September 26th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – A fresh dispute has emerged within South Sudan’s Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) over parts of the disputed area of Abyei, sources with knowledge to the matter told the Nyamilepedia on Wednesday.
The JCE is a tribal organization entrusted with an advisory role to President Salva Kiir. Who appointed the Dinka elders to such role, no body knows!
The body said in the past that its role was limited to maintaining and protecting “Dinka interests” including in matters of national concerns.
Speaking to Nyamilepedia on Wednesday, a member of the tribal group said there is currently a huge dispute within the group after some members led by Bona Malual suggested that President Salva Kiir should declare Anet district as part of Gogrial state.
The source said other members led by Ambrose Ring Thiik fears that the plan would compromise the ownership of the Abyei area to South Sudan.
“Some people want to transfer Anet to Gogrial state. These group is led by Bona Malual and some members of the Council. Some of them led by Ambrose Riing Thiik are suspicious of the plan because he believes it would comprise the sovereignty of South Sudan over area,” the source said.
The two elders have been very controversial especially on the issue of Abyei as one or both still maintain close ties with Khartoum.
The Kiir government, on the other hand, has been lenient on Abyei’s position as Juba seems to silently trades Abyei off to maintain influential stance in Khartoum politics.
At the time of this writing, Nyamilepedia was unable to reach the Jieng Elders in the persons of Hon. Thiik and Bwona Malual over the allegations.
