09/06/2025
Article: By Comrade
Deng Mador
Honorable Ambassador, Press Secretary in the Presidential Office, SPLA General, Member of the SPLM National Liberation Committee (Africa Affairs), Chairman of Bar-El-Gazel Youth Union
Professional Background:
-Journalist by training
- Bachelorโs Degree in International Relations and Development (BIRD)
- Masterโs Degree in Oil and Gas Law
- Former semenarian and head teacher and catechis for catholic diocese of Rumbek and wou.
Who is this man?
Cde David Amuor Majur's wisdom preceding the Nasir declaration, Pan-Anyang village, Luakpiny (Nasir) area, August 1991
Following the fall of the Ethiopian Iron fist Ruler, Mengistu Haile Mariam, we who were at Tharpam outpost near Itang at the time, were ordered to trek to Nasir. In fact, a word was whispered to the ears of our overall Red army taskforce commander, Captain Kuol Deng Kuol (Kuol Suk) RIP, a learned, tall and handsome gentleman in his early 30s, who at that material time was lecturing us under a tree. The topic was on guerrilla warfare and how guerrilla assaults or raids could be conducted by various unit sizes for example, Ujum Jamaa (Squad assault), Ujum Fasilah (Platoon assault), Ujum Seriei (Company or Coy's assault) and Ujum Katiba (battalion assault). Whatever he was told, he abruptly stopped the lecture and ordered for a general parade with immediate effect. The whole outpost residents were later told in parade to pack their things and head westward to the Sudanese border with the Nasir being the collective point for all the retreating soldiers and civilians alike.
The vehicles carrying A/Cdr Taban Deng G*i, the Itang Camp Commander's family and personal belongings plus other VIPs' assets, sped pass our column as we headed westward toward a junction or Hakar el Radamiya - end of paved marram road, which was in fact still deep in Ethiopian territory. Beyond that, only human legs, big or small, did the job, wading in endless waters and the occasional termite mounds became the most priced earth assets to perch and rest upon, including for deadly snakes and crocodiles who sought to sunbathe!
The rest is history on the way and we arrived at Pan-Anyang village on the eastern bank of Khor Wako, a tributary river of the mighty Sobat river. Depending on energy, age, health and family responsibilities, different individuals and groups arrived at various locations in and around Nasir Town at different dates and times. Our group arrived on 3 June 1991. Almost immediately, the massive numbers of returnees were faced with acute shortages of food, shelter and medicine supplies. The local limited resources could not support the need and numbers of the people.
The Sudan government had imposed flight embargo on the area and things were difficult for many. Foraging on various types of vegetation shoots and herbs, particularly Rejilah or Lung in Jieng, mostly grew on few termite mounds, plus fishing in the flooded rivers and flood plains with ever present dangers of being harmed by aquatic animals, became the main activity for many people determined to survive the scorch of hunger. For efficiency and enhancement of chances of survival, individuals who believed in and trusted themselves formed survival groups who foraged and shared food together, only supplemented by high energy biscuits distributed by the UNICEF and other UN agencies, but priority was for the sick, the weak and acutely malnourished; for the able-bodied, there was no room for laziness, or else one excommunicated! In my group, I was lucky to have my olleagues, Corporals David Amuor Majur, who was more of a very good, caring and protective big boy brother and mentor to me and others, Mou Madit Kok (Mou Aker Mou), among others.
However, David Amuor Majur, a gifted multilingual speaker, whose mother is/was reportedly a Nuer, and whose level of catholic church Secondary School education was great, was more informed on current events and geopolitical situations of the world in general and SPLM/SPLA in particular, he knew what was brewing, in fact, he was like a "one-eyed king" among the blinds around him๐๐. He liked me a lot and given that, he one day told me in a whisper, "dhรถngdie, kelooi panerdie etene, ace ke path ku abi tol puk e koc cin aretic. Abatingic ba dac jaal etene ku yin wek Muon Aker wek aa ca bi nyang piny - my boy, what my maternal uncles are doing here is not good and it will breed smoke in our watch. I will see into it that I leave this place early and I won't leave you and Mou Aker behind"
Indeed, David Amuor left Pan-Anyang three weeks before the Nasir declaration, taking with him Mou Madit Kok as he promised, but the poor me, unfortunately, couldn't leave with him as I was away at a fishing expedition with my platoon at a village called Kรถt. Another mentor of mine, Peter Getdet, was hosting me in his family Luak there. Cde Mou Aker did not know how to speak Thok Naath or Nuer language, unlike David Amuor who was half Nuer. But the wise Amuor firmly instructed Mou, to act as a "completely deaf" for the rest of journey until they reached the secured borders of Jieng land, be it in Bor or Lakes. Amuor would do the talking, including sign language for Mou where and when necessary. In order to survive, my dear friend Mou had no choice but to obey and strictly conform with his new temporary status of "deaf man!" In Amuor's absence, and as for us who were left behind, our group restructured itself we had the likes Magok Lo Wani, a very clever Mundari boy who invented a call code for the members, when it is time to converge for food at a secret location, he will shout while passing nearby me, if I am with others not welcomed, "DENG LO MADOR, DIYONG!", basically a Mundari insult for a dog!๐๐คฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐
Nonetheless, the Tornado Amuor Majur had warned me about, and which I had sought to avoid, caught me and many others off guard, and indeed, as predicted by David Amuor, bred darkest smoke which choked many including our dear Captain Kuol Deng, plus many others, who did not survive the "Tornado". May their souls rest in eternal peace. This is purely in memory of those comrades who didn't make it out of the Sobat zonal command following 28 August 1991. Thanks Cde Mador for your acknowledgement.
