Sunday, April 18, 2010

Security based on African justice

St. Mary Makuei Catholic Chapel
Comboni School,Makuei(ANC) Northern Bahr El Ghazal State South Sudan
March 31st 2010

Reported by the head catechist
Zachariah Noon Ajongi
Makuei Centre
Corrected by the head Catechist
John G. Garang Nyamlell
Dear Fr. Michael D. Barton,
St Teresa Parish, Nyamlell

I submit warm greetings to you and our sisters and all people who are working with you in the mission.

I am sending you this information which happened almost 3 months ago in January. This problem caused seven people to lose their lives in a day attack.
It happened,when SPLA soldier named Mabior Kuol Kuom whose cows had been robbed by Bagara (Arabs) a year before in Dheen (Southern Darfur State). These are the cows which were promised to him by one of the Bagara in Dheen as payment for employment. He was employed to look after cattle thereafter, he would be given a cow for each year, Mabior worked with the Bagara for 12 years and was given 12 cows which were robbed on his way home.

On January 26, 2010, this SPLA soldier, called Mabior Kuol Kuom shot seven Bagara, a donkey and camel and they died instantly. This caused a great problem between the Dinka and the Bagara, and for a week some of them were trying to fight but luckily the Bagara never found the Dinka, all the communities in Makuei Centre ran away from their homes for a week so as not to be found by the Bagara.
After a few days, the Northern Bahr El Ghazal State Governor Paul Malong Awan, surrounded by many police and soldiers, visited the place where the killing occurred and held the meeting between the Bagara and the Dinka. The meeting went smoothly and the Governor promised that the Bagara cattle could go where ever the Bagara liked to take them for grazing and also promised that the Government will give compensation for the dead people, for each deceased’ the Bagara would get as blood money 31 thousand Sudanese pounds and the total for seven people is 217 thousand SDPS, The Government will pay for the Donkey 150 SDPS and also a camel 175 SDPS. The total for the dead people is 217 thousand + 325 SDPS for the two animals and the total is Ls 217,325 SDPS which is equivalent to $ 86,930.00 in US dollars.

The Governor also promised the area would be secured. All the people are now back to their homes but there is still fear. The Bagara Pastoralist from Darfur were killed in two different places, two were shot in Akuang Malual and five in Juma stream Mabior Nyang. Please pray for us to let the Almighty Father give us unity between the Dinka and the Bagara tribe.

Now we have soldiers and police stationed in several places in our payam location.



Postscript from Fr. Michael D. Barton. MCCJ.

I think this is an example of a political leader who acts quickly to keep law and order and security based on African justice. All the money will be deducted the state workers little by little until the full debt is paid. Justice and peace is why there is no fighting in Northern Bahr El Ghazal as there is in the other 9 states of the South Sudan. The Governor Paul Malong Awan, who also happens to be Roman Catholic, comes from Gordhim parish.