 minutes to allow further consultations.

Oryem said the Sudanese were claiming customary land boundaries which were no longer internationally recognized. He further said most of the tribes in northern and eastern Uganda and western Kenya have their origin in Sudan.

However, a Sudanese Member of Parliament, James Janka Duku, opposed Oryem, saying the international boundaries were made by the colonialists.

“We cannot take advantage of the colonial era to take somebody’s God-given land,” he said.

Duku suggested that the road and MTN mast be stopped despite a standing agreement between President Yoweri Museveni and his South Sudanese counterpart, Salva Kiir, to resume the construction.

However, the Governor for Central Equatorial State, Clement Wani, observed that the two infrastructures would foster development for all people regardless of the boundaries.

The meeting that started at 10:00am and ended past 11:00pm, resolved that the border conflict be handled by Kampala and Khartoum, while a technical committee from the two countries was formed to evaluate the economic progress along the border.

Another meeting was scheduled for January 16, 2010 in Moyo to review the progress of the committee.

None of the MPs from Moyo, Adjumani, Yumbe and Koboko districts attended the meeting.

On a tour of the conflict area with President Museveni last month, President Salva Kiir assured the people of Uganda that Sudan had no ambition to annex any Ugandan land. He said any misunderstanding should not be politicized but resolved administratively.

“If there is a misunderstanding, it will not be of any interest to anybody because trade is today thriving through the border. In Juba, Ugandan products dominate the market; so beneficiaries are both Southern Sudanese and Ugandans,” he observed.

(ST)

27 Comments

  • Aarai Baka
    Aarai Baka

    South Sudan demands ancestral land from Uganda
    Whatever pieces of the lands been taken by neighboring countries will be claim back as it belong to Sudan. Sudan can even go deepest to claims Pachuak, Arua, Gulu. this land taking it not going to be like the northern Sudan were Egypt claim that she can take it by militarily which egypt cannot afford to fought with.

    Reply
  • H5N1
    H5N1

    South Sudan demands ancestral land from Uganda
    nah nah, we dont want to die for nothing. Equatorians who gave this land away during the struggle must negotiate with their northern Uganda acholi counterparts. because they gave that land to Uganda thinking that they will somehow be accepted as citizens in Uganda, same to the land they gave to Congolese.

    Reply
  • Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
    Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy

    South Sudan demands ancestral land from Uganda
    This issue must be solved by Equatorians elders particularly kuku tribe who are knowledgeable about the borderline. Kiir and his mongrel memebers of SPLA black party must keep their lips far from this issue because its not about SDG Vs POCKET, it is LAND Vs OWNER. I don’t like people who got no idea what to say about the problems. Those of Kiir and the rest of SPLA ganga will jeopardize the situation from good to worse. Let alone Equatorians deal with this matter in a peaceful manner. To be consider a right leaders he first need to go and settle his own people from shoting themselves and the borderline in Abeyi before rushing to Equatoria. Outsider/aliens should stay away from our affairs accept Igga, Koanga, Mamur, Itto, Kwaje and some. If there is a construction of roads and MTN services in our motherland then Uganda need to stop it and hand over that piece of land to Equatorians. Certainly I need to pay a visit to this growing tension in Equatoria border.

    Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy

    Mr Farmous Big_Logic_Boy Fraud is unacceptable

    Reply
  • Dinka Boy
    Dinka Boy

    South Sudan demands ancestral land from Uganda
    This ugandan have no different with the equatorians in Southern Sudan. Uganda has equatorain too like Sudan and that will make the claimed for our land become complex.
    They have Acholi,Moro, Kuku, and many and we have the same Acholi,Kuku, Kuwakuwa, and Moro in the same territory.
    In fact, this land discussion will be really hard.
    Good luck

    Reply
  • James John
    James John

    South Sudan demands ancestral land from Uganda
    Dear……my people and friends.
    I think this issue belong to people of Kajo Keji and the Madi people. Be’s no one can say anything about this issue. and this issue doesn’t need Kiir and Museveni…be’s they don’t know nothing about this area.

