Quotations from Dinka Narratives

Quotations from Dinka Narratives
1999 Wunlit Peace & Reconciliation Conference

The 28th of February, 1999
(click here to jump to March 1)

Chief Kulong Marial (from Rumbek County)

I will not speak at length. I have been a chief for a long time, in the area of Mapeer in Rumbek. By ethnic group I am Agar from Bhar el Ghazal Region. Some months ago I attended the meeting in Loki for the purpose of reconciliation between Dinka and Nuer. When I returned from Loki I disseminated the content of the Accord among Dinka and Nuer. Recently, I also participated in the exchange visits of the Chiefs, stopping at Leer, and here.

Yesterday we began our reconciliation by offering a white bull, and we said all that needed to be said, and the bull is now in its eternal existence above. It has always been our traditional practice that, when we have conflicts, as we often do, we make sacrifice and we are able to reconcile and return to our normal life. Usually we conclude by confirming an accord between ourselves and Nuer with an accord that states we will no longer raid one another so there is no more loss of property or life. At the end of every Conference we come out with declarations which are sent to Leer, Mapeer, Tonj, and elsewhere, confirming that we should no longer fight each other. And the present reconciliation, being assisted by the churches, means that we address the issues that divide us and bring conflict and we put an end to them. Sometimes back we had a Conference in Gainlel, and we sacrificed bulls and that concluded our conflicts between Dinka and Nuer. As well, we had a Conference at Wuniloor, and that meeting ended our problems until the conflicts of Anyanya I brought out new conflicts between Dinka and Nuer. The border conflicts intensified again with the tension between SPLA and Nuer, giving thieves concerned with their own well-being opportunity to exploit our differences. As well, our differences have been exploited by our enemies. D&N are brothers, who share common borders.

With our sacrifice yesterday our hostility was brought to an end. There are people who are against this peace agreement, who have benefited from our hostility. There will be some who will come trying to persuade our peoples on each side to believe that the other will not be faithful to our agreement, but we must not listen to these deceptive words. We have always been fighting each other, D&N, but has never before happened that we deserted lands such as Mapeer. Today it is other people who have come in to exacerbate these conflicts. An example is that our ancestral home of Rumbek was in the hand in the enemy. Now that we have captured it from the enemy we have made alterations and we are able to occupy our own lands comfortably. As I said, in respect to Rumbek, I can now return to my ancestral home of Mapeer and we can settle there once again. Normally, in the relationship between us and Nuer, what keeps conflicts from being concluded, is when various pretexts are brought up, saying we must locate the thief, and find the details of the case. All of these are delaying tactics, which should not deter us from peaceful coexistence.

Yesterday we sealed our covenant with the sacrifice of the white bull, Mabior. It is not in Dinka tradition that we should begin accusing one another, or quarrelling with one another, after sacrifice is offered. We should not be doing this here. Our gathering here is heard all over the world, in Khartoum and Juba, and many other places. Thus, in my view, there is no use in talking about past grievances. What we need to focus on is concrete actions to be taken to bring about peaceful co-existence between our peoples. From this day forward we must stop the killing of women and children, and destruction of our properties.

We reconcile ourselves from Yirol, Rumbek and Bentiu. I will not proceed further with my address. This is the message I'm telling the people of Gogrial and Tuic, that our reconciliation was concluded yesterday with the offering of our white bull. This is my word.

Chief Jul Macok Lieny (from Rumbek County)

I am Agar from Rumbek. I am grateful to all who have organised this Conference. I'm grateful to Bill Lowrey and greet him. I warmly greet my brothers from Bentiu, as well as those from Bhar el Ghazal. Also, I greet those from Nairobi. We are here for peace and reconciliation, which we have accepted. This Conference we declare that we have fully accepted this reconciliation.

If we were in a court I would have asked questions from the people of Bentiu. When people first began going to Bongo, the training camp, it was because of the problem of the South that took them. When those who went to Bongo split apart, it was unfortunate that we accepted that separation. I never thought there was a government in Leer, until I saw the Commissioner of Leer. I have no resentment toward the Commissioner from Leer. When we said earlier that we should save lives, I also accept fully what you said, because I have a border with Chief Malual Wun. In my community I have a few people from Bentiu, like those staying here at Wunlit. Our relationship with the people of Adoor, that is those of Yirol and Rumbek, is that we are children of one family. We had no part in the division that had happened. When I said I wanted to ask question of the people of Bentiu, I actually wanted to ask questions of those of Adoor.

As a gesture of good will, and to declare that we accept peace, I want to say that those who raided cattle on the 18th have now been apprehended, and the cattle are to be returned. The civil administration in Rumbek ordered all chiefs to apprehend the raiders and return the cattle. This has now been done. Before all who are in attendance here I want to affirm that we have agreed to accept the peace between us. At present we have people who have gone from Yirol to Adoor and they have been welcomed by the residents. I will conclude here by saying that we have reconciled with the people of Malual Wun as of today.

(TD: I believe Chief Chul was speaking of two raids. One was on the 19th of February, and the other on the 8th. I believe that the those who were responsible for the first have been apprehended.)

Chief Marial Malual Arop:

I want to greet our father Malual Wun is because he was active working together with my father. When Chief Kulong returned from Loki I asked if Chief Malual was still alive. Malual is now the only remaining chief with sons of the chiefs who once were his counterparts. We are all children, of this one father who remains, Malual Wun. If there is a complicated problem, and your father is still alive, he would be the one who restrains the children from self destruction. The wisdom of CMW and our wisdom is not the same. He began working since the time of the British with our fathers. Most of us began working during the time of independence with the Arabs. We have always thought that CMW of the saying in Dinka. A lion said to a father to give him his children so he could eat them. Today all our fathers are gone except CMW. The lion ate all the elderly people, but one old person was hidden by his children. The lion that ate the elderly people happened to swallow a snake with water. The snake would come from his stomach, peaking out from his mouth. One man suggested that he bring and old man to take the snake from the stomach of the lion, wouldn't the lion eat the old man? The lion accepted the old man to be brought. He came and asked the lion to lay down, and tied a rat to the leg of the lion. Then the snake crawled out to eat the snake. To you, our father Malual, you are the only father of all our peoples among D&N. Now we want to draw out the snake now. If you have accepted that the snake in your stomach should be brought out by the rat we have accepted to bring out the snake, and that is why we have killed the white bull yesterday. Let your lion not come again to attack the children and the women. How could we refuse to accept peace?

