Fourth Day
Dinka-Nuer West Bank
Peace & Reconciliation Conference

Nuer Narratives, beginning (entire day)
the 2nd of March, 1999

Session begins with singing led by some of the Dinka women; followed by Nuer led by cantor Peter Gatkuoth Riak).

Telar Deng: We will open with prayers.

Rev. Michael Mathiang: I want to appeal to you. We are a Christian Community, and we would like to begin with devotions each morning. I invite Rev. John Akumo to lead us with morning devotion.

Rev. John Akumo: Let us open, praying the Lord's prayer . . . I greet you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is important that we first hear the Word of God, which is our daily food. The bible says, unless the Lord God builds the house, the one who builds it builds in vain. Today we are seeking peace. Unless God builds that peace, our work is in vain. It is good that we have heard from the very beginning that we have heard that we must continue in prayer daily. This must be done practically. We need God's guidance. We need his advice and encouragement from God's word in order for us to bring lasting peace among us. There are three things the Bible mentions on which we will focus now. Please take this serious as peacemakers. The first is a question which is from the book of James: "What causes quarrels and fights among you" This was asked long ago, before our time, but at that time people were fighting and quarrelling. James ask the question and we must consider it now. Our times is brief. James 4 says, "You quarrel and fight because you want those things, but you cannot obtain them." You don't get it because you don't ask God. Or you don't get it because you don't God properly. You don't receive, because you ask for your own pleasure. And if you don't get it you fight. James, continues, "By doing so you become the enemy of God." If you fight your neighbour or your neighbour you become the enemy of God. Some of you think your enemy is among the Dinka or the Nuer. But your enemy is really God! And this a great sin. Unless you repent, and come to God, you cannot be forgiven. If God has forgive you, and you intend to; you will be able to forgive your brother.

Secondly, God tells us that we must love our enemies. Humanly speaking this is very difficult. But if you are a true Christian you must love your enemy. By doing so, even the word Jellaba will not come into your mouth. For God has said you must love your enemy. This is expressed in Luke 6:37, you may read this exhortation. I want to read but one verse: "But love your enemies. Do good to them, and lend t them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful, and the wicked." You, see brothers & sisters, God is kind too wicked people. If you have the love of God in your heart and you love your enemy, then you will be sons and daughters of the Most High God. And this is the central point of peace. This is where peace is hidden, and you must discover it.

My final point, is this: "Do not judge, and do not condemn." Our problems as human beings, or as Sudanese. If we know we are wrong and we jump to judging and condemning. If we love God we should not judge. The Bible says, "Do not judge, and you will not judge. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive. Forgive and you will be forgiven." This is what you are here for. You are not to judge. You are not to condemn. This is what God demands from you and firm us all. You forgive, and you will be forgiven. It goes on to say this: "Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lives, for with the measure you use it will be measured to you." The measure you use on others is the one God will use on you. If you judge and condemn your brothers, God will judge & condemn you. If you don't forgive your brother, God will not forgive you. Let us listen to the voice of God. God has a great deal to advise us in our present situation, and we need to come to him on our knees continually through prayer. Let us be committed to God and follow the word we have heard. May God bless you. I ask God to close with prayer.

Bishop Henry Riak: Prays. We give yourselves to you and all our work we give to you. Fill us with your wisdom. Come among us and have mercy, on us evil people. We give our hearts and thoughts to you. This we ask in Christ's name. Amen.

TD: The chair is given to Dr. Michael Wal Duony.

MWD: I greet you all in the name of our God. As you have heard from the pastor, peace comes from God. If we don't have peace with God we cannot have peace with each other. Today is an opportunity for the Nuer chiefs to make a presentation as the Dinka had their opportunity over the past two days. I greet the chiefs of Dinka with heartfelt thanks for their presentation. The presentations of the Dinka convinced us that they were serious about the work of reconciliation and peace. I also ask the Nuer chiefs to do likewise, to speak frankly and honestly as the Dinka have done. I invite the Nuer chiefs what has gone wrong that we, children of one mother, should have fought each other for so many years. I hope the Nuer chiefs will declare what has gone wrong. Is it some issue between us as human beings, or was it Satan that has caused us to fight each other? It will not be adequate to only say what has gone wrong, but also to provide solutions to those problems. Those who will speak today are those from the five Districts of Western Upper Nile. The sixth District, that of the Bul, have not come to this meeting. The five districts represented here are: Adok, Leer, Jegai, Lek, and Panaruu. One district which is not represented here is Aloor and Panaruu. Nyong district has four people. They will have one hour to speak and divide among the four of them. Before I call on the head Chief, Malual Wun Kuoth, I would like to call upon Simon Gatjuet Jal.

Simon Gatjuet Jal: What I would like to say to the speakers, briefly, is this. I remind you that we have come here for reconciliation and peace. I appeal to you not to criticise our leaders (Riak & Garang). My position in Leer is as Chairman of the Parents and Teachers' Association.

MWD: I have given opportunity to Simon Gatjet to speak because we want as many people as possible to express their views. I now call upon Chief Malual Wun Kuoth.

