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Contributor's Elbow Chuol History Opinion

In 1947 Sir Both Diu Attended the Juba Conference To Decide the Future of South Sudanese

By Elbow Chuol,

Four Nuer local government officials prior to a low-level flight over the central Nuer district in 1947, and including on the left Buth Diu, later one of the first southern members of the Legislative Assembly(Photo: Buth Diu's Wikipedia page)
Four Nuer local government officials prior to a low-level flight over the central Nuer district in 1947, and including on the left Buth Diu, later one of the first southern members of the Legislative Assembly(Photo: Buth Diu’s Wikipedia page)

Monday, November 16, 2015(Nyamilepedia) —- Just as Cairo is a name coined by the Naath (Nuer), who inhabited the land of Egypt more than 4,000 years ago; under the yolks of the King of Babylon, who had been enslaving the black Africans living along the Nile, building pyramids, a group of Nilotic tribe decided to move south of Egypt and leaving behind a pretty woman, married to a stranger in the King’s palace.

As they walked away, moving slowly in the ocean of desert, an old man who would not make it to their destination clogged, looked behind and matched back to his daughter with a silver iron made from Meroae’s blacksmith. He put it on her left hand and bless her -“Kie-ro Nyada” (Cairo) – meaning produced yourself my daughter and you shall emerge victoriously!

It is important to recall the history which vividly reminds us that Arabs are mere migrants on the land of Egypt – The land of Kush and Nubian – during the conquest of King Ottoman. Since they began coming into contact with Kush people of Egypt years back, not only did their system of education and trade impressed the indigenous black Africans, their culture was highly integrated.

Who knew the boy whom she gave birth with could be the famous king of Egypt? King Tut-khana-men (meaning here is the male that saved) who became known as King Tutankhamen by European settlers and historians, who wisely used their well-advanced knowledge to inject additional information to what they consider their discovery. Wrong pronunciation changes the name, Tut-khana-mun to Tutankhamen. Who doesn’t know that Mt. Kenya was known as Kirinyanga, now changed and badly pronounced by the British tourists as Kenya, claiming to have discovered an already known mountain for centuries by the local people living around Mountain of Kirinyanga?

King Tut ruled Egypt for 10 years as a Pharaoh until his death at age of 19, around 1324 B.C. He was the ever first King in the history of Egypt who introduced the worship of god Amun (Kuoth Muon, god of the land of my mother). It was an order from the King for all to worship his mother’s god to honor her bravery and courage.

Now for those who may be interested to read about the history, go to the internet and load yourself with hands full of historical facts manipulated by those who claim to know it all. Get confused and disorganized yourself but the truth remain, we Africans can tell our history better.

I heard many people claimed Ngundeng was from Unity State, this was made up by Dr. Douglas Johnson whose translator misled him to draft some of the best events in South Sudanese history. Ngundeng was from Eastern Jikany of Cie-chany a sub-clan of Nuer now living in Ethiopia. Everyone even children know this song. His mother was from Bieh, Lou Nuer.

Now let us get back to the business.

On 12th to 13th of June 1947, a meeting was held and massively attended by Sudanese and their colonial masters. The British Civil Secretary and Sudanese delegates gathered in the city of Juba, the then regional capital of Equatoria province in the southern part of Sudan for the first time in the history of Sudan to draft what was first thought to include the southerners in the Sudanese system.

The Great British organized the conference to combined northern and southern Sudan into one political entity. Something which they tried for the last part of the century but produced no fruits. Though British from the very beginning treated south as a separate state, they don’t want to be ashamed now to name another country in the Sub Sahara not colonized like Ethiopia in the Horn of Africa. They decided after so many years battling Nuer in the South, nothing is easy, the last option was to bring the two part of the country very much divided by culture as one. So, Juba conference was the last option for them to survive their legacy in Sudan, the land of black people, tall and smooth, strange from the beginning. A land whose rivers from the highlands of Ethiopia divide.

The Juba conference did agree on two matters; that northern and southern parts constitute one state, and that a legislative assembly represents the entire colony. These were the most important accounts of the meeting. And the third being how the aggressive southern tribes like Nuer could be contained in the near future, people who are not satisfied by any external power coming into their land to teach them the new ways.

During the scramble and partition for Africans nations by European powers, few tribes were not contained by then, and that is Nuer tribe of then now found in South Sudan and Ethiopia. They were amongst those who badly resisted the colonists. This to British is completely unacceptable. Dealing with people who are naturally egalitarian is not only disturbing to the European colonists’ powers roaming the land of Cush with the Bible in their right hands and guns on the other side.

