Over 200 community leaders and intellectuals of Paliet community in Northern Bahr el Ghazal kicked off a conference on Thursday at South Sudan Hotel in Aweil Town to discuss how will to divide the newly proposed ‘Aweil State’ into counties and payams.
The meeting came after the South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit divided the constitutionally established ten states into 28 new states, including dividing Northern Bahr al Ghazal into Aweil East State, Lol State and Aweil State. The Paliet community occupies areas of Aweil South County, which is slated to be combined with Aweil Center County to form Aweil State with its capital at Aweil.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, the chairman for the Paliet community Jel Mangok Yel appreciated the community for the conference in which they will suggested some counties and payams out of Aweil South County. He said the community should be wise when selecting new counties and payams.
The former governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Kongder Dut Jok urged his community to support President Kiir’s decree for establishment of 28 states. According to him, the creation of the new states will help many people to find jobs in the government and private sectors.
“My community, please let us appreciate what the president has made when he divided 10 states to 28 states, that is a wise decision. I assure you many people were not having opportunities in the government and private sectors, but now people would be employed in the government and private bags,” he said.
The intellectuals also have discussed claims of other communities to own Aweil Town especially the Ajuet Mawein Diing community who have declared their rejection to join the newly created Lol State and would prefer to be annexed to Aweil Town which is divided between Paliet and Palieu Piny communities.
The community leader Jel Mangok, however, has said that they do not intend to move other communities away from Aweil Town but they will cooperate with those communities.