Chief Malual Wun Kuoth: (he sits before the microphone) Listen to me, you translators. I speak with you. It is wonderful that we have met here, a great opportunity. The fact that I have come to be seen by you young people of DINKA AND NUER, shows that we are committed to this peace sponsored by BL and the NSCC. I want to affirm to you all that my only reason for coming is for peace and reconciliation. On the side of Nuer I am a Paramount Chief. I greet you, and thank you, all our churches in the South, and in BeG specifically, and elsewhere, because you have initiated peace among us. Before this conflict, our normal relationship was cordial. Though there were thieves active among us, we apprehended them and sent them back to their areas. Before any conflict arose between us, our leader for 8 years was John Garang. Nothing bad occurred during that period. The Dinka chiefs asked yesterday why we went to Bilpham. I say they went on our behalf. Those who departed from here, they were not children of John Garang or of Riak Machar, but they were our own children. The two were our leaders, one from BeG, and one from Bahr Jebel. The Dinka chiefs described how our problems began. In my view they began with Anyanya I. That conflict began when our people acquired weapons, but it was concluded with the peace agreement of 1972. When Anyanya I, they moved across the land here and here. At that time the children of today were watching their movements. When this war started our children who had been watching went off to Bilpham. When Anyanya II acquaired guns and return to the South, and perpetuated prctices learned earliers. They raided and robbed, saying, what else can we do. Our brothers have been married with cattle, and we have no alternative to make a future for ourselves. When Any II began they had utter contempt for the chiefs and the courts and the system of law began to break down across the land. The Dinka blamed the Nuer yesterday for our conflicts. But I ask you, do you know where your children are now? Do you have control over them? Now I ask the Dinka: our cows have now finished. Those cattle that were looted, were they given to John Garang? And you Nuer, I ask you as well. Those cattle that you have looted from the Dinka, have you given them to Riak Machar? You have said that Riak and Garang are the ones who have brought suffering and chaos. Is it not you who have done this? I ask you Dinka, when you goo and loot the cattle of Nuer, is Garang always with you when you raid. I ask one of you to raise your hands and declare Garang accompanied you. I also ask the Nuer, was Riak with you when you looted the Dinka? One of you, raise your hand to declare he accompanied you when you made the raids. The reason I have come to Wunlit is because of the peace and reconciliation prepared by God our creator. What is important is the life of human beings. We have spoken of evil people who are among us. I ask you, is the name of God who is called Jesus and the God who is called Mohammed the same? If the reason for which we are fighting is true, then can we not confront Mohammed as the Nuer say in their song, "we follow after the Dinka to make war.", why can't we say, we confront Mohammed? Why do we leave our common enemy and instead confront each other? Isn't it better for us to confront our common enemy. Like you women who are crying out, you are right in this to weep and lament. You are right, you women, because our current conflict has gone evil. Women, children, the handicapped are all killed. In the past we had handicapped women who produced healthy children. Even these are killed today! I request all of you to abide by the peace we have concluded at Wunlit. We now have a civil administration on both sides. We want all of you to act on the peace we have agreed at Wunlit. Before we came here, the army and the chiefs once feared each other. Now that we have met here, we will no longer fear each other but work together. When we go to our areas we will work together with our army and chiefs and commissioners. If the military commander deviates from our agreement here then the commissioner will raise our grievances to higher authorities. If the commissioner fails, we will raise a case against him. Anyone who violates our agreement at Wunlit will not only know the hostility of the people, but even God will be angry with him. I support what was suggested yesterday, that we establish a border authority along all our frontiers. The thieves will be apprehended and return to their own people, who ever they are, Dinka or Nuer. Concerning children who have been abducted, they should be returned. If a girl has been married among the other people, then the girl should be consulted. If she agrees, than the marriage should be confirmed with the exchange of cattle as we have done traditionally. I conclude my address here, but I appeal to our officers on both sides, we will not follow you, if you deviate from our agreements here. You must administer us properly. The ministration before Wunlit has been shear anarchy. As we have come here, we are not happy with you, our children. I tell you, you my children, as we your fathers have joined hands in peace today, I ask you to abandon your evil practices and join with us. Since we are joining hands together we have our two leaders, John Garang and Riak Machar, can we not return to the process of elections, so that we select a man who we believe can lead us properly? Since we have reconciled ourselves here, there are those among us who prefer John Garang, and others who prefer Riak Machar. My time is finished. Those of you who monitor the time, you are mistaken, for you have allotted us a very short period. An elder like me should be free to speak at length, because I have not yet described events that occurred long ago.

MWD: Our chief has already taken 35 minutes, and they have given us a list of 4 people. We hope that Chief Malwal Wun will have another opportunity to speak.

CMW: I have not spoken of our borders Makec Kamec, and others, whether we are at peace or at war.

MWD: (Chanting begins, led by Peter; effort) I invite Peter Nyon Danyel to speak, of the Nyon District. We have 25 minutes remaining, total.

