August 5th 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – A delegation of Paramount chiefs from Western Bhar Al-Ghazal’s Raja county are demanding that a separate state for their own is created rather than merging them with the northern Bhar Al-Ghazal Dinka.
The chief made the demand during a closed door meeting with the SPLM-IO chairman Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Saturday according to a statement issued by the SPLM-IO director of information and Public Relations Pouk Both Baluang.
“We would like to inform the SPLM/A (IO) members and the public at large, the Chairman and Commander in Chief of the people’s movement (SPLM/A (IO), H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon had a productive meeting yesterday August 4, 2018 in Khartoum, Sudan, with paramount chiefs from Raja State.
The statement further said the chiefs presented a memorandum to the SPLM-IO chairman in which the chiefs presented their concerns about the the recently signed peace agreement in regards to the maintenance of the 32 states.
“At the meeting, the paramount chiefs, presented a memorandum to Dr. Machar indicating their concerns on the initial Agreement on the Outstanding Issues of Governance signed on 25th July 2018,” the statement said.
The statement added that the chief expressed their rejection for the 32 controversial states created by Kiir in October and January 2015 and 2017 respectively pointing out that the chief has also rejected the mechanism through which the referendum would be held.
“They expressed their categorical rejection for the regime’s unlawful 32 states, as well as the proposed referendum as a mechanism for determining the number of the states in South Sudan,” it added.
The statement further revealed that the chiefs requested for the establishment of their own state that they will not share with the majority Dinka tribe in Northern Bhar Al-Ghazal state.
“The delegation furthermore requested for establishment of their separate state (Raja State) based on South Sudan boundaries 1/1/1956,” the statement said.
Raja currently is a part of the Lol state and the capital for the state which includes 11 counties which are Eri, Gomjuer West, Gomjuer East, Korok West, Korok East, Kuru, Majakbai, Marialbai, Malual North, Malual Centre, and Ringi.