    Reply
  • Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
    Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy

    South Sudan demands ancestral land from Uganda
    H5N1

    You think that you are so smart to use that language, but let me advice you with your petite capacity of english level, your langauge alone tell what type of person you are and level of education you have.

    For your blindness of not knowing the truth about my real id is simply.There is one guys who is confusing people on this site by attempting to steal my id. I assume that those frauds are pure Bor kids on this fora, especially those of dinkas boy, critic nyeng, Ajus2, Mezlend, SPLA domanint and other. At first this fraud uses Mr Famous Big-Logic-Boy, but when he realised that people are aware of the fake id then he change it to Mr Farmous Big_Logic_Boy which is more confusing if you are simpleton.

    The advice that i give you with full justification is go and review all my id since the establish of Sudan tribune, this will help you as a child to understand who i am and differentiate me from this criminal act of dinkas kids. Like i told you before that anyone can still create another fake id with Mr Famous Big_Logic-Boy and you may find it hard to find the hint. Only make use of your mind.

    Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy perfect

    Mr Famous Big-Logic-Boy fraud

    Mr Farmous Big_Logic_Boy fraud

    Reply
  • M.Cool.J
    M.Cool.J

    South Sudan demands ancestral land from Uganda
    That piece of land was sold by the late Garang to ugandans.
    Now that is a serious case b ecause we have kuku from Uganda and kuku from Sudan, this fucken equatoria comm,unity splitting into many small clans day by day.

    I am sorry kuku ran to ugan da many years ago to elude war and now claiming to have some land from uganda!
    If it is so those from uganda must come back to sudan.

    Reply
  • Time1
    Time1

    South Sudan demands ancestral land from Uganda
    Some people need to grow up and be a responsible entity, we are having big problems to deal with not this silly issues of a 5km land, crying like children all the time is not good for any bodies helath, what is 5km land? Salva and Museveni had already agreed on how to solve this border issues, so the people be them Ugandans or even Sudanse should stop crying like little children all the time and work on more responsible issues.

    Reply
  • Gatloth Gai
    Gatloth Gai

    South Sudan demands ancestral land from Uganda
    A craded to Muki Batali,Kajo-keji county commisioner.

    very many thanks to Hon.Muki for claiming for land lost to Uganda.Thisis a right time for you to ask your right demoted during those yrs back where there was no stablity in our country.

    I believes Uganda knew better that part of thier country in the northern side is Sudan geograpically. I have been in Moyo town as refugee for quit long time and learn that sudan lost big of its part to this nighbour Uganda.

    Social study I studied in primary in Uganda told me more and the same Ugandans are the ones publised those books proved that we must claim for more and not just a 5 kms.

    Reply
  • Ajaviga
    Ajaviga

    South Sudan demands ancestral land from Uganda
    Dear Editor,
    allow me react to some of the comments posted on the Sudan tribunal in regards to the above subject.
    The South Sudanese are trying to spit on our face,the Ugandans.How much support have we given them in their struggle for freedom from the Arab colonialist.

    The comprehensive peace Agreement would have not been reached if Uganda had not backed their struggle.Uganda fed,educated,provided security to Southern Sudanese,as per now,very many southern Sudanese are in Ugandan primary,secondary and higher institutions of learning.
    We Ugandans have never discriminated against them.I studied with refugees in the districts of Moyo and Adjumani and very many have acquired property and are settled in Uganda.

    Since the CPA signatory,South Sudan has not produced anything to feed its population.If you visit the capital Juba and towns all the food and goods are from Uganda.
    Uganda is lifeline to South Sudan frankly speaking,if we withdraw our support the referedum of 2011 will be a boomerange for Southern Sudanese.

    These are my pieces of advice to South Sudanese:
    1-Respect us Ugandans for the support we have accorded you and still we are still backing your struggle.
    2-please do not intimidate,scorn,insult Ugandans who are currently on your soil.
    3-Leave the border demarcation as it has been drawn by the British colonialist to avoid another conflict from your Southern neighbours.

    Remember when it comes to border disputes Ugandans will stand as one”For God and my Country”,the LRA are at your door step.Watch your tongue and actions.

    Ajaviga Anavuga
    Yumbe district,WestNile Region,Uganda.
    E-mail:[email protected]

    Reply
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