Chief Peter Nyong Danyer: My place is Nyel. I greet you in the name of God, and the name of the South. I have little time, and I find this difficult, so I will not extend all my greetings. Yesterday we Nuer blamed for hiding the responsible people n our side. They are there but sitting on the floor and you cannot see them. Next time we will have to bring our own chairs so you see them. (Applause). The Nuer tradition is that, if there is a visitor, you seat him, and ask his name and where he comes from. When we began, we were simply assigned t our places and this was protocol was not followed. What has brought me is peace alone. I first went to Lokichokio for the same reason. I went to Thiet and I am now at Wunlit with you. I went to Loki and when we concluded our agreement I returned to my people and told them that we have signed an agreement. I told them not to stop attacking the Dinka, and this has been holding firm. Since I have come here I want to ask the Dinka, if, since the Loki Accord, my people have raided any Dinka cattle again. You know that, as I was coming here, my own cattle were raided by Dinka. I am glad to her that measures are being taken. Those who were killed in that raid are my own people. They are not citizens under any other chief. One of the speakers yesterday said that the problem began when young men were en route to Bilpham and they were killed. But Riak Machar and John Garang were on the same side at that time. Those who killed these young Dinka men were killing Nuer at the same time. Those who killed the Dinka and Nuer recruits, I would like to ask who in this hall killed them? That one was killed by we ourselves, the Nuer, and not by anyone else. The split that occurred in 1991 was between Riak Machar and John Garang, both men of Upper Nile. You people of BeG, why did you not leave that conflict to us, so that we people of the region deal with it our selves? We of Western Upper Nile, and BeG on the Western Nile, in those days we would go to the toc and share the grazing lands. And our cattle camps would share the land in BeG until the dry season. We have Nuer who have come here and settled. Yesterday we were asked, if the Dinka went to Nuerland, would they find their own people alive, in the same way the Nuer came here and found their people alive? I ask this question. In Nuer area where I come from we have but one Dinka who has settled there with his byre. This is Makur Piou Teny who has settled. Other Dinka come only on their assignments and return. This has been witness with us by Telar Deng Ring. He can say whether the Dinka in our area were mistreated or not. What you did was to rob the cattle of the Nuer who are hear with you. You even went so far to execute eight raids upon Nuer area. We restrained ourselves from attacking the Dinka because we knew that the problem was leadership at the top. It was not our problem. I must conclude because of time. However, if any of you Dinka dispute with me that you have executed eight raids, then I will hope to speak again at a later time. I will ask you, you have accused our people of having sided with the enemy. I ask you, you people of the South, if you have a brother who has fallen into a well, is it better for you to bury him there, or to help him out of the well? (applause). As we know, we have some of our people in Khartoum, but is it bad that Samuel Aru has come to join in our meeting now? Those Arabs, we fought with them in that war from the beginning. We attacked him in trenches, and when our ammunition was finished we stopped. Now we have gone among with them with our guns. Is it not right that we will fight them among their children? (applause). We Nuer, we do not lie, falsehood is foreign to us. The truth is that the few of us who have been deceived by the Arabs, don't you see how we are now fighting them, our own sons, those who have joined the Arabs? An example is Matiip. You the Dinka accuse us of being thieves. Our practice is to cultivate dhurra, and you come and buy dhura with your cows. Perhaps what we must do is stop the border trade. Our tradition of exchanging Dinka cows for dhura, and after a while the Dinka come and identify cattle and say that is his cow that has been stolen (applause) (TD: When the Dinka were talking the Nuer were quiet now the Dinka are murmuring as the Nuer speak. Did you not know that the Nuer would return to answer your words?). I suggest that the best solution to conclude our problems will be to teach the Dinka how to plant dhura. All you do is throw your seeds on the ground. So I'll bring some Nuer to come and teach you so that you no longer have to come to trade with us.

I speak to the soldiers of Dinka and Nuer, that your fathers do not care for your lives. It is your mothers care for your lives. We say this because, as we speak here, we speak without making specific suggestions, such as these of Awut and Debora. I suggest that you Dinka and Nuer, that you opt for one side of the Nile. You soldiers take one side, and we civilians will take the other.

MWD: Your time has come to an end.

CPND: I appeal to you soldiers of Dinka and Nuer, both sides, it is you who are dying. It is not the chiefs or to her civilians who are dying. It is only those who accompany you on raids who die. Don't blame Riak Machar & John Garang, because the Dinka and Nuer have been continually fighting. Let us agree to stop fighting each other at Wunlit today. This peace & reconciliation is powerful because the paper on which it is written is that of the churches. It is like the peg on which the white bull was tethered the other day. I and my fellow chiefs will return to our homes and settle there. When we finish I ask you, Bill Lowrey, take me straight to Nyel, and those of Ler, so that we can go directly to implementing our agreements with our people. I call on Kulong Marial so that we shake hands to confirm that we have concluded peace & reconciliation (Kulang comes forward and they shake hands).

MWD: Our time is finished, but two people from Nyel have not yet spoken. One person is a woman, Yaar, and one is a man. If there is time today or tomorrow they will still have an opportunity to speak. Let us listen carefully an be patient to all that is said. You have heard the words of Chief Malual and Chief Peter Danyer have said, all of which are very helpful. We turn now to hear from representatives from Adok District who will also have one area. Isaak Magok Galuak Thon. Please speak.

Chief Isaak Magok Galuak Thon: My home is at Leer, a man of Adok, the people of Deng Luoth. You my translators, and you Dinka and Nuer, and all our guests, I greet you in the name of God. I speak in the name of our Conference, this very powerful meeting we have begun. As my brother, Peter Nyong has said, we were at Loki last year; we also attended the meeting at Thiet, and this is our third meeting at Wunlit. At present I am both happy and uneasy, half and half. When I went to Loki I was happy, and also at Thiet. But coming to Wunlit I am disappointed because what I have met here. I am unhappy because those who are across the border from me: Madut Aguer, . . . & Mading Manyel, the chiefs who face me, have not spoken. How can I speak when my counterparts have not been heard? If they had spoken I would have acknowledged that peace is eminent. I am going to speak nonetheless, even if they have not spoken. I will say what I want to say. The great amount of killing that has slaughtered our people began from BeG and Upper Nile. They are responsible for the killing. I speak according the direction I am facing, neither right hand or left hand. That is where death has spread. Many of you have spoken of Garang and Riak, but the conflicts began on the East side of the Nile, not on the West. The conflicts between Riak and Garang was simply a power struggle, with no initial concern for raiding cattle. When we initially went to the bush we wanted to liberate our land from the Arabs, we want our land, and this was the way that John Garang led our fighters. People fought, and the time came when Riak Machar decided to make an agreement with Khartoum, because the children of the South have died in great numbers. I speak, me Magok. Between Riak Machar and John Garang, we have not lies. Neither has been false. Garang said, take your guns my children, and fight. Riak believed the Arabs, and made an agreement that said, I after four years you'll have your land. I am belong to the side of Riak, and now I have come to Wunlit in BeG which is the side of Garang, and I cannot say who has been lying to us. If Riak Machar were to succeed in his policy of self determination, it is you, the people of the South who will benefit. Or if John Garang should succeed in his struggle, is it not you who will benefit? What we want is liberation, either from John Garang or from Riak Machar, one or the other. And who will bring it? It is our brother. When this peace initiative began last June, 1998, all the Nuer accepted it. Even now, we have accepted it. But this does not mean that we then must come to the side of John Garang. Nor does it mean that the Dinka will come to the side of Riak Machar. The most important thing we must do is determine to stop the killing of our people. We must stop death. It was last year that I came to realise that the conflict and killing between Dinka and Nuer will come to an end. I began to realise this when I saw the involvement of the NSCC, with the commitment of our church leaders of Dinka and Nuer, and the Europeans as well. With the support of all these, we began to believe that peace was eminent. In April last year when I began to believe that peace could come, the Dinka began to raid our cattle, at two places, at Pan Acol and at Malual ; some of us began to take revenge, while others of us refused. You must know what the Nuer do not want to retaliate, but if you touch them, they will not forget it. They will respond. Last year in May one of the cattle camps of his people from Gatjak is here. People wanted to take revenge, but I refused as the chief of the area. The commander responsible in the area refused to take revenge, and he can witness to it. I have made a mistake in that I did not mention the name of Galuak Galwac. When we met at Loki last year, we agreed that the hostilities should stop because we are fed up with the killing, and today, with the support of the NSCC, we are hopeful that this conference will be successful. We want to stop the killing above all else. The Nuer say that the Dinka like cattle very much, and the Dinka say the same. But history reveals that the Dinka love cattle more than we Nuer. I offer two examples of what cattle have caused to happen among us.