In the early years of the 1800s, Turks, Anglo- Egyptians attempts to their level best to runs around southern Sudan but met prophet Ngundeng who fought them hard only on self-defense.

However, southern Sudanese representative had several reservations about the resolutions. The important thing about reservations is that they predicted any future problems to the said resolved conflict. Out of 800 administrative posts were vacated by British and four out of such went to southerners. This well-attended conference ended the high point of the British colonial policy known as the southern policy, “which guided British actions in southern Sudan during the period of 1930-1946”. The policy contains some of the worse discriminative lists of things against the southerners.

With few strips of white hairs in his head, lower his sunglass to his nose, his neck-tie now appeared on loose, and part of his suit hanged. On the left corner of the room, second seat exactly few meters away from the Speaker’s chair, Sir Both Diu stood while shaking and now sweats flew down on his face with magic courage, a character he inherited from his ancestors. He beat the table threw the paper containing the agenda in the air and openly with a bold suggestion declared the meeting null and doesn’t met the interest of southern Sudanese.

Sir Both Diu opposed with no fear or favor the hidden agenda conspired against the South Sudanese by the British and their Arabs North counterpart. He walked out of the meeting and today what was more than 50 years ago demanded was massively voted for in 2011. In his hand a white paper with a list of reservations drafted, he didn’t look back and regret less for his decision to walks out of the conference hall. What he was asking was, “we all are here searching for an everlasting solution to Sudan problems right? if this is the only way then this is a long way too. We asked for self-governance as south Sudanese” he was referring to self-determination under the federal system so that his people in the south should enjoy the same privilege like their brothers and sisters from the north. Though it didn’t go well with British Civil Secretary, he rejected the position given to him to serve in a discriminatory government.

These reservations predicted the future separation of the south and north problems which cannot be solved by the policy of appeasement. Four seats out of 800 administrative posts given to Sir Both Diu and his friends didn’t block their vision for future freedom of their people. In fact, my mum told me,

“In that meeting, your grandfather came home a week later to Phom and was very sad having a week of a sleepless night. The collar of his white t-shirt was dirty and he forced me to wash it claiming the boat is leaving the next day to Renk. He felt the mistreatment isn’t going to end not yet in 5 years to come.”

Sir Both Diu grew up in Old Fangak as a young boy who only knows how to grassed cattle. As a young boy knowing nothing about his future. He was known of fighting hard against other boys from the side of the villages. His elder brother, Keat Diu (Father to my mum) foresaw a future in his younger brother. He has begun selling four cows and he sent his younger brother to Khartoum at his cousin place and begun the school.

Sir Both was known in the missionary school in Khartoum as a young man with hot debate especially when it comes to why south where he belongs doesn’t have schools and hospitals. After he completed his grade six he started a school in Malakal deep in southern along the Nile. For many who went to Both Diu High School in Malakal, it was long ago established but met with the odds of life sometimes they brought it down only to be reestablished. He was a dreamer whose dreams are not uttered by the policy of appeasement from his enemies. He is one man pretty well known to fight for his people without being bought or sold.

Ten years in the early morning in the town of “Rom-thur-maan” now commonly known as Omdurman in Arabic. Sir Both Diu being the indigenous citizen of Sudan was marched forward, with sounds of music, men and women stood organized. He lifted up the Sudanese Independent flag from the yolk of British colonists. He runs the country for only seven days and he resigned. He was fighting against colonialism and at the same time self-determination for South Sudanese. He has foreseen that Sudan initially treated as a separate state by the British, using Southern Policy can never be one again.

While they built schools, roads, established health care system, set up companies and correctly put down the administrative posts in most part of Northern Sudan. British shamefully betrayed southern Sudanese by isolating them from the reality of modern progress. Accusing them of being “backward” people who lacked any system to bring them together to constitutes whatever they believed was the best way to teach the world about their advances knowledge. Telling them to kneel down and pray-only to go away with the land leaving them with the Bible in their hands was harshly rejected in Sudan by South Sudanese.

The conference was held and entirely based on British treachery to southern Sudanese tribes referring to them as, “backward.”, unable to fend for themselves without being linked to a larger block.

In discussions to determine the future of the modern state of Sudan, the southerner provinces were largely excluded from the political process, this led to first and second Sudanese civil wars.