The toc which we have been sharing. Is your area Ganlil now empty of people? We have accepted reconciliation. When we bypass what our brother said before, and we sit to discuss the past grievances, we are quenching the fire with water and not quenching the fire with more fire. If there is any disagreement between the sides then we will not reach our conclusion. Let us close the old chapter since Anyanya I and begin a new chapter. This is not a court. If it were a court we would enumerate our grievances. If we are committed to reconciliation, let us not account for the past. Let us simply enter the reconciliation and act as brothers. Let peace multiply as each person accepts peace and returns home to plant this seed among his own people. We people of Rumbek, we have a commissioner. We are following the policy that has been put in our mind since the conflict began. We are continuing with it. To conclude my talk, certainly we quarrelled in the past, but today our conflict is different. I believe we are one, we can follow each other's footsteps. We have now accepted reconciliation and peace. If people sit in such a house as this, this is a house of God. And if somebody comes against this you, our brother. Whatever the quarrel in the past, let it conclude. My word stops here.

Chief Col Madol Rilpuou (from Rumbek County)

The first person I will greet is God. As we are here in this house of God, we have been taught by the Christians. God hates Jealousy and hatred. God has tied the leg of hatred down now. You, our brothers, Nuer, and Jieng, we have been made to collide. The two pieces of wood that have been put together to make fire. God divided things long ago. He gave Nuer the young cow. He gave Dinka the old cow. This brought conflict, that we must now bring to an end. We Dinka, we are willing to accept reconciliation with all our hearts, but we have some doubt about our brothers Nuer. You, Nuer, when we have something good, you change it into something bad the following day. The reason I say this, is that we went to Bongo because we have a problem. The Arab claims this land. When we went to Bongo it was because of that problem with the Arabs, but then we began to quarrel among ourselves. We have killed ourselves in greater numbers than our original enemy ever killed us. The conflict between D&N, has led to the point that the women are now the ones who die in large numbers. In the old days the men died and were eaten by birds, but today the women die. This has come from you Nuer. You are the cause of the death of women. You Malual, you stop that attitude, and stop killing women and children for no reason.

Chief Dut Yol Manyok (from Tonj County)

My name is Dut Yol Manyok, a man of Tonj County, and the section of . I will not speak at length. What I will say first is that I am pleased that all our people have gathered here.

First, I will speak about those things that have gone bad between us. I don't know what has killed me. First of all, we have simply been staying with the Nuer. When we went to the bush they took our children. What made them to quarrel in Bongo we still don't understand. Those who stayed with us as our brothers, they began to kill us. Some were staying with us and our people determined to kill them, but we refused. Those who wanted to return to their homes, we accompanied them. Some are still staying with us today.

We have the chief called Mading Manyel who was killed together with his entire family and 18 cattle camps. Also 150 people were killed, and 5 of our young women were taken who are with them until the present day. When they came they also attacked the section of Det Madheu. They took almost 20,000 head of cattle. 90 people were killed at once. Also, during the rainy season, they came and attacked the place of Makuac. When they came back to attack for the second time they took everything, leaving not even a dog or a chicken. they raided the entire cattle camp. All the homesteads were burned, all of Makuac was burned to the ground. After 11 days Aboc was raided, Cattle camp of , Wunicuei,

Mabior, Aboc, Makuac, Waiyaar CC, Wunicuei, Bikliir. They took all the chickens, the women children. Only a few of us remained to escape.

Now that you have come I am not angry, but happy. If even one person remains, and we have peace, that person can multiply. What I'm not happy about is our brother Nuer were the ones to start to explain why they have been killing me. This would have been far better. We have been reconciled by a man called Telar Ring in a place called Maal. Why they kill us, we would have preferred if they had spoken first so that they can explain precisely why they have killed us as revenge. Since they are with us now, and they all know me. Some of them have their children staying with us here. Those children who I have accompanied back home, they are home now. I now want our brothers to speak out the grievances they have against me so I can understand. But the source of our quarrel is this:

The Nuer and we are one. I don't look at them as enemies. We share one toc and one border between us. We regard them as our elders to ourselves because their father is elder. When their father was born he could not her but was deaf. When my father was born he was blind. He came in a secret way, my deaf uncle to raid my cattle because my father could not see. My father went to God and said that this brother comes and steals my cattle. And God said, okay, it is something good. God gave a girl to our Dinka father who was blind. Once he married, he never produced another blind man among his children. And the deaf father of Nuer never produced a deaf man. All their children have been healthy. I don't know what has happened. After we have produced good children we still carry on this old tradition because they have not liberated themselves from the way of their father.

Today God went to bring a foreigners and told them, if these two peoples quarrel, stand between them, and see why they are quarrelling. Today, especially it is the Church leaders who have come here. It is the right time for them to ask us what our problem is so that it can be resolved between us. What I know in my heart this year, after they have killed our children, and killed our children, and taken all our cattle, and all the goats, after all of this, what remains is only their brother who is blind is their brother. They can take their blind brother and kill him. This is not the first reconciliation talks. We began them in Ganyliel, and again we came to Mal. Today, in Wunlit, this is the third peace reconciliation. Those of you who have organised this Conference, I ask you would invite our brother Nuer to speak out precisely what is in them, why they have destroyed us. You who organised this Conference, I will not bother to talk about the loss of the cattle, or other property, or dead people. What we want from you, our brothers, are those young girls. Sincerely speaking, I ask you to send our girls back; we will console ourselves with them. Please release them to us.