Yesterday the Nuer were accused of carelessly killing women and children across Southern Sudan. What evidence do you have for this? When the split between Riak & Garang occurred it happened during rainy season . That was the time when we Nuer move to live in Dinkaland, leaving only few people in our homesteads. When the split came in 1991 you Dinka protested saying that when Riak made the coup, we immediately attacked you. When you allege that we were attacking you, I ask you, did we take away our Nuer people from you land, or were they still here in BeG? When you began to kill our Nuer who were in your land. When we heard you were killing our people, that was what caused us to come and attack you in your land. We Nuer, we attacked you because you killed our people and raided our cattle. We our commanders, and our chiefs, we chose to raid your cattle. It was because you killed our own people and our cattle. In the past, the elders solve the conflicts between the children. The fact that we have come to this conference does not imply we are guilty. We have not been in error. As we discuss it will be clear that it is not the Nuer, but you Dinka who are guilty. As I said earlier, the Dinka love cattle still more than the Nuer. This is clear, in that even as we work toward the peace initiative, they go to raid our cattle. You are very clever. If we make peace between ourselves then you Dinka will say, now that we have been reconciled, the cattle that have been raided do not need to be returned. This I say to you, you Nuer, you must know that the word has been said must not be reversed. We are not like a dog who will go back to eat its vomit. When we conclude here, let us walk with the Dinka chiefs up to Nuer area, not by car or by aeroplane. We will travel by foot, we chiefs, to prove that we can trust each other. You Dinka, we Nuer are southerners, let us be honest, and no longer say that we are collaborating with the Arabs. We must not insult ourselves by saying this. We are all Southerners. Now there are two fronts, that of Riak Machar and John Garang. Let us see who liberates the South first. If a government arises from them, I will function under the one that is successful. John Garang will fight with the Arab. If Riak Machar is successful and the land is returned in four years, I will be loyal to him. Riak Machar is fighting a peaceful war with the Arab, and he succeeds, we welcome it. If John Garang is successful, we welcome it. I finish here.

MWD: We are grateful for the address of Chief Isaac Magok. The chief he forgot one important point.

CIM: The Southern Commander who killed William Abdulla Col Deng is here. It is Commander John Kulong who is among us here (the commander stands). TD: the chairman has said that this was a fight between the soldiers, and was not the killing of on man by another).

MWD: The leaders of Adok District have only 15 minutes remaining. Yet only one man has spoken and there are 5 people remaining. Chief Gideon Pading Jegek will have 15 minutes.

Chief Gideon Pading Jegey: I greet you all heartily in the name of God and in the name of the South. The conference we are now attending began long ago. Our discussions are like the reparations of a house. When the roof is damaged both he wall and the roof must be renewed. Our work must begin with the walls, and then to the roof, bringing the grass for thatching last. The conflict between Dinka and Nuer long ago was fought with spears and shields. We once made a conference between Dinka and Nuer at Mal with Tular Deng and Mony Luak leading in 1987. Since that time nothing more has happened between Dinka and Nuer. What occurred again erupted because of the split between Riak Machar and John Garang in 1991. That was the reigniting of conflict. The Dinka began attacking a place called Buur, burning all the houses. In that same year William Nyanbeny took steamers up to Adok and began attacks. At the camp Gumdier they killed Chief Wenriak. This is were conflict began and we Nuer did not retaliate in their own territory. It is not a court that has brought us here, but for reconciliation. It is peace that brings us, not court cases. This meeting for peace is to address the problem of the division that is between us as Southerners. You Dinka keep demanding that we want Aciek and . . . . It is clear that we are one people for you see Timothy is over with the Nuer and John Luk is here among the Dinka. Your accusations are false. We Nuer have not united with the Arabs; we each have our place independent of each other. Our time does not allow me to speak all I would like. What I want to say is that we must preserver the peace we agree on. This peace is from within ourselves, we chiefs, with our own effort. It does not come from others, like the Europeans who have come here, they are only observers (applause). We have come as Dinka and Nuer chiefs, to discuss our conflicts. But this is not our doing, it is a problem that we do not understand. As we are elders and leaders we must grasp our hands and preserve it. The white bull has cleansed the evil from among us. (applause)

MWD: I thank Gideon heartily. Our time allotted to Adok District is finished. Three men and one woman have not spoken. We will close our session at 12:30. After resting, we will return again at 3:00. We will now shift to three speakers from Jagai District, who will also have one hour. The first speaker is Chief Mager Ret.