To say the least, this wasn’t the beginning for the United Kingdoms to unfaithfully act against the people of southern Sudan. In the 1800s, the southern part of Sudan was known and called “Nuer Nation” because every external power coming to the southern part of the then Sudan met a tough resistance from the Nilotic Nuer of Sudan. They go back praising the bravery and hospitality of this tribe living along the Swamps of Greater Upper Nile disgustingly conspiring against them.

During the British’s careless adventurous in the southern part of the country, they weren’t touring a darkness with torches to identify thorns and swamps blocking their ways. They found, however, some very tough, brave, hospitalized but tall and dark people who unfortunately surprised their research for resources in one of the largest countries in Africa. The Kingdoms agents came into contact with Nuer who resisted them with deep loyalty alongside their brothers who didn’t collaborate with foreigners invading the country from the unknown world.

Sir John Both Diu asked rather for the secession of the marginalized southern in the hands of the British and Turks-Arabs now occupying the northern part of Sudan. But British is not yet satisfied to punished the black people in the south which they see as “backward” and strange people who are empty-headed.

His five minutes presentation filled up the houses with new courage, and everybody in the room now realized a middleman who seems to be the only southern knowing how to wears nice suits is full of vision and mission.

What the kingdom didn’t realize is that Sir Both Dui now in a lengthy power points presentation was interpreting his forefather’s way of life. British knowing very well the records is stolen from the Nuer, Sir Both Diu informed the house with bold and zilch appearance on his face he declared,

“These are our reservations” and he walked out of the meeting. His name Sir Both means leads and so he was a great leader in Sudanese politics. No one did him anything.

Rest in Peace the keeper, the reviver of our forefathers’ dream.

The author, Elbow Chuol, can be reached at elbow.chuol@gmail.com

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14 comments

GatNor November 16, 2015 at 9:17 pm

Perhaps the Nuer Suprem Council(NSC) and the few writers such as Elbow Chuol will put it all into contexts one historical record at a time. The article is rich with the in your face Nuer pride, its right in my ally.

— Kie-ro Nyada
— Tut Kane Mun
— Rom Thur Maan
— Kuoth Moun(God of the land)
— Kirinyanga(Kenya)

The article if anything will attract some of the learn minds to drop in their opinion either to add or correct any misplace facts. personally I would love to pick an older Nuer’s mind to veryfy some of the info on here.. Thanks Elbow for this enlightening piece.

Reply
United Naath November 16, 2015 at 11:56 pm

Thank you mr Elbow Chuol. This great leader,(mr Both Diu ‘ll never be forgotten,although today leader are dying for their own interest.

Reply
Legal Realist November 17, 2015 at 1:07 am

What a conspiracy theorist!

A strong claim such as in this article requires reliable evidence to support it because, without evidence, such a claim is merely a hearsay or opinion. Indeed, only the imprudent minds that will be more easily corrupted to believe that bizarre fiction by the writer without questioning and without having any knowledge that they are being manipulated. The writer penned carelessly to convince people to believe fairy tale, thereby neglecting his readers’ intellect to question things to test if they are real.

However, only the undisciplined minds that will get into a submissive state and accept what the writer say at face value. Here, the writer, start with false information and attempted to apply logic to it but he get the logical conclusion based on the false information he began with. So the accuracy of the facts that you, as a reader, may believe is not as much a function of how smart you are, but rather what facts you choose to believe.

That article is full of lies and living in a lie is repugnant. Sadly, only a select few that can discern the truth from lies in this article. Lucky for the writers, like Elbow that the common readers, here, don’t think.

A great writer, like a lawyer in a jury trial, must convince his/her audience of the validity of his/her argument by using evidence. Elbow, mah, you must learn how to use evidence to persuade your readers to accept your claims.

Reply
GatNor November 17, 2015 at 7:18 am

Can you be specific on the exact point(s) of disagreement instead of hasting to insult the readers with automated ramble.

I for example noted above what I couldn’t verify in the point form. Honarable Both Diu is not a fictitious charrecter as you have generalized the whole article as a “fairy tail”

Your comment has rush to the scene with a sole purpose of discouraging any dialogue on this interesting article.

I have disagree with you with rage just like Honarable Both in that Juba conference.

please be informative and present a logical counter argument.In other words show us you are JUST a little smarter than the readers that might take this article at faith value by laying out a clear & a constructive critism based on what is in the article and not what the distorted South Sudan history have taught you. Not doing so will mean I have shut you down end of story.

Reply
Legal Realist November 17, 2015 at 6:56 pm

To see why I referred to the article as a fairy tail, here are few paragraphs.