The second point to finalise my talk: if we want to be reconciled. Yesterday the white bull was killed. I will go back to my home and sit in my house, and try to buy a simple goat. My talk is ended, but this point I will stress. (Goes across the room to put his hat on the head f the old chief. He did this to show that his heart is open. Nnothing remains but his heart is open to reconciliation.)

Chief Gum Mading Akuecbeny (from Tonj County)

From the beginning I want to tell you this (begins to sing his own song, to which people respond; begins by saying, "I am Gum Mading . . ."). My name is Chief Gum Mading Akucbeny. I thank God and the NSCC for choosing Wunlit as a location for this Conference.

To my mind a genuine reconciliation will not include only D&N, but it must include all Southern Sudanese. This Conference has also provided us with opportunity to meet with our children who have been cut off from us in Khartoum whom we've not met for a very long time. This Conference has also provided an opportunity for our kinfolk in Europe and America to come so that we can meet one another. It is very good that our children whom we've taken to school to learn English and Arabic have also come to Wunlit, and that all people will now be able to hear that we have met at Wunlit to bring peace to the land. Yesterday, during the opening the military authorities of the SPLA were here and we have seen them. We did not, however, know that there were military and civil administration from Bentiu who were likewise with us. We are glad to hear that there is a military commander coming directly from where Riek is staying to be in our deliberations, and that he will return to tell Riek of our progress.

The first thing I would like to say, concerns we chiefs, who have remained with our people in S. Sudan and sent our children to schools or to Bilpam for training. The problems that occurred at Bilpam did not begin there, but they originated right here prior to their departure. In 1984 a group of young men from Gogrial and Tonj began departing for Bilpam. As they went they naturally had to pass through Nuerland. As they reached Abuong they were intercepted. Many were killed and others were drowned while some returned. This had nothing to do with the leadership. In the spirit of reconciliation we must begin with the genesis of the problem. It is not with the leadership. We would like to know the chief who was responsible for the killing of our young men as they were en route to Bilpam. It is important to begin with the genesis of the problem. That is why I asked for the senior military commander.

That route through Abuong became unsafe for the passage of our people and we were forced to move any parties through Bor area as our only alternative route. I challenge you, asking someone to come and tell me that this is not the real state of affairs, as I have described it. The route through Bor was a far longer route for our people. When we decide to reconcile and become one, I must tell you that, currently, we now have two of our people with you in Nuer. They have now devastated Gograil, . . . and Tuic areas. When you prepared to come, did you first really speak with them to ask what they intend to do? If we are sincere about reconciliation I address myself to those from Nuer area.

You Nuer have with you Carbino Kwanyiny Bol and Matip. Does it really make sense for us to reconcile if they are not with us, because these two people are with you now. If we reconcile without their participation I believe our efforts will be incomplete. As we are all Southerners, we have lost our women and children, cattle and properties. I am glad to hear that the Commissioner from Bentiu is here with us. As you saw yesterday, we have responsible people with us here from our side. I would hope we can also speak with Riek Machar to tell him that we as Southerners have lost everything we possess through our conflicts.

First let us be practical, you the chiefs from N and from D. As you have seen yesterday, we don't have an army. Yesterday Governor Nhial Deng Nhial and Commander Salva Kiir were here to guard any agreement we come to in this place. What about you? Who will ensure that our agreement stands firm in your areas? When Chief Majok came here . . .

Tell me, you Nuer, if we go to your area will we find that our Dinka are still alive there? As I said before, the Nuer are here with their property, they are here with their cattle and their children. If you want to take them with you, you are welcome to take them. But I would only ask that you reciprocate, allowing our Dinka people to return to us also. I conclude with greetings, and emphasise before the organisers, that this peace and reconciliation will be monitored, so that the Dinka can go to Nuerland and claim their properties and likewise the Nuer can come to Dinkaland to receive what belongs from them.

Back to February 28

The 1st of March, 1999

Mother Saada Mangok (from Tonj County)

My name is Sadia Mangok, a woman of Tonj, representing the Women's Association of Tonj County. I was born in Rumbek and married in Tonj. I give my greetings to all the journalists and other guests who are here. I am grateful to those who have come from a far to be with us. I have come with women from Dinka, and women of Nuer. This is a place of destruction and suffering, of war, where many have been killed before our peoples. Yet they have come to be with us in this place, knowing that they could suffer with us and even be killed. Yet they are willing to die. Some one who has come to be with you in such difficult conditions is greater than a mother or a sister. Their solidarity is a great gift.

I will not ask you why we are killing one another with our fighting. What we women want to ask you is why our children should suffer and die as they are? In any conflict, men do not reconcile with one another, but it is the women who feel the pain and call for reconciliation between our peoples. For three years I have run the Workshop in Adoor. When we began the peace process we were given the mandates written down. People mocked us and laughed saying you will be killed by the enemy. But today we are succeeding, and you men must follow us as we open the way for peace. Today we are in Wunlit for the purpose of peace and reconciliation. What I pray to God is for the peace of our peoples.

Yesterday we sacrificed Mabior to confirm this, our intention, which we have all witnessed. Mabior has washed the evil and conflict from among us, and I want us to continue in this way. We women call for peace and call all men to follow us. I am thankful for those who have begun this peace process, especially our brother Muor Muor, and our Commissioner, who have led the way. We commend them for leading this way. Because they have led the way into peace, they will be chosen in the future. It is important that God confirms what they have begun and encourage us to go forward. When something good begins it should be continued. Tonj has initiated a historical event in this gathering, and we ask you all to carry this forward.

