Third Day
Dinka-Nuer West Bank
Peace & Reconciliation Conference

 Dinka Narratives, cont. (entire day)
the 1st of March, 1999

Session begins with singing led by some of the Dinka women.

TD:   Before I give opportunity to the Chairman, I want to introduce the two chiefs who have come from Murle, and the one from Jur Bel.  As well I want to introduce those from the East Bank in the area of Nasir and Akobo.  The chiefs from Murle and Jur Bel are observers.  They have come to see how people from the West Bank are enacting their reconciliation.  The first is Mataba Yoro.

Chief Mataba Yoro:  My name is MY from Jurbil.  Under me there are five chiefs. 

Chief Stephen Alam Lokoni:    I am Murle from Boma.

Chief Adoch Lotiti:  I greet you in the name of Jesus Christ.  I am a chief from Pibor County. 

Chief Stephen Wal Kang:  I am Jikeng from Nasir.  Wulong.

Chief Peter Kaiclet Yuut :  I greet you people of Nuer on my rigbht  and Tuic and BeG on my left.  My home is Nasir, Kol Kot Ciengthor. 

Chief Char Reth Koth:  I come from Akoba. The place I came from is called Deng Jok, near Akobo.

TD:  I now give the floor to the chairman of the session, Dr. Peter Nyot Kok.

Dr. Peter Nyot Kok:  You people, the intellectuals and people from the countryside, you women, men and elders, members of the armed forces, I greet you all.  We have heard the word of the Chiefs of Rumbek and Tonj yesterday.  One person from Tonj remains, named Sadia Mangok.  The representatives from Yirol and Gogrial Counties will speak this morning.  It is requested that these include at least one women to speak among their spokespeople  I now call Sadia.

Mother Sadia Mangok:  My name is Sadia Mangok, a woman of Tonj, 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 of you, (chanting begins among BeG people).   is why should our children 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.  I have three years running 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 Mabior was killed on Saturday, it was a male that had to be sacrificed.  A female is never kiled in sacrifice. Only the male was killed.  Now we must bring a second Mabior, a great white bull in all its power.  We will also bring a white hieffer 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 for 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. 

Dr. Peter Nyot Kok:  You have all heard the words of our sister.  We are grateful for her profound contributions.  We will go forward now with the presentations of representatives of Gogrial; they will be followed by those of Yirol and Tuic Counties.  We ask that those who are not included or those who are left until last, not to complain.  There is no discrimination here for those who come first or those  who come later.  We are working according to the list that has been presented to me.  Those who are going to speak now are from Gogrial and they are given one hour.  Gograil has one hour and its leaders are free to decide how that time is divided among their representatives.   Our first speaker will be Chief Giir Thiik  (chanting begins in praise of Giir Thiik, first on Nuer side; then Dinka; back  to Nuer).  

Chief Bol Giir Thiik:    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?  (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?  Those who survived the great disasters of long ago, do not want to experience such disaster again.  He would prefer to die before such disaster comes again.  If we have reconciled, than we expect you to return those children and women who were abducted to be returned 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:  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?   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 can fight the enemy directly.  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 Matiop, 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 change our minds so easily, always being transformed like a chameleon.  (song begins on Dinka side, "God knows those who worship him").

PNK:  Our hour is not yet finished, and I ask others from Gogrial County to take the remaining half hour.  I invite Chief Nyal to speak.

Chief Nhial Can Nhial:  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 Matiip and Carbino 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 Matiip, and that of Carbino 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 Nassir 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. 

PNK:  I am thankful for the words of Chief Nhial Can, for his clarity.  As well, I'm grateful for the patience of the Nuer in listening.  Nhial has described how we can make and preserve peace.  Representatives of Gogrial County are now finished.  Others may have been left, including Chiefs Alfred Mac, Angong, Agany, these who have not spoken have not spoken will have opportunity at another time, after the Nuer have spoken. 

Those who have organised this conference are the NSCC, with Dr. Haruun Ruun as the General Secretary.  Our reconciliation is not ordinary, but is being blessed by the people of the NSCC.  The NSCC brings together all the churches in Sudan.  We must not forget the role of the Church in bringing about the Agreement of 1972.  The support of the Church is extremely important in the work we are about.  Some of us have come from afar, such as Bill Lowrey, Michael Wol, Peter Nyot, and Tilar Ring, all of us together offer our support to the NSCC in this initiative.  Our special appreciation goes to Dr. Bill Lowrey who is our brother, and will continue to support this process.  The honour you give to Bill as head of our entire team is appropriate.  We are functioning as a team and it is important that you grasp this, including each of the rapporteurs who are with us.  While it is true that NSCC is responsible for organising this gathering, it is really your peace, and demands your full participation, whether it is men or women, you youth and chiefs, and army who are responsible for bringing this to fulfilment. 

We will now return to our addresses, with opportunity be given to those of Yirol County.   Again, you will have but one hour.  Our first speaker being Chief Makec Kamic.   (chanting begins from Dinka side).