“Just as Cairo is a name coined by the Naath (Nuer), who inhabited the land of Egypt more than 4,000 years ago”.

As idiotic as that is, it would appear that you blindly accepted such unsupported claim to the degree that it makes sense to you. However, to me, this statement needs to be supported by factual details. In other words, the write should have supported his claims with adequate evidence.

The writer said:

““Kie-ro Nyada” (Cairo) – meaning produced yourself my daughter and you shall emerged victorious!”

Really? Even if the first part was true (of course it is not), there appears to be erroneous exaggeration interpretation of the second part.

Further, the statements that you have identified in the point form are false information purposely manipulated by the writer so that they achieve his purpose of “in your face Nuer pride”. What is next, Naath are going to claim that Jackie Chan is a Nuer because Chan is a Nuer name. Please!

Regarding Both:

I did not characterise Both Diu as a fictitious character. Nonetheless, the writer made fictitious statements about him. Here are some examples.

“we all are here searching for everlasting solution to Sudan problems right? if this is the only way then this is a long way to. We asked for self-governance as south Sudanese”.

Again, the writer doesn’t provide the source of the quote, but he proceeded:

“His five minutes presentation filled up the houses with new courage, and everybody in the room now realized a middle man who seem to be the only southern knowing how to wears nice suits is full of vision and mission.”

Please, read for yourself what Diu said in Juba Conference 1947 minutes, here :http://www.gurtong.net/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=OBZ%2B7v1SXis%3D&tabid=124

At least, in my view, an objective analysis of Both’s legacy is provided in South Sudan: The Notable Firsts by Kuyok Abol Kuyok.

You said:

“ Not doing so [not replying] will mean I have shut you down end of story.” No, it could mean many things — Seriously, do you even bother thinking?

Finally, instead of disagreeing with other “with rage” try to appreciate that other people have a different point of views/opinions that are just as valid as yours.

Reply
John November 17, 2015 at 9:58 pm

Legal Realist or by your real name,Gordon Bua) it is unbecoming of you rubbishing pieces of Sudanese history.
To be exact, you demanded references or rather European style of writings, are you forgetting African oral tradition though some of it may be distorted which had been passed from generation to generation?
I will not go far, but remember, South Sudan is very diverse and one is judged based on his character. Everyone had marked you and you will rarely enjoy fruit of South Sudan. You had betrayed a lot of people.

Reply
GatNor November 17, 2015 at 11:34 pm

Legal Realist,

Thanks for the response its much better then the first comment you dropped.

unfortunately you are still not understanding my comment to be able to grasp my position rather you are taken by the in your face sound bite part of my comment. find, have it your way. I will stick to the points a rsisef with and not what both diu said or didn’t say.

On “Cairo” the writer is correct on the name.
If you follow my first comment attentively you would have noticed that I am yet to verify the meaning.
— I must emphasize here that I happened to be the first to comment on this article and therefore my first comment was not influenced by yours or anyone else’s for that matter.. if anything I have influenced your comment and it could have not been the other way around. This should make it clear to you that I am not driven by fairy tales as you implied but rather have an independent take on what i have read.and contributed to shaping your input ready bated into a constructive dialogue as I made it clear in my first comment.

— If the writer have not cited any proof of his sourceson the meaning of CAIRO,

you too have not done that either and you should stop thumping your chess at me or the writer until you do so. please and thanks.

— According to wikipedia, on the meaning of Cairo which also varies as recorded. fortunately the writer is partially right on one of its many names Legalngs. There are many one can choose from and kiero is one. though pardon the spellings.

I will leave it to those who wish to look it up. before I anger another realist.

— I made it clear what I couldn’t verify in point form and I still hold my position before your comment manifested and I still do until I verify it with another learn Nuer and not Wikipedia.

My rage stemed from you generalizing the info on the article in its totality as tales and I pointed out one fact(charrecter) that was not of fairy tale and that was Honarable Both Diu. I hold no rage anymore as you have quickly doubled back as I expected.

I want other intelects to have a say before we discourage them with unnecessary arrogance.

I am though impressed to have bated you out of your woodwork blazing over being shut down. Breath you have not been shut down Not on this particular one yet becuaed you have finally started playing by the rules.

thanks

Reply
Legal Realist November 18, 2015 at 6:55 pm

To John,

Thank you John for your contribution to the debate, although that was far more emotional respond.