I ask if those of you who have come are genuine in meeting here, or are you deceiving yourselves? I am a woman, and I do not go to war to kill. I am a woman who bears children, and you are all my children, Dinka and Nuer, all of you are all my children. When the white bull, Mabior, was killed on Saturday, it was a male that had to be sacrificed. A female is never killed in sacrifice. Only the male was killed. Now we must bring a second Mabior, a great white bull, in full power. We will also bring a white heifer that has never given birth. This Nyanyaar will unite with the bull Mabior, female and male, and together they will produce the children of the New Sudan, the new generation. Finally, I will say this. When Mabior was about to be killed, he was very fierce. We women, we joined in, slapping our hands against our thighs as we would rarely do. We united together to pull him down, and sacrificed him. In the same way, if we united our hands, we can bring about the new Sudan (applause).

We have lost many people in the midst of this war. If all those women who have died had remained alive they would have produced many children. If all the men who were killed had lived they could have made valuable contributions to our country. But they are gone, and we must let the past events go. That history cannot be changed.

We must now move forward. I am finished here, with thanks.

Chief Bol Giir Thiik (from Gogrial County)

I greet you all. I think greeting is delaying us. When you speak of peace and reconciliation you only delay us. We have made sacrifice and reconciled two days ago. What more do you want? As well,

The women have finished the work of reconciliation between us. They have cursed us before God for God hears the voices of women better than the voices of men. What the women have spoken as Mabior was killed has been a curse upon us.

Who is the white man who will bring reconciliation? (people respond, "Bill Lowrey"). What I tell him is this: there is a story that comes from our ancestors, for our disaster is nothing new. It began long ago. I'm happy about the statement that Bill Lowrey made on Saturday.

We are not now in a court, but we are working toward peace and reconciliation. If so, we must put God first that we may be forgiven and put the past behind us. We are told by our elders that, when we fight the Arabs, the Nuer have also joined with the Arabs to kill us. Isn't this very strange? Why should the Nuer join with the Arab to kill us? The person who survived the great disasters of long ago will not want to experience such disaster again. He would prefer to die before such disaster comes again. If we have reconciled, then we expect you to return those children and women who were abducted to us. In the same way, if there are Nuer with us, we will return them. I will not speak about the cattle. The important thing is our people, for they can not be replaced.

If a Nuer wants to marry a Dinka girl. The Nuer girl I have married will return with the cattle, and the Nuer girl I have rejected will go back to her people to marry in her own area. In this hall I believe there are some people who have come as a ruse, without the desire for peace in their hearts. I will ask two questions:

(1) First, why do we struggle for power before we have achieved anything? Let us first liberate ourselves, and then see the power due to us. But why should we compete when we have achieved nothing? We went to the bush to fight the enemy, but we have taken the arms we acquired in war against ourselves. We are killing ourselves unnecessarily. I direct my question is to Samuel Aru Bol: for those like yourself who have one foot in each of two camps, one with the Government, and one with the South, then who is killing us if we are so divided?

(2) My second question for Samuel Aru Bol is to ask why we are fighting.

Have we achieved our objectives? If so why are our children still in the North? We want them all to come home, so that we isolate the enemy and fight him united together. Before the war goes ahead, our children must return home. I appeal to you to abandon the power struggle, and first liberate ourselves from Omer Bashir. If we are free, then the Nuer and Dinka and other groups can sit together. If we then believe that Garang Mabior is not capable of leading us, then let us ask him to retire, and seek someone else who is able to lead us. But this must happen after we first conquer our enemy in Khartoum.

As I speak to you now, my neighbours, the Nuer Bul have not come to this conference. Had they come, it would have been good. Nonetheless, let us agree together here for peace and reconciliation, and spread that word across our areas. (PNK gives advice on limitation of time). We must count those groups who have not come: there are those from Mayom I am not certain about some of the chiefs, because they continue to change and I don't know what has happened to them. The Nuer Bul from Munkin has not come. The Nuer from Kuac and the Gok have not come, and these are our immediate neighbours. If we are able to reconcile in this hall, then let us unite together and liberate ourselves. We have Kuanyin and Paulino and Matip, all of whom need to be eliminated so that we can move ahead.

If we accept peace, then we must respect it. Still, there is some doubt among Nuer, that, if we reconcile by 6 in the morning, then there is doubt, and minds have changed by 6 in the evening. We must not change our minds so easily, always being transformed like a chameleon.

Chief Nyal Chan Nyal (from Gogrial District)

I am from Gogrial country, Akon Payam. Our land shares a border with the Malual Giiryang. Our time is limited so I will keep my remarks brief. I greet Bill Lowrey and all who have come to join him in this peace process at Wunlit. I greet you all, you Dinka and Nuer.

We have all seen the sacrifice of Mabior, Nuer and myself, we Dinka, which has washed away the evil between us. I think that the people who have died during the fighting between our peoples, these deaths are charged against we chiefs of Nuer and Dinka. We must take our responsibilities very seriously.

You have all heard the words of Governor Nhial Deng Nhial. If he writes a letter we on our side will all be responsive to it. But who is equivalent among you who has authority over your people? Who is there among you who can take authority over those who are raiding and pillaging? Your side has two governments, that of Matip and Kerubino and that of the Arabs. Who can make any agreement to be implemented with all of these forces at odds with each other. You have three governments, that of Omer Bashir, that of Matip, and that of Kerubino Kuanyin, who has recently joined you. We have been cutting an enormous mahogany tree, and we on our side have succeeded in cutting through our section. However, you have not completed cutting through your part; that is your responsibility. There are culprits who run from us, and take refuge among your people. Then they come back and attack us. The one whom I have defeated, comes round again to attack me from behind when I am weak. Why do you maintain this kind of practice? I am one who has suffered greatly because I am on the border with the Arab militia, the moraliin and pagara, who frequently attack us. My invitation to you is to join us, so we can fight our common enemy.