Chief Makec Kamic:  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 Ray Kong and Chief Malual Wun I have been the chief on the border between the Ciec of Yirol for a long XXX time. I know the minds of Chief Ray 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 appont the army and the police who will be statioined in one location so that they can patrol the region around Gainlel.  When these are appointed tey 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 tht 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 Silva 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.  Lsst year chief Malual sent us two representatives; Malual Run, and Ray 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 citizins 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 Sam Aru, becuase duirng 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 suipport 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 Dinka 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 Bilpham to loot an kill.  Let us begin a new chapter with our neighouring chiefs cross 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 Gainlel), but our agreement was violated by Nuer when one of our men, Machar waas killed, and the cttle looted.  I request that Chief Malual return all the cattle that were looted.  (PNK:  During all six reconciliatiion meetings, we ask observers to assist us with the exact dates).   I am trying to reveal the history of our negotiatiions, but am not intending to bring confusion to our present meeting.  We chiefs of Yirol county are weilling 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 see the way Mabior died as a brave and powerful bull.  Anyone who violates the agreement of our eace, he will be kicked by Mabor, and judged guilty.  What I tell you know, go and speak to Paulino Matip and Carbino.  Tell them to come back to joing the people in their work toward peace.  We have two people, Magar Aciek, the Governeror of Lakes, and Paulino.  You go and chase them and bring them back. 

PNK:  We are grateful to Chief Makeny Kamic for his remarks.  Yirol still has 20 minutes until they must conclude.  Our meeting will close by 12:30 when we will break for lunch and taken rest.  Our meetings will resume at  3:00.  The speker who follows now is Chief Mabor Deng. We invite you to bring all your concerns here as no other forum will be available to you.

Chief Bahon Mabor Deng:   Wehn we arrived at Wunlit it rained.  When we offered sacrificed it was overcast without sunshine.  I am grateful to all who have come for these meetings. I am grateful to all the foreingers who have come to thi confernce.  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  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 poeple 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  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 stollen 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.  Our border with the Malual Ray, we used to fight one another.  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 Bilpham to fight against the Arabs but instead turned these very arms agains 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, this we will do 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 Wunriit of Chief Manyang Jak to execute a raid. 

PNK:  Our time is now finished (12:30).  Given that we are now translating in four languages, our time has significantly slowed down, so we will give additional time to those of Yirol after the break.  I will now invite chief to complete his address.

Chief Bahon Mabor Deng:  My address is now finished.  In the same year people from Yirojl went to Gainlel, but they were killed and their cattle were raided.

PNK:  My thanks to all who have spoken, and listend so  carefully.  My appreciation also to the translators for conveying the word to us all to hear.  Thanks to those who control the sound system as well.  We begin again at 3:00 p.m.. 

Afternoon session, 3:20 p.m.

PNK:  We will nw commence our second session of the day.  Our session will continue until 6:00 p.m.  We continue now with the addresses of representatives of Yirol County.  Chiefs Kamic and Mabior have already spoken.  The two have raised important issues.   One concerns the six agreements already enacted between Nuer and Dinka, but all have broken down. We want to know the detail of these agreement, who initiated them, when and wear?  What was their content.  If there are elders who have explanations we would be grateful for this.  We want to know what we must do locally, with police and soldiers, as well as afar, overseas, to make our present agreement to stand firm.  According to my list our speakers from Yirol still remaining Mabior Cuot.  Chief, you are welcome to the floor. 

Chief Mabior Cuot:  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 Selfa Kiir Miyardit.  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 brothers born long ago.  There was the bull that was Black, and White, (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 the lion and the lion could do nothing.  Then the lion went away, and called them one by one.  He told Malual, if you chase away Machar I'll never eat you again.  In the evening, Machar and Malual chased away Mabior.  Then the lion approached and attacked and ate Mabior.   After two days the lion returned to Malual and Machar.  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 Machar.  In the evening the two bulls were together and Malual told Macar he should leave.  Then the lion went and ate Malual.  The next morning the ate Macar.  So the lion devoured all three bulls.  This I offer as a parable of BeG, 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 we clean up his shit.  This is due to lack of education.  Most of us have not learned enough even to know where money is made.  We have nobody even 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 Riak and gave him arms and ammunition to go and kill Garang.  If you go and kill him I'll give you power.  We our killing ourselves because of the struggle for power, cultivated by Omer Bashir in Khartoum.  What will Riak Macar do.  For example if someone is in the cattle camp. The wife goes to look for water, the sun is out with the goats, and they are killed.  Will those remaining not be hostile, and retaliate?  What is happening now in Khartoum, the Arabs are enjoying the killing of Southerner by Southrner, the genocide of our people we ourselves are perpetrating.  This delights  them.  I Mabior Acuot sent a message to Riak 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, don 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 Mallek 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.

PNK:  I have a question about the meetings with  Maginy at Galiou.  These were abortive.  Was there any reconciliation performed in this meeting or did they have no success at all? 