Chief Magei Ret Wur: My District is Koc. Our Commissioner is Kon Juai. Our Commander Peter Parjiek. Also concerned with security is Gabriel Both Yuol. The first person I will greet is Awut Dhol Acuil, and on the side of the chiefs is My presence here is for peace. What I want to tell Kulong Marial, and Awut and, the house that we cemented has been spoiled by Dut Mading and Gum Marial. You, Chief Kulong. suppose your cattle had been raided, Kulong Marial, would you have dared to come to our place? We met at Loki last June, and the very person with whom you have agreed, his cattle you have raided. Nyong and Malwal Wun did not hold these things in their hearts.

MWD: Yesterday we already listed the former cattle raids, and addressed this issue. As we heard from Salve Kiir, he ordered that those responsible should be apprehended and cattle returned. We don't need to address this issue again.

CMRW: Tell my brothers the Dinka chiefs. We had a meeting with Telar Deng in 1987. That meeting was concerned with the border chiefs, but what we are working with now is those chiefs in the interior, and border chiefs have not been allowed to speak. What has happened today, that the big chiefs have not been allowed to come, Dhol Ariik, Malok Alual, Mading Manyel Madut Agueer, have not been allowed to come , only subchiefs Dut and Gum have been allowed to speak. It is true that the women and children have been killed, but the problem that remains: women, ask their children what they will be married with. You must bring cattle just as those children bring their cattle. Yesterday you said that Matiip is Nuer, and Carbino is Dinka. You people, do not say they are Dinka or Nuer, but they do not belong to John Garang or Riak Machar, but they have formed their own movement called, the SSUM (South Sudan United Movement). What I tell you, the government of Matiip and , they have their own supporters in this conference. That of John Garang is separate and has supporters here. Riak Machar has his supporters here. Can you deny that? You must be cautious. You see all the Nuer chiefs here, some have been raided by Paulino Matiip. Why are you confusing yourselves with your remarks? You say we are aligned with Omer Bashir, but some of you are with Saddiq and Mirghanni (applause)

Yesterday Chief Jacob said a Commander, Bipam went and killed Sudan United Movement and we in SSIM, we rejoice. In the same way, if we go and kill hose in . . . you will rejoice in SPLA. You are telling us to go and bring Matip and Carbino. When we killed the white bull who among you took the horns of Mabior. How can you advise us to go and grasp someone with guns. I tell you Dinka, you the other day we did not first grasp the horns, but first the tail. Why don't you go behind these men and grasp their tail? (applause) As we say, you Dinka, when we are chopping a tree, if this tree falls on your neck, who will come to rescue you? You Dinka, stop congratulating yourselves, when you challenge us asking if we have tractors, roads, etc. This lorry is not yours alone. There is nothing wrong if we have divided the government so that we have a part and you have your part. I ask you, children of my mother. We chiefs, each of us has our wife. If one wife tries to cook food with her pot she must have three stones. If there is only one it will fall down. What I ask you, Chiefs, is this our conflict? It is the conflict of the soldiers of Garang, and those of Riak. This war is not our own. Those who have died in war, are they not soldiers? We must restrain our own children from killing themselves. There are things we will not discuss. The power struggle between Garang, and Riak is not our concern. The man called Kuat Atem and William Abdulah Chol, when they went to Bilpham we were not certain how they differed from each other. The person who is destroying our land, we don't know. Gai Tut was killed and buried. Then his body was exhumed and lashed with 100 lashes by Carbino, the one who has destroyed our land. Also during Anyanya Mien Kual Riak killed people like chickens. These are the problems engineered by others that have drawn us Dinka and Nuer in.

When we came to this, the place, of Akucbeny Cirom, some of have come bravely while others feared and were held back. Nonetheless, those who have come, if we are killed, we die in the South, in our own land (applause). I say this, the things that have brought us to Wunlit is not that we were cowards, but we came to save the life of our people. You chiefs on our borders, are our areas save or have they been deserted. This is because of fighting. I appeal to those who have one of your daughters has been abducted in Nuer area. Write a letter, or come with us to identify your daughter so that she can be returned to you. (Adok, Mading Mal, Madut Agueer, mentioned). You have been deceiving us for a long time. All my people have been killed. Now is this deception finished since we have come to your places. Let us write these names now. Majak Apeth; Madhol Nguin Bang; Majok Nyan Pel; I stand before the people, the man called Majok the father of Galung Malong, the girl of Magok, the son of Madul Apeth. The wife and daughters have been killed. Nyandom Yiic Dom has been killed. Makuur Kuoth. Let me speak of the facilitator, Bill Lowrey, and the church leader, Rev. Matthew Mathiang. I am pleased with you church leaders, for you have saved the lives of our people. I am grateful to you, but I appeal to you church leaders to give us four radio sets, two to be at the Dinka side and two at the Nuer side so that we can monitor the border activities. What I have said is brief, the conflicts between Dinka and Nuer. The man William Deng Nhial was a man who belonged for us all. When he was killed his death was for the entire South. Now he has his son, Nhial Deng Nhial. He was the leader for all of us. Tell the women of the Dinka that we have concluded peace; return home to cook fine food with joy for all of us Dinka and Nuer. (singing begins on Nuer side, followed by women on Dinka, with ululating; response comes from Nuer; the Nuer translator sings in Dinka with Dinka response; applause).

MWD: Our time is finished. We have but 15 minutes. In the afternoon one man from Chagai will speak. I thank all participants for their contribution. Thank you. (People begin singing, Nuer and Dinka together, as they leave the building and continue out of doors. The first time this image of unity continues outside the meeting house.)

MWD: Let us settle down. The districts of Nyong & Adok have been completed. Two are still remaining these being of Jagai and Jikeny West District. Speakers who come forward are asked to say the names of those concerned slowly and clearly so that names can be properly recorded. I am grateful to all who spoke this morning. I appeal to those who speak today to speak truthfully as has already been exemplified. Please settle down. The next speaker will be Kuang Kual Kulang. (reciprocal chanting on Nuer side led by Peter) The chair calls the meeting to order.

