By William Madouk
President Salva Kiir Mayardit has been urged to remove Maj-Gen Joseph Kuai Ajak from his position as buffer zone commander in Aneet, a contested area between Warrap State and Abyei Administrative Area.
During a meeting of the Twic Mayardit Community Association in Juba, Ms. Achan Agoth Akiec, chair lady of the Akoc Community Association, accused Gen. Kuai of bias in his role.
“Pertaining the issue of Kuai Ajak, when generals left to [Aneek] – what they did pleased us as women because we don’t want more bloodshed, and when the buffer zone was created, we believe the government would ensure justice and equality,” said Achan.
She alleged that Ngok betrothed Gen. Kuai with a lady – making the letter to surrender and develop bias.
“But if the government sent someone to protect the land and suddenly forgot what was his mission, I.e. Kuai Ajak was taken to Aneek by government to provide protection, but when you are given a girl to marriage will you not forget government mission?” she claimed.
Ms. Achan, who also serves as the first advisor in the office of the first Lady Mary Ayen Mayardit pointed accusing fingers against the general for allegedly killing Twic sons and detaining others on the wrong account in Abyei.
“We rally behind you President Salva Kiir, but remove those who are in peace spoiler, Kuai Ajak can kill some of our people and detain others in Abyei where he was given a girl to marry,” she noted.
“We need Kuai Ajak to be removed and I know he is been removed already but what he did in Twic will not be erased,” she continued.
Achan explained that a country cannot be liberated for brothers, later on, to decide to invade part of your territory – she was referring to Twic and Ngok brawl.
She urged the first vice president Dr. Riek Machar, Vice President Taban Deng Gai and Minister of Interior, Ms. Angelina Teny to stay off Twic-Ngok saga.
“I want to inform Angelia Teny to remove herself from Twic-Ngok issue, if you do listen, please stay out of it. I also would like to tell Taban Deng Gai to abstain from Twic-Ngok affairs including Dr. Riek Machar,”
Due to persisting clashes, South Sudan People Defense Forces (SSPDF) decided to create a buffer zone in Aneek in order to stop further bloodshed and assigned Maj-Gen Joseph Kuai Ajak as commander.
In Feb 2024, two prominent personalities from Twic of Warrap and Ngok of Abyei appealed to the communities to cease hostilities, reconcile and embrace peace, after bloody clashes.
Mr. Bona Malual and Dr. Francis Mading both call for a peaceful coexistence of the two communities. However, despite a plea from leaders, the two communities continued with hostilities.
The Ngok and Twic Dinka are historically very close, friction only emerged in 2017, when the Abyei Area Administration (AAA) began a land registry in Aneet, a bustling market near Agok, in southern Abyei.
The Twic Dinka denounced the land registry, which was subsequently halted. The putative reason for this discontent was that some Twic Dinka claimed that Agok and Aneet are located within Twic county, Warrap state.
The Ngok Dinka, however, consider the boundaries of Abyei to have been determined by a decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2009, and Agok and Aneet to be part of their territory.