Governor Manytuil waging ‘war’ at us, family of late spiritual leader says

BENTIU – The family Unity State’s spiritual and community leader, Mut Turoah Nyewei, has accused Governor Nguen Manytuil Wijang of putting their life at risk by waging war against them over peace efforts between Bul Nuer community and their Warrap Dinka neighbors.

It is not clear how the war is being waged against the family of the highly-respected spiritual leader, but Gatkuoth Mut Turoah, son of the late spiritual leader, said in a statement that the governor has not been happy about peace initiatives conducted by Garang Mut Turoah, who is now acting in his father’s capacity, to curtail cattle raids and intercommunal violence between Bul, Jieng from Warrap and other neighboring communities.

“Gatdeng Kuoth The junior (Garang Mut Turoah) who is our brother is now a highly respected figure by the entire Bul community as well as neighboring communities in Greater Warrap of Bahr el Ghazal region,” Gatkuoth said in the statement emailed to Sudans Post on Tuesday.

“He is working hard to make sure peace within the community of Dinka and Nuer of Greater Mayom is achieved, but Governor Manytuil is so jealous about his initiative and does not want Gatdeng to initiate any activities of peaceful coexistence between the two communities,” he claimed.

Gatkuoth who was the spokesman of late SSUM/A leader Gen. Peter Gatdet Yaka, said that Governor Manytuil “is not  happy with his [brother’s] popularity and he does not want Gatdeng to have interaction with people of Warrap and the evidence of that was ,last year Governor Aleu of Warrap State decided to take Gatdeng to Warrap by UN plane to meet the people of Warrap, and Governor Manytuil refused to allow Gatdeng to go to Warrap citing that Gatdeng is not a government official to initiate peace between Warrap and Unity States.”

He said the decision to prevent his brother, now acting in the capacity of his father was because of the governor being “jealous of him and he became enemy to us now because he thinks we are influencing the decisions of Gatdeng which is not true.”

The spiritual leader’s son went on to accuse the governor of forming a militia group known as Ter Chuong (or fighter for the right or freedom fighter) to threaten the government in Juba in case he is to be removed and said this militia group has been responsible for initiating fighting with neighboring communities.

“Mayom elders have advised some youth not to joint Ter Chuong. Ter Chuong is an armed youth whom he (the governor) recruited to threaten the Government with and some of them have recently been promoted in the SSPDF,” he said.

“He (the governor) is not happy with Gatdeng because Gatdeng is so influential in the area when he advised the youth not to join Ter Chuong because the decision of recruitment does not come from the Government in Juba, but from Nguen himself and his commissioner,” he added.

“This post is a reminder to H. E the President that our life is under threat in the hand of Hon. Governor Manytuil and Commissioner of Mayom County James Chuol Gatluak who is known for segregation in the history of Bul Community and who always divided Bul into Gok and Kuac and only gives services to Gok where he hails from.

“The entire Mayom County has no peace within itself, there’s massive communities displacement in the state, intimidation, torturing, encouraging of rampant revenge killings, favoritism and nepotism in term of employment opportunities, grand corruption, land grabbing and intercommunal violence.

“The people of Mayom are desperate to hold Mr. Nguen accountable for his failed leadership and requested for new leaders who can bring hope for total reconciliation, peace and co-existence amongst the various communities in the Mayom county and their neighbours.

“Manytuil administration has caused more havoc in Mayom county and it high time for the youth to stand tall and say enough is enough and demanded their fundamental rights to peace and harmony and discourage the ongoing nasty hate speech.”