Chief Kuang Kual Kulang: You translators, called Kolyar Due, I greet you all. Special greetings and thanks I offer to the churches and to Bill Lowrey. Secondly I greet those from abroad like Wal Dueny, and others from far places overseas. Those who are administrators for John Garang and for Riak Machar, I greet you also. During this entire meeting, those of Dinka and Nuer, I greet you warmly. The translator, Koyar Due, you tell the people that we have not come for other things, but to confirm peace between Dinka and Nuer. It was said long ago, I am Kuang Kual Kulang. I was supposed to speak earlier, but I remained because it is better that the elder flows the younger. You who attend, control your impulses, even though out we have spoken out what is in us, even the bad things. This is to good purpose, so that, when we are finished we will never return to these things again. You are people of Western Nile, Dinka and Nuer, we will be ashamed of ourselves if we don't reconcile and properly keep our word. We will be shamed before our foreign visitors here. We have been here before, together with Magok in the present of Selva Kiir and Jan Abak. But you do not know me. If you don't know me, I am the son of Kulang Ket, well known to the Dinka. I say to myself, I don't know what we are fighting about. Tular knows it. If I have made a mistake he knows. When I say I don't know the reason for quarrelling, we have been blaming each other, each saying the other began the fight. Is like the game of the children, when a string is tied to a stick and the children try to identify who is pulling it, a game called malotha. On this side of the Nile, we Dinka and Nuer we know each other, we know your fathers names, even though we are killing ourselves as one people. We Nuer, now, and you Dinka, (give me a chance to finish my translation), we were children of one woman, we divided ourselves, with only two cattle among us. In our history we also quarrelled over roasted meat. But God has brought them together. When God came he said, meet together, that we might live together peacefully again. If we had sufficient time I would say much more. My concern is that the Dinka chiefs across the border from our lands were not given opportunity to speak. I hope the organisers will consider this. I hope that when we leave this conference that the Chiefs Madut Aguer and Isaac , and those of with those of Jagai, of Det Matheo, with those of Leer, that we can walk along the borders to confirm that we have reconciled with each other. You the church people of our areas, and Rev. Henry Riak, and Matthew Mathiang, and Bill Lowrey, I am grateful for your concern that you have left your families behind to be with us. I will greet you and I will depart.

MWD: I thank Chief KKK for his presentation. (Nuer sing a song that says, "All that has happened between us has today been finished" Nuer Chief Mangong Kan comes forward and speaks before the crowd, raising his finger in the air as he addresses the Dinka). We have now finished Jagai District. If we have an opportunity tomorrow will give a chance to those left out. We will no go to Jikeny West District. They have three speakers, with one hour between them. Our first speaker is Chief Peter Rin Patai Tut.

Chief Peter Rin Patai Kun: My village is Chot Yel. The HG of the district is Rupkona (Rupkonga). You Southerners who gather here I greet you. Our reason for meeting is to bring peace. We are six districts from Bentiu. Our relationship with the Dinka went bad since 1991 until the present. This poor relationship was not begun by the chiefs of either Dinka or Nuer. It was our youth who went to Bilpham in 1983 to take up arms against our common enemy, who began the conflict between us. They quarrelled over leadership, but we had no way of disarming them and putting their arms into the stores to control them. From 1983 to 1991 the SPLA forces were under the leadership of Dr. John Garang, but in 1991 Riak Machar broke away saying that we should fight to liberate the South alone. This was contrary to John Garang who wanted to liberate the entire nation. When Riak Machar and John Garang disagreed over these objectives, we chiefs of Nuer did not have knowledge of their differences. Perhaps you of Dinka knew these. What I know is that our own children at Pan Aruur were killed by the SPLA soldiers who were there. To prove my point it was when the conflict was declared, the Nuer who were here with their cattle, were not even informed by Riak Machar about his intentions. We chiefs of the red sash, we Dinka and Nuer, is there a Nuer chief who commanded the troops who came to Dinkaland? Or a Dinka chief who took troops to Nuerland?

We, we Southerners, we stand as one, and God is among us to facilitate this meeting. We are meeting in the place called Wunlit. When our enemy, the Jilaab hears this, he will be angry and become ill. (applause) Since you have acknowledged our responsibility as chiefs today, I appeal to the few soldiers who remain among you in Dinka and Nuer, to join hands and fight the common enemy. I say,

we Nuer of Jikany, and those of we are children of one mother. The Nuer were always fighting the Arabs, and had no opportunity to be educated. The Dinka were better educated because their tendency is to say, "first stop, wait", and hold back, they are not quickly angry. Our hatred for Arabs is probably greater than yours. I am saying, let us unite as one people. (applause) Like the guns our soldiers are holding in Bentiu, they still hold their arms. As in the place called Riik, let us unite so the Arabs cannot exploit our petrol. The oil discovered in our land, we do not say it belongs to Nuer alone. It belongs to the entire South. If we remain separate in our places, you Dinka in BeG, and we Nuer in Bentiu, and the Arabs come and take our oil, t will not be our problem alone, but the problem of the entire South. The strongest ethnic groups in the South are the Dinka and Nuer. It is like the song of Kulang Ket which says that we don't comprehend the big problems we face. You Dinka and Nuer, should not quarrel over leadership which brings us nothing. This quarrel will not bring us cars or roads or aeroplanes. Long ago as the British were leaving there were those who asked who is preferable the Arabs or the English? Some said, let the English leave, and we will make our with our brothers, the Arabs. However, we have found that the snake is even better than the Arab who is now with us. Let us unite together with the help of those who are with us, for our disunity brings no success. I will finish now. I'm delighted that you have come together, with the help of Bill Lowrey and Matthew and others from abroad. We have but one God, all of us united in Jesus Christ. If we work together with our friends overseas we will have victory. The Chiefs of Dinka must select those among them to go and speak with John Garang and Riak Machar, and tell them what we have decided in our deliberations. I would also request that John Garang come here to meet us and recognise what we are doing here.