Let us stop our divisive practices, for Mabior has been sacrificed. If we have reconciled, I ask you to do this. Don't simply write down our agreements on paper and send them out and go back to our own lands. One thing we must implement. We must deploy our troops, our police and army, along the borders, and determine to monitor and suppress the activities of the raiders who torment us. I ask about the delegation that has come from Khartoum. Did they come of their own will or were they sent to this Conference? On whose direction have they come? Another question is directed to Uncle Aru Bol. We know you well as a politician we have elected to represent us in Khartoum in past years. There are two systems that now exist, with chiefs assigned from the South, and others assigned in Khartoum. Some chiefs here are represented in Khartoum, and others who are officially here in the South. Are we to follow the chiefs who have come with you, who are brought to replace us? The peace we are making here includes foreigners who have come to witness what we are doing here. It is not like agreements of the past. Our work here is known to the world. I am grateful to the Americans and to the British who have sponsored this conference and who will report our agreements outside. I want to see the chief of Nasir so that I reconcile with him directly. He spoke wisely in the morning and I now want to shake hands with him (Chief Wal Kang comes forward, and they lift hands overhead). I have concluded my address.

Chief Makeny Kamic (from Yirol County)

I am a person of Yirol. The person I greet heartily is Bill, and then the pastors, the lawyers, our brothers the Nuer, you people of BeG.

When this notion of peace negotiation emerged last June I was dubious. I refused and doubted the validity of this initiative. I was unwilling because we have conducted meetings of peace and reconciliation with the Nuer six times. And they have violated all six of these initiatives. What I say now is quite personal. The manner in which Yirol has suffered is quite severe, since 1988. We have suffered from three sources, three enemies: the Arabs, the Haringa, and the Nuer. I accepted to come to this meeting of reconciliation because of the participation of the British and the Americans who normally speak the truth. The reconciliation has finished. Even the blind will have heard what has occurred.

I now have two people before me: Chief Ruei Kong and Chief Malual Wun I have been the chief on the border between the Ciec of Yirol for a long time. I know the minds of Chief Reui Kong and Chief. ... very well. In the past we knew the late chief Nungjong Rec and Chief. We people of Yirol, we want to negotiate. I will speak briefly. The reconciliation has finished but what we must now do is appoint the army and the police who will be stationed in one location so that they can patrol the region around Ganyliel. When these are appointed they will be under authority of the Dinka and Nuer courts. Anyone who violates the law on either side will be brought to a single court. This is one way that we can begin to control the raiding.

The administration of the area must belong to all the people: the chiefs, the army, and police. It belongs to all of us, and it is for this reason that I have come, even though I am suffering from malaria, I am ill, and the long truck journey exhausted me. Never have I travelled so far in my life. When we met in Loki last year we raised one condition. I spoke with Chiefs Magok, Ray, and Daniel, and Rev. M Mathiang, asking how they would reach Riak. On our side we asked Rev. Abraham Mayom Athaian who we asked to convey our message to Dr. John Garang. What we agreed in Loki has been successful. We have not been false. We have had Commander Salva Kiir, and Gov Nhial Deng Nhial, and the Commissioner, all of whom came because of the messages we sent out after meeting in Loki.

What we have done has been blessed by God. Now we must take those resolutions and move forward. Last year chief Malual sent us two representatives; Malual Wun, and Ruei Kon came to us. We did not mistreat them, but respected them and they have returned to their places safely. As I am here with you, we have 25 Nuer citizens living with our people in Yirol area. I praise the people of Tonj county, of Gogrial and ... who have come together for this meeting, in that they were not part of our last meeting in Loki.

Let us forget about the past, all those who have died in our conflicts, the cattle that have been raided. My appeal to you now is that we unite and struggle together so that we can liberate our country.

I wonder why you doubt Uncle Samuel Aru, because during Anyanya I he was the head of SANU after the death of William Deng Nhial. To my surprise there are those who say he is now with the Arabs. Let us not say such things. He is our father. Let us not discriminate and divide ourselves with such accusations. We have our brothers, such as the British and the Americans, who are confused by our many divisions. We must unite ourselves, so that they will clearly stand with us and support us. Our divisions only delay the success we all desire (applause).

For us to be serious, we must take every thief who is caught and place him in prison for five years. If he is Dinka he must be taken to Maridi. If he is Nuer he must be taken to a place where he is isolated. If someone is found to have been raiding cattle, and killed individuals, they must be taken before the firing squad and executed for they are murderers. And the cattle must be returned. This is necessary whether they are Dinka or Nuer. Let us abandon what has taken place early on, those who returned to Bilpam to loot an kill.

Let us begin a new chapter with our neighbouring chiefs across border. I must work together with Chief Malual. If Nuer thieves are found they must be returned to him to be dealt with severely. And the reverse is true if Dinka raid Nuer cattle, they must be brought to me. With chief Malual our agreement was confirmed in Shambe, (then in Yirol and Shambe a second time; and Nyibor; as well in 1981 we went to Ganyliel), but our agreement was violated by Nuer when one of our men, Machar, was killed, and the cattle looted. I request that Chief Malual Wun return all the cattle that were looted.

I am trying to reveal the history of our negotiations, but I am not intending to bring confusion to our present meeting.

We chiefs of Yirol County are willing to negotiate seriously--we, Mabor Cuot, Makec Kamic, Rec Dit Manyeth, Manyang Ajok (others added)--we want to meet together with the chiefs of Nuer and have sincere dealings. You have seen the way Mabior died as a brave, fierce and powerful bull. Anyone who violates the agreement of our peace, he will be attacked by Mabor, and judged guilty. What I tell you know, go and speak to Paulino Matip and Kerubino. Tell them to come back to joint the people in their efforts toward peace. We have two people, Magar Aciek, the Governor of Lakes, and Paulino. You go and chase them and bring them back.