I have only invited the writer to authenticate his claims. Well, guessing from your comment doing so is a crime in South Sudan (SS) sufficient to prevent me from enjoying “fruit of South Sudan” whatever that means. Your dangerous and invalid beliefs are the ones hijacked the progress in SS because when a person, like me, called for a balanced debate, like Dr March did, they are deemed to have “had betrayed a lot of people”. No wonder SS’s national issues are never debated but decreed without input from the public and the Parliament.

John, in my view, it is important that we can express our opinions in a balanced and calm fashion.

To GatNor,

GatNor, I have no issue with the word “Cairo” but its construction “Kie-ro Nyada” submitted by the writer. We both agreed that this needed to be verified either by an older Nuer as you suggested or the author must present supporting evidence as I proposed. Thus, I need not provide any citation.

Also, I have not doubled back as you claimed; I merely corrected your misconception.

Plus, I am not fearful of being convincingly proof wrong about an aspect of my worldview because it means that I have to continue to investigate further the accuracy of my perceptions until I could resolve the discrepancy. In short, I know there is still the likelihood that new evidence might be found to refute everything I have believed or learned so far.

Unfortunately, you did not influence my comment. Maybe next time — You appear to have a brain to do so.

DINGIT NA TUGGÖ November 17, 2015 at 9:37 am

Hhahahahaa………………………..Please Mr. Elbow, let me point straight into your face that this is the only reason why the 62 tribes of RSS do not see any difference between the Nuer the arian jenge. But still we do convince ourselves that at least the Nuer could be more better because Dr. Riak is educated and supported the call for FEDERAL RULE.

Please we are reading books and never came across such a history that nuer were once inhabitants of Cairo. The black people who bordered Egypt were the Nubian and history can tell you that until now they carry that name and they are the present Nuba tribe of Sudan in the present Nuba Mts.

I do not understand why you and arian jenge want to manipulate history as you are the first and last people who have been in the school compound? Your Buth Diu was not holding any title of Sir as you claim. Do you really know what the real tittle Sir means? Understand is very important in life, please try to history, understand it and then talk about it.

Do not try to spread lies in our country.

Reply
GatNor November 17, 2015 at 10:52 am

Dingbat Natugu,

please accept that honarary name GatNor has bestowed upon you. after all according to you, you have accepted with prefrence a lesser evil the Nuers & perhaps you are welcome with humble.

I must agree with you that Honarable Both Diu was NOT “knighted” nor nominated as a direct representative of the English Crown to have earn himself the tittle “Sir” this too is up for debate.

Reply
DINGIT NA TUGGÖ November 18, 2015 at 12:09 am

Please gatpöt,

put in your mind that if there is no any place or any body to welcome me in this world, I will not accept to be welcomed by you gatpöt and will not accept to be in your house or in Leer, NEVER IN LIFE. I want you to know polotics and understand it very well. In polotics, there is partnership. You and me a political partners. But this does not mean that you have rights. You must stop spreading lies now so that you will not take it along when coming to Juba.

You must shut up your mouth when talking about who is welcoming who. It is not you who is going to welcome me in Leer, but it is the opposite that I am going to welcome you to JUBA OF GREATER EQUATORIA. So please smooth your tongue so that me and you will be able to work together to bring the reforms our country needs.

Good that you agree with me that both diu was just a mere scout boy of the British rule and was not holding the tittle “Sir” as you claim. You have to accept the reality that nuer had never inhabited cairo. This is history and must be told in good faith. Otherwise you will start telling the other nuer that juba belongs to nuer because you have been in the displaced camps in JUBA. NO more lies please otherwise some of us will continue grouping you with the ARIAN JENGE (dinka)…………………………………..hahahahahahaha

Reply
GatNor November 18, 2015 at 4:50 pm

I like your wise choice of alliances it s a give and take. The assumption that all Nuer are in a hurry in misplaced. Some are already here waiting for the next real takeover to happened.

Reply
DINGIT NA TUGGÖ November 19, 2015 at 1:30 pm

Good boy………………learn from your elder brother. so that we chase away the killer, the land grabber, the looter. I hope you understand who is he…………………

Reply
Dut July 18, 2016 at 1:12 pm

I was impressed when I saw sir. Buth Diu was once upon a time a leading folk. What I know about was that Buth diu was just a mere scout boy of the British rule just like other scouts to general in the army. He was not holding the tittle “Sir” as you claimed. You have to accept the reality that nuer had never inhabited cairo. This is a history and must be told in good faith. Otherwise you will start telling the other nuer that Juba belongs to nuer because you have been in the displaced camps in JUBA. Beside, in your description, you must clearly to cite the fact about the source of the article. I rest my point.

Reply

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