MWD: (Dinka singing begins led by woman, "God give us the power so that we can have victory over evil in the power of Christ") The Jakeny district still has one half an hour. Chief Kong Yec is now to take the floor.

Chief Joseph Kong Yec Jobar: My Province is Rupkoni, the District of Gwit. I greet all participants in attendance, all who now meet at Wunlit. Special greeting to the organisers of this meeting, those who come from afar, from the US and Britain and Europe. And you church leaders, I greet you all. It is very good that we black peoples, we Dinka and Nuer should meet together to meet at Wunlit. My brothers and sisters of Dinka, men and women of Dinka and Nuer, I greet you all. What we have decided today is to resolve the conflicts between us, especially the death of our children and our elders. This is our idea and from no one else. The death of our children, women and others, concerning these we cannot ask anybody else to solve these for us. It is we alone. I hope God will help us to be successful. Please be patient and listen to me. One thing we have forgotten is the Jok, the Jok (evil power) that is the Arab whom the British has left to us has really become a headache. If we had each stood independently we would not have killed ourselves: the Arab standing alone, the English standing alone, and the Black person standing alone. Long ago when the British left we said to them, don't leave us with the Arabs. But our elders said, no, we can remain with the Arabs and successful. The late politician, Both Diu, said we must separate from the Arabs. Agree said it is a lie, because the Arab will be expelled later on with the spear. Now! Have you succeeded in chasing him away with a spear? No! He is still with us. We regarded the Arab to be like a weak woman, but when you marry a woman, she can reveal how powerful and hostile she is. When we remained with the Arab who we thought was so week, we experienced tragedy. Where is William Deng Nhial now? Before he was killed all Southerners regarded him as our father. When WDN was killed you know what happened when we took revenge against the Jilab. I was one who took part in making war on the Arabs. When WDN died did he die because of his own problem, or because of the conflict of the South? Our people in the bush had guns, and those in the towns, we all grieved. When people left S Sudan, their route was through Jikany. That was good since no one was killed at that time. When our young men returned from Bilpham with their arms they forgot to fight our common enemy. If our young men who went to get arms, if they had not lost their way but had fought the enemy, our history would most likely have been won (applause) The Dinka who are near us are from Pan Aruu. When the army split, those of Pan Aruu stayed together for we are one, Dinka and Nuer. The people are mixed but remain united, just like the region of Wunlit. When the soldiers split Ray Konga Buth was killed. (chair: please shorten your speech since only 5 minutes remain). I'm going to point out some problems that cause the conflict. There is a conflict that has been planted among us. You Dinka accuse us. There is something good that has done. If we had gone to the Arab, would we have come to this meeting? When Riak Machar went to sign his agreement with Omer, he went with empty hands. It appears that Riak Machar has been tethered round he neck by Omer, like the white bull was tied down yesterday. Omer is struggling just like Mabior tried to escape, but we killed him. As well, the other leg has been tied from behind by Osman el Mirganni of the NDA. Riak Machar tries to pull the ropes on but he can't do it. It is hard for Omer el Bashir. The army of Riak Machar has not been integrated into the Sudanese army as Telar Deng can witness. Bentiu has been besieged by the army of Riak Machar, and the Jelaba cannot come out. (Time for Jikany West). One small thing I must say concerning Matip. Since the Nuer have united, and the proof is that Commander is now with the SPLA. Matip and Carbino are like a pool in the desert. I think that pool in the desert will not be a problem to us. If we leave from this conference our people will ask what has happened here. It will be openly declared that All Southerners are united. We will ask Paulino Matip if he is going to remain a pool in the desert? We will not hide this. People have united their hearts and hands together. What I want from Bill Lowrey, our facilitator, give us four radio sets that will be installed at the borders. If there are thieves moving by night they will be confronted wherever they go. We need this communication system. If the radio is installed it will be easy to apprehended the thief. Chief Joseph Kuang said that there are those who doubt this meeting will be successful. Let those who are against this meeting, we ask you to raise your hands.

MWD: From the three of Jikany only two have spoken. We now shift to Leek District. Three people will speak during the next hour. I have observed that each person has a great deal to say, but I would appeal to you to make your statements concise. Divide your time fairly so that all can speak. It is not necessary for your to give extended greetings. Please go directly to your point so you use your time well. The first speaker is Chief. George Kuaginy Rut.