Chief Bohon Mabor Deng (from Yirol County)

When we arrived at Wunlit it rained. When we offered sacrifices it was overcast, without sunshine. I am grateful to all who have come for these meetings. I am grateful to all the foreigners who have come to this conference. I also greet the Nuer who have come, as well as those of the Dinka. What brought us to Wunlit is our conflict as Southerners with the North. I have been a chief for a long time, having begun with this post when Telar's father was the head chief. The father of Omer actually intends to exterminate all the people of Southern Sudan. Jamal was given orders to kill all southerners, but fortunately Jamal overslept and could not carry out this command. I believe that in the time when William Deng Nhial toured Rumbek, Samuel Aru was a young man and it was at that time that I began my role as chief. It was because of William Deng Nhial's criticism of the rule of the Arabs that he was killed. There was no conflict over a woman he had stolen or cattle raided from Dinka or Nuer, but it was the issue of the land that killed him. The first thing we must do is to liberate ourselves. This has already begun in Yei, Yirol and other places. Let us unite and liberate the remaining areas from the Arabs. There are many areas we have already liberated, but what the enemy is doing, is stationing the Nuer to attack us in other locations. If we liberate ourselves, then there is only Malakal and a few distant places that remain to fight for.

We used to fight one another on our border with the Malual and Ruei. We fought at the cattle camp of Tiit, and we were strong when we fought with our old weapons. We defeated the twin brothers and others. But today the Nuer are armed with manufactured arms which are more powerful. With this power they went to the cattle camp of . .. where they raided cattle and killed 30 people. It is unfortunate that people went to Bilpam to fight against the Arabs but instead turned these very arms against their own people to kill their own Southern neighbours. This occurred in March, 1996. What we must declare are our grievances against the Nuer. If we are to reconcile, we will do this after we have first described our conflicts. It was in the same year and the same month that the Nuer went to a Cattle Camp called Wunrit of Chief Manyang Jak to execute a raid.

Chief Mabor Cuot (from Yirol County)

My address will be brief. I'm not going to prolong my address because we began to talk yesterday. I do not want to repeat what others have already said. The meeting yesterday was completed with six people. There was Awut and Nyarjeng. Also there was Nhial Deng and Salfa Kiir Mayardit. There was also the great bull Mabior that was presented as a sacrifice. Our elders all converged to bless the bull. I'm going to tell a brief story.

There were three bulls, all brothers, born long ago. There was the Red bull, the Black bull, and the White bull (Malual, Macar, Mabior). These three were released to go the forest to graze. As they were grazing they were approached by a lion. When the lion wanted to eat them they all united against him and the lion could do nothing. Then the lion went away, and called them one by one. He promised Malual, if you chase away Machar, I'll never eat you. In the evening, Mabior and Malual chased away Machar. Then the lion approached and attacked Machar, killed and ate him. After two days the lion returned to Malual and Mabior. When he tried to attack them they united and defeated him. The lion then spoke to Malual and told him to chase away his brother Mabior. In the evening the two bulls were together and Malual began to argue with Mabior until he left. Then the lion went and killed ate Mabior. Finally, the following morning he ate Malual. So the lion devoured all three bulls. This I offer as a parable of Bhar el Ghazal, a great area with many complex problems. We have come together holding great anger against our brothers the Nuer, concerning the things that have happened in this region. This is just what the Arabs have done to us. They have manipulated us so that clean up his shit. This is due to lack of education. Most of us have not even learned where money is made. Nobody even knows how to work in the factory where clothes were manufactured. The education we have is adequate for our people to be inspectors and police and medical dressers and that is all. Nothing else. We feel deprived and cheated and that's why we decided to go to the bush and fight the one who is our oppressor. What our enemy did is very clear. He called Riek and gave him arms and ammunition to go and kill Garang. If you go and kill him I'll give you power. We are killing ourselves because of the struggle for power, cultivated by Omer Bashir in Khartoum.

What will Riek Macar do? For example, a family is in cattle camp, and the wife goes to look for water, the son is out herding the goats, and the two of them are killed, will those remaining not be hostile, and retaliate?

Now in Khartoum the Arabs are enjoying the fact that Southerner is being killed by Southerner. They are delighted with the genocide of our people we ourselves are perpetrating. I Mabior Acuot sent a message to Riek Machar telling him that he is deceived, that he is being used to kill his own people. He must cease and return to his own.

That is all I have to say on this topic.

Now I have something to say to you who are gathered. What the Government does if your relative is killed, you are able to go to court, and receive compensation for the death that has occurred. As well, if your daughter is taken for elopement you can take the issue to court. I ask you. There is a calf given to the maternal aunt in marriage. Is that calf to be stolen, or given honestly to the aunt? You, our brothers Nuer, if any one of you has a daughter of a maternal aunt among the Dinka, do not come by night to steal the calf. I finish with this issue of the maternal aunt.

The third question is directed to Aru Bol. Now you have come to attend to attend this meeting. I don't know if you have been officially invited or come accidentally. You, Aru Bol, I will refer you to what was said by Mabur Cot in Wau. There was a big tree that had to be cut. Why do you go to Khartoum when the tree is being cut? Is it because you don't think the tree will be cut? For example Mabor Malek was sent by the Arab to go to Rumbek. He knew that Rumbek was like a tree being cut; you know what happened to Mabor in 1997. He died and we all grieved that we have killed our own brother. Now, how do we respond to you? We see you as part of the enemy. You have seen what we are doing in this meeting as we come together. You must return to Khartoum and report what Mathon has said. If we are determined, nothing will deter us.