Chief Mabior Cuot:  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.  When you die you 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.   

PNK:  Chief Mabior Cuot, I thank you for your address.  The time allotted to Yirol is now finished.  One of those who was to speak was a woman, and we have not heard the voice of many women.  I would like to give our mother Ayar Malek ten minutes to speak.

Mother Ayar Malek:  I am Ayar Malek Malual, from Akot village, married to a man of Yirol.  What I want to say is very small.  I greet you people who are gathered here, those from far places.  I don't greet local people, but only the guests.  This is because I have simply given 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 her because I am a person on he border with the Nuer.  There is a person called Malual.  The distance between out 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.  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.  The evening perhaps the children of Malual might have come to my house for we are neighbours.  Human being 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 baby in 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.

PNK:  I thank you for your words.  Yorol's presentation is now finished. The address Madit Mater and Chief Rec will have another opportunity to speak.  We will now turn to Tuic County.  They will have an hour to speak.  However, they have only presented the names  of two people.  The first to speak will be Chief Jakob Madhol Langjuk

Chief Jakob Madhol Langjuk: 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 simple to acquire a big stomach, but maintaining it is quite expensive and difficult.  It is simple to be reconciled, but to maintain it 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.  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.  Well those grievances were settled at that time during Anyanya I.  I now come to events that occured during the SPLA period.  The first event erupted with the split between Riak Machar and the SPLA.  The issue is what Riak 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 Carbino 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 aspects have been added to merit it to be praised.  The agreement concluded in Khartoum in a conference hall is like an agreement made by a lion, hyena, and a leopard and 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 eyes!"  The hyena said, "I don't sleep in the daytime!"  And the fox said I'm going to go see my sister. 

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:  Riak Machar is the  lion; Kuanyin Bul 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 Carbino and Riak; now it will collapse on Paulino and Matip.  Why are you still in the house?   Now we still have days to continue.  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. 

PNK:  Thank you all.  Our thanks to Chief Jakob for this speech, so valuable to us b because of his experience in constructive reconciliation in his own area.  They have reconciled with the Nuer section of Kuac.  Why are the chiefs of Kuac not in attendance with us?  (Response:  the two chiefs from Kuac are en route and coming).  We are pleased to hear this.  I would like to underline that the agreement with the Kuac people was the first agreement, even though it seems to have some deceptive aspects.  Still, we must consider this precedent as well.  We are happy to have people who express strong sentiments that will strengthen our ultimate agreement.  We now invite Chief Garang Nyuol Bol to speak, and is given 15 minutes.  He comes from Amol section. 

Chief Garang Nyuol Bol:  I introduce myself.  I am from Turalay Payam, headquarters of Tuic County.  I begin with a question.  When people first went to Bilpham was it a quarrel between DINKA AND NUER that caused us to go?  The answer is known to us.  It was becuse 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 whereby 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.  Som e think it is impossible because we wre bllack people. Are we suggesting that Brown skinned peoople 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 frgotten our struggle?  When you cam ehere my brothers did your airplane 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 dveloped by our enem˙ hnow?  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 apointed in Khartoum?  What part of the coountry 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 tht we are slave, shall we accept that designation?  It was for these resons that was why we took arms at Bilpham.  Can we say we are one people when part of the South use 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 ajd 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 have problems.  They will aask uif 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 parished?   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  motheer 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 make a reconciliation which 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 restrrain themselves.  It is imortant fo rus to advise one anotherf against evil we do.  Once, when Riak Machar came to our land, we received him as our leader.  But when he turned back and became a Nuer we were surrpised.  Also Matiip passed here nd we honoured him as a leader.  We didn't consiider them as Nuer leaders, but leaders of us all.  When they went Nuerlland, what caused prob lems 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 accpetd to be reconciled, then abduction is no longer acceptable.  It is important for the abductees to be returned.  If yo8u have fallen in love with a woman, than it is better tht you mary honestly.  I thank you Nuer for yur 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 bccause first, wondering if yu have something against us Dinka.  Do you Nuer want all the cows, leaving us with nothing. 

PNK:  Again, I'm thankful for all who have contributed and those who have listened.  The addresses of those of Tuic County are completed.   I see that Mamol Awul does not sleep when he is in the coourt.  And he has treated this meeting like a court and has not slept.  As well Chief William Ray and Jul Dul has not taken a break.  They have listened carefully.  All the addresses of the Dinka chiefs are introductory.  They may revise later if they feel the need.  Now we have but 35 minutes until we conclude.  If the Nuer Chiefs want to speak now they are welcome, or they can return home to reflect and speak tomorrow.  If you want to conclude now, we will depart and return tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.  We will call on our leaders to make any announcements that are necessary.  My part is concluded, and tomorrow Dr. Michael Wal Duany will take over.

TD:  I would like to make a few announcements.  Tomorrow we will begin at 8:30 a.m.  I would request that the Nuer provide a list of their speakers this evening.