By Benjamin Unyang Ukongo,
Lafon County Youth Union Secretary General,
13 January 2022 — Lafon played a big role during the struggle, Lafon acted as a gateway for SPLA/M to come to the Equatoria Region. When the first bullets were fired in Born on 16th May 1983 and went to Bongo to open a military training camp to face the Munduruku, after the first soldiers came to Equatoria to sell the ideology of the SPLA/M . What was in their minds was Lafon and the SPLA/M leadership sent the Jindia battalion to do some mobilization. That was the first SPLA trusted place in Equatoria. The Jindia came from Bor through Mugiri road. They captured the police who were in Lafon, who belonged to the Nimeiri regime. Indeed it was well coordinated by the Lafon people because they have had enough of Jalaba.
After the Jindia leadership met with the Anywaa monyomiji generation who promised the SPLA that Jo-pari are going to support the movement. The Lafon people were very incited to support the SPLA and started the recruitment in Lafon. Thereafter, the Jindia went to Ohiri /Likiri and chased away the Arab militia who were there and went back to Lafon. The Lafon became a center for the SPLA’s operation. The Lafon people were the first community to join the SPLA in all Equatoria. The SPLA ‘s intention was to open a military training camp in Uwiny – Kibul which was where Jindia went with the Lafon young men.
Unfortunately, the weapons which were supposed to be given to trainers failed on the Uganda side, in the process of dropping them by aeroplane. The Uganda government took the weapons that belonged to the SPLA. So in that regard the SPLA sent its members like the veteran Ukech Alak Kompeo to talk to the Uganda government to release the weapons but they refused. By then Milton Obote was the president of Uganda. Arab politics had already penetrated Uganda. Most of the Equatorian men would have not gone to Bongo, they would have been trained in Uwiny- Kibul and given their guns there. When the SPLA didn’t get the guns back from the Uganda government, they went back to Lafon.
Reaching in a place called Nyakupa in Lafon’s forest, they wrote a letter to the Monyomiji Anywaa generation of Lafon and they were directed to a place called Yadeba because Arabs had returned to Lafon. The Jindia battalion stayed in Yadeba for three days before proceeding to meet with the Jamuch battalion. The SPLA suffered from many factors like a shortage of water which led to many lives being lost including my uncle called Alimo, the father of Paul Ugila Alimo in a desert called Sahara Tigili between Lafon and Bor. However, when the Tigili battalion were released or graduated to go and fight the Arabs in Equatoria they first fought in Kapoeta, thereafter they went near Torit so that they caused havoc to the Arabs in the Equatoria Region. The Lafon guys were the majority despite a few other tribes people like Galerio Modi and Obuto Mamor. When they reached Kaboriria they were divided in opinions on where to be attacked first. Comrade Galerio Modi insisted that Hileu be attacked first which is one hour drive from Torit. The Lafon soldiers of Tigili told Galerio Modi that they went to Bongo to come back and fight the Arabs in Lafon who mistreated our people. In that regard the platoon called Sheria Ula of purely Wati-Pari headed by comrade Bara Sumangiro went against the order. Said that they should capture Lafon first and make Lafon people free from the yoke of the Nimeiri regime. Other soldiers like Sheria Rahaba went to Hileu and fought there. Then Sheria Ula proceeded to Lafon through Lopit. When they reached Idal in Lopit they could see the trucks coming from Torit to Lafon in the evening from the top of the mountain.
However Lopit was very happy seeing Wati-Pari Tigili dressed in military uniforms. The Lopit chief and Lopit Monyomiji go round and collect some nuts and one cow to be given to Tigili while they were gathered at a playing ground called Thuoro as the clock ticked. At around 6:00 pm in the evening, the Tigili Sheria Ula started their journey to Lafon. In fact, before they were in Lopit, they were told that if they were going to Lafon to attack the Arabs, they should look for Utigo and they had that in their minds. When they reached Iwaga/Jaara where the Lafon people dug it was already at night and they took a rest. While they were navigating the farms they found Utigo and his brother sleeping in the hat (Dundi puoth).Â
They asked “who are you?” He said, ” Iam Utigo from Kor village” . They told him they were SPLA /M on their way to an operation in Lafon and had to look for you because you know all the Arab places and their artilleries. Thank God you are here….. SPLA oyeeeee! Tigili moto!. Utigo was very happy and was given a gun, bullets and became one of them.
No sooner had the cock crowd at four O’clock, the Lafon people heard a big sound “Bim Bim” that was Arbiji followed by the sound of AK47s and the bullets were seen in the sky. As they continued fighting, Bara, who was their leader, tried to give his soldiers morale he said, Gadam! Gadam! In military language it means “let’s go”. Unfortunately he was shot and died on the spot. There were two comrades who died in that operation (Ujum) in Lafon Bara, the leader and Likure. After that the guns stopped a song was heard in Pari’s language.
Karigi marga,Â
Karigi marga,
Unu ngothu keatini
Unu ngothu keatini
For more information or comments, the author can be reached through email at benjaminukongo@gmail.com
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