A prominent local politician from the controversially created lol state in which two different tribes were lumped to form one state, carved out from the two counties in the defunct Northern Bahr el Ghazal and one county from Western Bahr el Ghazal, has called for creation of two separate states.
Angelo Marac, former speaker of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state legislative assembly said on Wednesday that a two- state solution would be better option than unattractive unity between the two communities forming Lol state. He attributed the cause for the call to the manner in which the two communities reacted when they were merged to form a state by a presidential establishment order.
“When our president, Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, issued decree no 36 for division of ten states into 28 states and 3 counties of Aweil north, Aweil west and Raga found themselves as Lol state with its capital Raga, the first reaction by Raga community leaders was a total rejection of their home county to be part of two Aweil and the reasons were listed,” said Marac.
The reason for rejection, he said, was the destruction of their crops by Dinka cattle, destruction of their cultures and land grabbing.
“Government ignored and proceeded with its action and the same community threatened to take arms against their sons who accepted to bring Dinka and was ignored again and that led to unsuccessful assassination of their son governor Rizik Zechariah and followed by many killings of some people who were seen associated with governor,” he explained.
He continued: “Because of these reasons, I am suggesting that two states solution is better than non-attractive unity. While a two state solution is being worked out, I am suggesting for temporary staying of Lol government at Nyamlell, till insecurity caused by the rebels in Raga is quelled down by the army before civilian government risks staying there”.