I turn now to our concern with Nuer. I once went to Parial, the area of ... and you know what took place in that meeting. There were three of us in that meeting Captains Maginy and Galia, and First Lieutenant. And that meeting failed, and we returned again to Abiong and that meeting also failed. We made two meetings prior to our present war, that of. Then we met in Nyibor, then the meeting of Shambe. All those meetings have failed. but we will not blame our brothers. We are now at this meeting and we must proceed purposefully.

Chief Mabor Cuot (from Yirol County)

We went to Abiou and after that the Nuer came and attacked the cattle camp and raided it. The Nuer came in my cc called Aroor and took our cattle.

Now I want to greet two people. First is Aru Bol (Aru Bol stands and greets him from his place) Let him stand up, and I will greet him and I will return to my people in Pagarou and tell my people I have seen him. Secondly I greet Chief Malual.

(To the elders, Samuel Aru Bol from Khartoum, and Chief Malual Run:) When you die you will go to the grave and you will be asked by our ancestors, and you will be able to explain what you have left behind among our people.

Mother Yar Malek (from Yirol County)

I am Ayar Malek Malual, from Akot village, married to a man of Yirol. What I want to say is very small.

[this section was originally after "border with the Nuer." below] There is a person called Malual. The distance between our place and ... is like that between place and Wunlit. Malual used to come to my house and one time decided, to join those children who are wandering.

[this section was originally after "want to reconcile". The evening perhaps the children of Malual might have come to my house for we are neighbours.?]

I greet you people who are gathered here, those from distant lands. I don't greet local people, but only the foreign guests. This is because I simply gave up hope long ago. If there is a meeting like this in which we sit together, it cannot fail again. What can I say? I am here because I am a person on the border with the Nuer. . . . As I stand before you all my children have been killed just for the sake of the land. And our people say they want to reconcile. Human beings should accept something with one heart. Our present meeting, attended by many foreigners, I ask you to be patient. We are fed up. The women are the ones suffering. Pregnant women are found running with the foetus inside them. Those who have just given birth run for their lives. How can we replace the cattle and properties that have been lost? All the facts should be stated.

My words are finished here.

Chief Jakob Madhol Lang Juk (from Tuic County)

I am the Paramount Chief of Tuic County, Aweng Payam.

I am pleased that God has placed the hope of peace in hour hearts so that we can end the fighting between us. First, I must say something to the Nuer and Dinka concerning the word of God. In the past the two spiritual leaders from Nuer and Dinka could curse each other reciprocally. One could turn the power of a Beny Bith back upon its own people to defeat them. This notion of cursing each other was not acceptable to God. It is far better that people are able to come and sit together to solve their problems. This is acceptable to God. The curse through which you determine to kill another person is not good. Once when I was captured, my people at home gathered and prayed over the grave over my father, praying that I might return. And these were successful.

(another example given also from Omer Bashir). I was happy to hear the words of Bill Lowrey when he invited us to speak out the hostility that is in our hearts.

I will tell you the story of someone who was once my agemate in Tuic County. Sadly, this fellow grew fatter than myself in a short time. I asked my agemate how it was that he grew such an enormous stomach so quickly. It is an easy thing, to acquire a big stomach, but to maintain it is quite expensive and difficult. It is simple to be reconciled, but to maintain this reconciliation is very challenging.

As for my people, we are very near to Nuer Bul border. I know the weakness of Nuer better than anyone else, and they know my weaknesses. At times people are mixed through intermarriage. We are intimate as a family unable to determine who is who.

Perhaps I will switch sides and make a judgement in favour of the Nuer. Many of us see the Nuer as very aggressive, however, this trait is to show that they are strong and that they are the only superior man. The same is true of we Dinka: we are fighters and very brave. In Dinka philosophy people say, "let us first consider and think before we take action" ("kong koic"). The Nuer do not act this way. In 1964 a Dinka from my area found a Nuer had roasted his fish. In response he urinated over the fish. In the same year, 1964 in Apuk a Dinka was looking for a tassel to put on his bull. But he would not take it from a dead cow, but from a living cow. He cut the tail off a living cow of the Nuer to make his tassel. Well those grievances were settled at that time during Anyanya I.

I now come to events that occurred during the SPLA period.

The first event erupted with the split between Riek Machar and the SPLA. The issue is what Riek did, even before he had obtained power, he began slaughtering the people. That was the beginning of the problems, and we know the price of that break between our peoples. After the split the Nuer, William Nyuon Beny, said, "destroy all the Nuer and I will remain." That is exactly what happened with Kerubino Kuanyiny Bol. What SPLA did was to turn their guns against the Arabs. They did not think of killing their brothers, the Nuer. The Dinka concentrated on fighting against their common enemy. Their philosophy was not to retaliate by revenge in kind. But Nuer have taken this as a weakness, and they have taken advantage of it.

Recently we had a meeting in Maper... with forces that came with Bapian Machar. In that meeting one Nuer mocked the Dinka saying that one Nuer is equal to ten Dinka. The response came from a Dinka who had lived for 17 years in Nuer area and has two Nuer wives. His reply was, our philosophy of Dinka is that we should not kill ourselves, and that is why you are reducing in number. If we had chosen to, we could have wiped you out utterly. The Nuer Lieutenant, John Jol, also responded, saying. Because the Dinka always restrain themselves. If we combined and attacked the Nuer we would have destroyed them.

Through our divisions we are destroying ourselves. Ngundeng once prophesied that we would one day have a patrol, but if we don't protect it we will destroy ourselves. And that is what is happening today.

