A report from the Attackers of Duke Padiet

(Gurtong)
23/09/2009
Duk Padiet Attackers’ Second Man Speaks

In the wake of Duk Padiet attack last Sunday, I by chance had an interview (less than 30 minutes) with Malual Gai the second man in charge of the organized outlawed raiders who are commonly known as white army. I spoke to him in Nuer and here is what he has to say (translated to English word by word)

Interviewer (name held): Can I please know your name?

Malual: Why do want to know?

Interviewer: Are you amongst the youths who went to Duk-Padiet?

Malual: Yes

Interviewer: How many were you?

Malual: If you have nothing to ask please don’t waste my time. I am tired and I want to proceed with my journey or are you sent by Dinka to investigate us? (Malual started cocking his gun to scare me while his group of about 11 youth started making abusive noises).

Interviewer: No, but I am just a son of this area and the proof is that i am speaking to you in thuoknaath and i also reside here, I only need to know the number.

Malual: ok. We were many but I don’t know the exact figure ...pause… Maybe few.

Interviewer: Why did you attack Duk Padiet? Because I thought you had more problem with Murle than the Dinka? (Not that I hate Murle but I wanted to know)

Malual: There are so many reasons why we attack.

Interviewer: Please tell me

Malual: First Dinka Holl and Nyarweng killed our people in January this year around Poktap and some of these people where police officers. They blocked our road connecting to Bor through Pabieurol. They also killed our traders. The looted trucks coming to our areas. They also raided our villages - Panyuok - when we went to Murle and they are also doing bad things to us while in Bor.

Interviewer: But why don’t you address these through your commissioner who can then address these issues at the state?

Malual: All these commissioners are submissive to their bosses in Bor; they don’t care about us. The best people we know are just protecting their jobs in Bor. The state authority promised us last time that they were going to resolve our issues with Duk but up to now nothing.

Interviewer: so this is not about cattle raiding? Then why did you attack Wernyol last month?

Malual: In Wernyol they kept our cows there that they looted from us in 2006 during the disarmament. We know that. We have no problem with Dinka Twic. They are good people but these Dinka of Duk who are not fully Dinka nor fully Nuer are the stubborn ones. They are the ones causing these problems to themselves and to other Dinka.

Interviewer: who is supporting you? Who is giving you ammunitions?

Malual: We support ourselves (he responded rudely) we get our guns, ammunitions from our attackers. See this.......Pointing to a second G3 on his left shoulder)… I got it from them.

Interviewer: Are you guys getting any support from the North?

Malual: We don’t work for anybody; we are protecting ourselves from these humiliations by Dinka with their SPLA. We are supporter of SPLA because we love Junub to be a country but not to beg Dinka.

Interviewer: But SPLA is not for Dinka alone, it is for all Sudanese. Are you fighting SPLA?

Malual: I said you are an agent. Let me ask you. We are not fighting SPLA because they are a government. If SPLA is not for Dinka who are the un-confirms? They don’t like us. That is why they killed us in 2006.

Interviewer: Any plan for more attack? When are you going to Murle?

Malual: Not sure but when there are no changes we will correct things for ourselves. (Not clear what he meant)

Interviewer: You know we Southerners are finished, killing our selves because of tribal disputes that are cause by few individuals then we end up killing innocent children like the case of Duk Padiet. What do you really want? How would you feel if that was done to you? Can you stop these killings?

Malual: Resolves our issues with Duk and we will live in peace.

Interviewer: Now, these attacks have tarnished our image as Lou because other southerners are saying that we like killing, even those who are not part of the problem like the case of Duk. Some people are saying Nuer like fighting. What do you think?

Malual: We are fighting to defend ourselves from those who think that they are better than us. If you are a coward but I am not a coward to bow down to Dinka by force.

Interviewer: Any plan to go to Murle.... (the guy left abruptly and the interview ended here)

(Name held) is a Sudanese citizen who also is a humanitarian worker in Lou land.