Chief George Kuaginy Rut: My name is GKR from the Rukone District. You people of BeG, I greet you all, ladies and gentlemen. You church leader who have come from afar in the USA and UK, I greet you all. I greet Bill Lowrey and those who came with him. It is wonderful that we have come to meet together. This peace has been announced for five months, since we first heard that we should prepare to come. The problems that have destroyed our land are all ones we have created our selves. They are not from outside. If we want to put things right, it is we ourselves who must do it, not foreigners. Our struggle liberation has been continuing for a long time, it is long ago, very long since it began. Still, I believe God is the only person who can tell us when and how we will succeed. What has destroyed our land is known to all of us. We ourselves have destroyed it. This is my word. We have started far away rather than beginning with the root of our problem. The tail of Mabior. It has taken us 40 years of struggle for freedom, still we have not succeeded. When we obtained our guns in order to obtain our objected. Tragically, we abandoned our goal and turned our guns on one another. You are my brothers and sisters are simply trading accusations, but we all know what actually destroyed our land. Some of you say, I am staying in America, others say they are in Khartoum or elsewhere. No matter where you are you are still suffering. However, we all suffer together. You Aul person, you aren't we all oppressed, This is the land God gave us, and our ancestors. But, you black person, our suffering w have created ourselves. You Dinka and Nuer are the strongest people in the South, but you hate yourselves. Why we hate each other I don't understand. Is there any one who understand. Our mothers and fathers, Dinka and Nuer, we steal from each others as we have for generations. But in our heritage we have never before killed women and children. When we went to Bilpham to obtain firearms we returned to turn them against each other. This has devastated our country. I'm trying to advise you about what has happened, and offering my advice to you. Let us joining together in this meeting with the people of the Church so that we resolve our conflicts. Our brothers and sisters, many of the issues have already been raised and I can only fill in the gaps. If there are girls that have been abducted by either side, I would ask that you write their names and t returned to their own people, on both sides. I ask that we address the issues facing the border between Ador and Nyang with the people of Pagarou (Mabor Cuoth). I suggest that we begin with two radio sets, one near Pagarou, so that we can intercept thieves at the border. In respect to our two government systems, I would like to address this because others have already spoken to it. What we are discuss here must be passed on to John Garang de Mabior, our leader from the beginning and Riak Machar is the one who came later. John Garang, let him sit with his soldiers, and Riak Machar let him sit with his army, these should remain separate. We should not fight each other, but watch what the Arabs are doing. You have accused us of following after the Arabs, but you must know that the Nuer are not a people who can follow another people. If the Arabs have deceived Riak Machar, the time will come when Riak Machar will also deceive the Arabs. Riak Machar and Omer each have their own work, each deceiving the other, each aware of his deception. I want you to take this idea that we are co-operating with the Arabs away from your mind. Lets first wait and see what Riak Machar will do with the Arabs. I want to ask a question of my counterparts among the Dinka chiefs. I know from earlier speeches of the Dinka that there are two ways of presenting yourselves. There are those who are following the line of the system, and there are others who are speaking honestly as we talk. One Dinka speak asked the Nuer, if, since you are with the Arabs they have give you good roads, tractors, etc. I know that we some times miss our point when talking publicly. What we know since the split in 1991 it has not happened that a chief from Dinka has gone to raid the Nuer, nor is the reverse true. (Time finished). We have much to say, but with time finished, we cannot address them all. Let us join hands together to achieve peace and reconciliation between ourselves. I appeal to you to work quickly so that we complete this process. All the evil we have done to ourselves were washed away by Mabior. I will stop here and give opportunity to the next speaker.

MWD: Thank you George. Lake district has 25 minutes remaining. We have a number of people who have not yet spoken. The women of Nuer have not yet spoken. The names of women are always put at the end of the list. You women of Nuer, please cool your hearts. This is not my mistake but that of those who wrote the list. We now invite Chief Peter Makuac Nina. Tomorrow we will give an opportunity t the women to speak. There are chiefs from the other side of the Upper Nile, some from Nasir, Akobo, and Pibor are here with us. Tomorrow we will allow an opportunity, perhaps Samuel Aru Bol, among others.

Chief Peter Makuac Nina: I greet all of you here, the chiefs form Dinka and Nuer, the church leaders, and all who have come to meet here. It is peace that has brought us here, we the Nuer. We came for reconciliation but not to litigate. We gave you Dinka the opportunity to speak first. But I ask you, if you take your sper and throw it another, who will not try to dodge your spear? Many of you have identified reasons for our conflict and killing. I don't know what brought these. We should not be bogged down with the problems begun by soldiers. This is not our problem but that of Riak Machar and John Garang. We all know what began the problems between ourselves, but since you've begun talking about these things, let us go ahead. Long ago in 1972 when we concluded the Addis Ababa Agreement the only person who rejected it was Bension Kuin Tutjok. This man was at Bilpham for ten years before the SPLA began. Never did we complain when BKT was replaced. Don't decrease our power by trying to outwit each other. In the past we've quarrelled over roasting meat, as we say traditionally. I say this because yesterday you stated your grievances, but I thought we only came to speak of reconciliation and peace. We have said that it is the soldiers who have been raiding all the way along. But you chiefs, have you raised this question with your soldiers? I address the Nuer chiefs, when the Nuer were raiding Dinka cattle, did you ask your military commanders why they were raiding Dinka cattle? And did Riak Machar receive any of these cattle. We are all involved, we chiefs, Dinka and Nuer, are involved in destroying our own land. We saw it and we remained silent. We must not escape our own responsibility. Let bygones be bygones. You who have accused us of collaborating with the Arabs. Do you believe that? We were not collaborating, but we were fighting them. One example is this. We have been fighting Paulino Matip and Carbino who are with the Arabs. For two years fought with them. Would we fight with them if we were with the Arabs? Today there is only one clan fighting us. Philip Bapen has now joined SPLA. The truth is that even if we sent only a lady to Matip to call him, he will come, because he has no soldiers to support him. (Long Juk). We know very well that, once we reconcile here the concern with Carbino will diminish to nothing. He will have no more to say. Finally I say to you Khawaja church leaders. When we finish here Malual Wun will be taken to his land by air, but we repeat our request for radios to suppress the cattle rustlers. I am finished. Mabior was killed yesterday so let us be reconciled. Those who will violate it will be cursed by the sacrifice of Mabior. Do not abuse us, saying we Nuer are with the Arabs. And you Dinka, you have Faruk who is with the Arabs.

MWD: I thank Peter Niim who has concluded his address. We have now finished Nyong, Adok, Jikay, Jikeny West and ... Tomorrow we will offer an opportunity for women to speak. Thank all the elders for their patience today. I also thank the young men and the women who have come to this conference. We will now have a word of prayer. Tomorrow we will begin by 8:30. The management team is invited to meet at 8:00 this evening.

Rev. Matthew Mathiang: Our time is finished. Let us stand and Bishop Henry will close in prayer. Let us say the Lord's Prayer in our own languages. The peace of God which passes all understanding . . . Amen.