I return to the relationship between myself and the Kuac section of Bul Nuer. Our reconciliation with the people of Bul is fruitful, free of deceit. But I don't think it is the same as the reconciliation we are attempting here today. I say that the reconciliation with Kuac is fruitful is because, when reconciliation was done with Commander ... and Gadeng, and citizen of Kuac, they have now joined us in the SPLA areas. I doubt if this reconciliation can really be binding. In terms of the agreement of 1997, how can we bring those now in Khartoum, to confirm the agreement which was signed? It is a very long list. Our agreement was the best and most successful because we confirmed it with sacrifice and it has now been recorded and published by the journalist, Makur Akot.

My doubts have been reinforced when the Commissioner praised the Peace Agreement of April, 1997. I would like to know what new elements have been added that it should merit praise. An agreement concluded in Khartoum in a conference hall is like an agreement made by a lion, hyena, a leopard and a fox. The four animals decided to make rule for themselves to follow, to be accepted by all of them. When they sat the lion said, "I don't like noise, so don't make noise!" The Leopard said, "I don't like to be looked at in the eye!" The hyena said, "I don't sleep in the daytime!" And the Fox said, "I'm going to go see my sister," and he departed. Immediately the Hyena looked at the Leopard straight in the eye, and they began to fight. They made noise and the Lion became angry, and the three began to fight while the Fox was still away. The four animals are the four men: Riek Machar is the lion; Kuanyin Bol is the Leopard; Matip is the Hyena, and the Fox is the government of Omer el Bashir who will come later to find that the house has fallen on the other three animals. The house first collapsed on Kerubino and Riek; now it will collapse on Paulino and Matip. Why are you still in the house?

Now we still have several days to continue.

(At the end of his address:) I want Commander Gabriel Both Yol to come forward because he is the one who released me from prison in Munkin. The commander advised me when I was in prison, when I was between life and death (the Commander comes forward and they embrace each other). He told me, even though we are now killing we are other, still one day we will be reconciled and stop killing each other.

Now I will give opportunity for others form my County, hoping they will still have opportunity to speak. I also call William Tuil who was instrumental in the agreement in Kuac. When he tried to return to Munkin he found fighting and he is now with us here.

Chief Garang Nyuol Bol (from Tuic County)

I introduce myself. I am from Turalay Payam, headquarters of Tuic County.

I begin with a question. When people first went to Bilpam was it a quarrel between Dinka and Nuer that caused us to go? The answer is known to us. It was because of the enemy with whom we contend. Dinka and Nuer are one people. Now, have we abandoned the cause for which we originally took up arms? Our common enemy? The problem between you and your brother cannot be a big issue where, by definition, the Dinka and Nuer are Southerners. There is no other definition for us. The Dinka and Nuer have not become separate ethnic groups. If the common enemy comes now, he regards us as one people. Well, my brothers there is something you have really started. It seems you have proved it true that Southerners are unable to rule themselves. Some think it is impossible because we were black people. Are we suggesting that brown skinned people can rule the country? In my view it is not the question of colour. A ruler is the one who is capable to rule the country. Why have we forgotten our struggle? When you came here, my brothers, did your aeroplane bring you from your place to come here directly? If you have wonderful things the enemy has given you, you better tell us. Have your roads been developed by our enemy now? Do you have fine roads tarmacked? Or are they same as ours? When are you going to have good roads? What of our people who were appointed in Khartoum? What part of the country has been given to them by the authorities in Khartoum? If you have been given a piece of land in Khartoum, I would like you tell me, those from Khartoum. What have you received? How many tractors have been given you? One of the problems between us Southerners and Northerners is that of development. Will those tractors only remain in Khartoum, or will we be given some to cultivate land in the South? The Arab says that we are slaves. Shall we accept that designation? It was for these reasons that we took arms at Bilpam. Can we say we are one people when part of the South uses primitive instruments to cultivate while they use tractors in the North?

It is very good that we have come here. The elders from Nuer, the Nuer who are our neighbours are in their place, far away from here. Are you aware that when your people come and meet with we, the rebels, they are not supposed to return to Khartoum? I am telling you that it was a lie when they said you would be killed if you came to the Dinka. You were not killed. But when you return you may encounter problems! They will ask if you have not gone to the Dinka. Who of the chiefs here is a chief of dead people? Who can be a chief if all his people have perished? The ladies who spoke yesterday, spoke the truth. If we start from the top, when we go to the towns from which we have been chased away by the Arabs, the fellow who chased us, he has a mother and a father. He is like us here in this room. If we are asked today, we will each say that we were born by a lady. We know that we arrive in this world through our mothers, not from heaven. We don't arrive in any other way. What is bad is making a reconciliation that is faulty.

In our view, once we have come together like today, we know that the Nuer were over on this side. If we make an agreement it is binding. What is bad with Nuer is that they don't restrain themselves. It is important for us to advise one another of against evil we do. Once, when Riek Machar came to our land, we received him as our leader. But when he turned back and became a Nuer we were surprised. Also Matip passed here and we honoured him as a leader. We didn't consider them as Nuer leaders, but leaders of us all. When they went Nuerland, what caused problems and brought fighting between us? We find it hard to comprehend. You Nuer must explain it to us. When we began our reconciliation here the Kuol Muon of the Nuer, and the Beny Bith of the Dinka all spoke well. Also, we had worthy words from our women, Dinka and Nuer, one from each. If we follow what the spiritual leaders said and the words of the women, nothing will permit us to fight again. Once we have identified the issues we must make certain that we don't return to them again. One human being who is alive today, if we have accepted to be reconciled, then abduction is no longer acceptable. It is important for the abductees to be returned. If you have fallen in love with a woman, than it is better that you marry honestly. I thank you Nuer for your bravery in coming to Dinkaland, coming such a long distance, leaving the luak behind. I thank you heartily. What I said yesterday, I thought the Nuer would begin because, first, wondering if you have something against us Dinka. Do you Nuer want all the cows, leaving us with nothing?

(click here to jump to February 28) (click here to jump to March 1)

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