Opening Remarks by Martin Mabil Kong
Dinka-Nuer Reconciliation Conference
Washington, DC
12 January, 2002

Building of the Unity

Nuer and Dinka are the largest communities not only in the south Sudan, but also in the whole country.  They both have a very unique culture, they are good fighters and they are naturally strong.

Our strength folds a part and destructed when two of our sons Dr. Garang and Dr. Riek disagreed over objectives for the struggle.  In 1991 division occurred SPLA split into two groups. The movment led by Dr. Riek Machar supported by majority from Nuer and the movement led by Dr. John Garang mainly from Dinka and the tension of enmity exist between the two tribes. And they engage on fighting each other over 12 years.  

The Dinka-Nuer conflict diminished our powers: powers to protect our resources from being stolen, powers to protect our childen from being enslaved, powers to protect our liberated areas from being recaptured, powers to achieve peace, powers to achieve our objectives through struggle from Government of Sudan.  And also our work of struggle in Diaspora becomes ineffective.

We tried so many alternatives to restore peace in all levels politically and grass roots, but with very limited success from political side, until miracle happened on January 6^th, 2002 when SPLA and SPDF announced their fact.  That was a positive sign toward unity, but as grass roots people we need to build confidence and trust by making friendship among ourselves and among our communities in order to strengthen that unity.  Let me tell you how good it is to be friend to someone:  in March 1993 the South Sudan Student Association (SOSSA) in Egypt.  Members from Dinka and Nuer had a fight over political issues using steak knives.  I was on the Nuer side carrying my steak knife looking for someone to fight with.  In front of me from Dinka side were two friends of mine from high school.  The third person was gentleman descended from Nuer father and Dinka mother.  I kept looking around for someone to hit.  I could not until Egyptian police arrived then the fight was stopped.  In addition when police came they were telling us you folk look alike who is enemy to whom? It is true that Dinka are not enemy to Nuer and vise versa.  Therefore, brothers and sisters let us come together and build unity so that we can have strength to defend our resources and our land from common enemy, Government of Sudan.