06/11/2025
Clarification on Historical Claims Regarding Ruweng People's Origin and Land Ownership North of Bahr el Ghazal River
By: Isaac Dau (LLB, PGDL, LLM, MA),
Monday, 2 June 2025
I am writing to bring to light certain unfounded claims and narratives that have recently surfaced regarding the origin and territorial rights of the Ruweng people, specifically surrounding the lands located north of the Bahr el Ghazal River. It is with a sense of duty and commitment to historical accuracy that I seek to address and correct these misleading assertions currently being circulated within certain circles in the Unity State.
To begin with, it has been purported by some individuals that the Ruweng people originated from the Bahr el Ghazal region. Allow me to categorically refute these claims as they are devoid of any historical basis or evidence. The lineage and heritage of the Ruweng people are rich and distinct, dating back to their settlement that occurred around the 1400s in the current Ruwengregion. Historical records and oral traditions consistently affirm that Ruweng settled in this original land called "Tiop de Loi," securing a distinctive cultural and territorial identity separate from the Bahr el Ghazal Region.
The Ruweng region was administratively transferred to the Jur River District in 1902 like any transfer to Nuba Mountains in 1905, "Pan de Gak" (Pangak/Fanjak), and into Western Nuer District in 1931. All these transfers were administrative, not the movement of people nor physical lands have been moved.
Additionally, there have been assertions regarding the ownership of specific areas namely north of Adongloj River, Diingyen (Kubri nyabol), north of Derbim comprising of Kilotelateen, Unity, Miadiing (Lalob), claiming them as part of Unity State territory. Such claims not only misrepresent historical boundaries but also serve to distort the authentic narrative of the region's past. Historically, the delineations of territories and boundaries among different ethnic communities have been shaped through centuries by patterns of migration, environmental changes, and socio-political interactions.
All areas north of Adongloj river, north of Diingyen, north of Derbim, and north of Pulledi and deeply inside Bul territories before Buong currently believed to be the border of Bul and Alor are all belongs to Ruweng region.
In exploring the broader historical context, it is pivotal to acknowledge the longstanding relationship between the Nuer and Jieng communities, recognised as brethren who historically coexisted in harmony. From residing in the central regions of Sudan, specifically in Gezira and Khartoum, these communities were subject to transformative migratory movements prompted by external pressures, such as the advance of Arab influences and the intensification of the slave trade. These interactions set off a southward migration, steering the Jieng, where the Ngok Ajuba (Ruweng) among them settled in the present-day Ruweng region in 1400s before the arrival of the Nuer from Southern Kordofan to the Liech in the 1700s.
Furthermore, understanding the environmental and political changes that influenced regional dynamics is imperative. Prior to the 1940s, documentation identified territories north of the Bahr el Ghazal River as part of the Ruweng region. However, natural disasters like flooding initiated shifts of Nuer settlements, contributing to the gradual transformation of these boundaries. When British administrators imposed road construction projects in 1945, they encountered existing Nuer communities positioned south of the Adongloj River and the south of areas that are now misinterpreted in recent claims.
At the heart of these discussions is the necessity to prioritise historical truth over conjectures shaped by personal or political agendas. Particularly concerning is the narrative that seeks to reposition historical boundary lines to the detriment of established community harmony. Assertions suggesting the accommodation of the Ruweng Alor by the Bul are notably misleading; historical accounts demonstrate the inverse, where it was the Ruweng Alor who initially accommodated the Bul, leading to the current designation of Bul Alor.
Historical records indicate that before the Ruweng people were administratively incorporated into the western Nuer District in 1931, they existed as a separate region with distinct boundaries. It is essential to note that the presence of the Ruweng people as a separate entity is well-documented in historical materials, including maps of the Nuer District from 1922 to 1930.
Based on this historical evidence, it is evident that the claim of the individual within the Unity State is without a solid foundation. The administrative boundaries of the Ruweng people were established long before their integration into the Nuer District, and any attempt to dispute these boundaries should be carefully evaluated in light of historical facts and data. See below the map of Western Nuer District of 1922-1930 and see north, the location of Ruweng region before became part of Bentiu.
As someone deeply invested in upholding historical integrity, I appeal to our people and stakeholders to exercise discernment in assessing the credibility of such claims. Our collective focus must be directed towards fostering unity and a shared understanding of our intertwined histories rather than succumbing to divisive rhetoric based on distorted narratives.
I trust this comprehensive clarification serves to illuminate the truth and encourage informed dialogue within our communities.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for engaging with the facts substantiated by historical evidence and communal memory.
Best Regards
The author is a former SPLA veteran and currently is a legal researcher, security expert, and conflict analyst.
He can be reached at [email protected].