ON THE FIRING OF JONGLEI COMMISSIONERS: I had the privilege of being in Jonglei capital of Bor for the last few days. I returned to Juba yesterday from the area. I must say the Bor that I saw this past week was livelier, unlike the bleak place of rotting corpses and wailing dogs that I witnessed at the inception of the conflict. People are quickly overcoming the trauma of December and January. They are picking up their lives from where the White Army left it. Traditional dance and wrestling matches are major draws for thousands of residents. Rebuilding efforts are picking up in some areas and scores of people cross daily to the town from the West Bank of the Nile in Awerial county, back to Bor. But thousands more havent yet bought into the resettlement project and are to be persuaded to go back home. While there in Mading-Bor, I really got to know the town intimately and learned a bit about its politics. For those who may not know the Jonglei basics, John Kong is the governor, and Baba Medan, his deputy. And yesterday, the Governor used his executive powers to take down two Commissioners. Dr. Agot Alier represented Bor County and Elijah Mocnom Wuor, Duk. Apparently Mocnom case was a clear one: He was dismissed for allegedly embezzling funds for the local chiefssalaries, dating months, a respected member of that community told me. Dr. Agot was axed because he ostensibly tried to ally with Riek Gai Kok to take over power, another top source said. Agots ousting seems to be resisted by some quarters. All I can say definitively about Jonglei is that it is gonna go through a lot of political upheavals. Matter of fact, you have a Nuer Governor whose subjects are the overwhelming populations of the three greater Bor counties, and a Murle deputy, whose folks are largely with the Yau Yau administration. Some senior officials of the Murle remain within Jonglei and their fate is uncertain. Predictably, a lot of resentment is building up. A significant group would like the governor and his deputy to pack up and go. Others favour the creation of a Dinka Bor state. I am even hearing of IDPs pegging their return to the state to the time when The Nuer is gone, meaning Mr. Kong. Where he would go to, is the question that the Bor elite havent resolved. My analysis of the fluid situation tells me that some Bor elite support John Kong in order to manipulate him. Others want to accelerate the demise of his leadership to capture power. Gov Kong, Baba Medan & Wal Athiu, the Mighty Three, have deployed a strange strategy that may soon come back to bite them: They seemed to have reached a conclusion that their leadership is up for grabs and guard it suspiciously and jealously. Meanwhile, The populations feel alienated by the present administration. The youth may be a destabilizing mix. Jonglei is going through huge changes right now. Let us do something, we the youth. MNAK Sent from my iPad
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 20:48:24 +0000