April 25, 2016(Nyamilepedia) —– South Sudan’s armed Opposition, a breakaway faction of the national army led by the country’s former Vice President, Riek Machar, welcomed their Chief of General Staff in a customary style today in Juba.
Upon his arrival in the capital, the long awaited Chief of Staff, 1st Lt. Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, was welcomed at Jebel Kurjur, also known as Pagak 2, by a large number of rebels and sympathizers.
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In a South Sudanese customary homecoming practice, the rebels slaughtered a “black bull” at their headquarters in Juba, in accordance to a traditional welcoming formality observed by the Nuer, Dinka and other tribes.
According to Nuer elders, who performed the event, the slaughtering of a bull is meant to unite the returning dignitaries to the land and the local people.
To Nuer people and other displaced persons, who have been forcefully evicted from their homes in Juba, this homecoming party of General Gatwech and his senior comrades, was well deserved.
Shouting “viva viva” as others speak in dialects, many supporters of SPLM/SPLA-IO cheered and ululated as Gen. Gatwech crossed the dead bull.
According to Gorlong Gatkuoth, a Nuer by ethnicity, the blood of the slaughtered bull signifies unity of the people and the land.
“This is very important, South Sudan is our country. No body can deny us our country. The blood of this blood will connect us with our ancestors and grandfathers who sacrificed their blood to liberate this country” Gatkuoth said.
Going viral on social media, supporters of SPLM/SPLA-IO in diaspora similarly echoed the call for peace, togetherness and unity.
According to Changkuoth Gatnyaminran, the return of SPLM/SPLA-IO leadership and sacrificing of a bull means peace and unity.
“a bull/cow was killed to signifies that this land of Juba and that of the whole South Sudan is ours, it belongs to us all and that we MUST do what ever it takes to safeguard it for us and our future generations. It is also a symbol of unity, togetherness and so forth.”
Changkuoth, a South Sudanese- Australian, is hopeful that these types of sacrifices will bury the old ideologies of dictatorship that turned politics violent in December 2013.
Gen. Gatwech returned to capital, Juba, on Monday with 195 bodyguards, after spending two years in the bush fighting Salva Kiir led SPLA faction and allied foreign troops in his home region of Greater Upper Nile.
His return paves way for Dr. Riek Machar’s return to Juba to form the Transitional Government of national Unity, a period many South Sudanese are eagerly waiting for!
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8 comments
There is no blessing done with black cow, that might symbolized some else or it is done like that where the general come from, anyway it was a good thing to come back.
There is no blessing done with black cow, that might symbolized something else or maybe it is done like that where the general come from, anyway it was a good thing to come back and welcome back to restore peace not other creepy idea.
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we tried White Bull before and it did not work and we are black people. Let us try our color which is black bull. David, if you have something else to say other than peace, then, you need to shut up. We need peace and do not judge people because you are not the Messiah
I am not judging anybody brother and I am 100000% for peace, I was just pointing thing out because black color doesn’t symbolize any peace at all in any society and even in our culture as a black people. Also, I am for it if it is really going to bring peace. If you’re one those people please your boss to come to Juba today so that we can kill other black bull for his welcome.
absolutely, the white bull is symbol of peace if people of the young nation welcome their chief of general staff with white bull is better than black bull it show that we are in peace not in war congratulations to Juba government for provided whit bull
sorry I mean the black bull which was slaughtered to CoGs of the IO Simon Gatwech Dual if it is traditional of Nuer to slaughtered the black bull to someone who have spends some years out the country Okay, that is also good or if it mean something this black color of bull also we shall see too.
Machar is curse to nuers and South Sudan in general. There will be no peace as long he live.
Chol Y, can you please cease from posting for vanity, Dr.Riek,was not “curse” and he will never become a “curse in South Sudan. Kiir is only curse in South Sudan since he is illiterate who think using his ultimate power. He’s always reasoning with bullets after he achieve nothing in his debate. Kiir is fist dictatorship with so much insanity and his being a president in South Sudan mean more deaths. Dr.Riek, is Democrat in nature, you have to remember after he was expunged as first vice president, he had never fire any single bullet. But again Kiir took other step to killed him accused him of plotting the fake coup but he just ran for his life,however, Kiir has committed genocide by butchers Nuer civilians door to door with help of U.S hired Ugandan troops. Do you believe a little children who were massacred by Kiir as little as six months babies made a coup too? What’s greatest curse you talking about? I hope Kiir will die and go to hell because the blood of those innocent people is calling him. Kiir is curse not Dr.Riek in South Sudan,stop talking about Dr.Riek who always peaceful leader. If you have reflected back to his story in regards of South Sudan; Dr.Riek was one who started debated to late Dr.Jonh Garang by telling him just to votes for “self-determination and right now as we speaks Dr.Riek is coming to introduces couple things1 “demilaterized”and for the adopts the “systems of federalism “only if Kiir would allow federal practice to works. It results in secession of South Sudan from North Sudan and it becomes a milestone achievement in real story of South Sudan. Would you please tell me just one historical account made by Kiir rather than massacred people?. Kiir is lunatic leader who run after money by thinking only exterminated people who have story in South Sudan,I wish him dead with his nuisance decrees to reshuffle even Doctors Juba.