The Metropolitan Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba has said the complaints raised by the Monyiemiji in Torit, Ikotos, and Lopit counties of Eastern Equatoria should not be treated as xenophobic but as a concern that needs to be addressed.

Archbishop Stephen Ameyu Martin Mula, who is also the Apostolic Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Torit, told political leaders from greater Torit to face the issue, reach a consensus and bring the tensions to an end.

“The phenomena of Monyiemiji is not a new phenomenon. There were Monyiemiji before and Monyiemiji after and all these generations that came but the ones of this time are connected with this violence that has happened connected with jobs and we must not shy from discussing this,” Archbishop Ameyu advised. “It is a true concern of the community, of the young people, and it should not be xenophobic, it should not be tribalism, it should be a concern.” 

Johnson Sereno, one of the members of the Monyiemiji, said they wrote a petition after realizing that there is marginalization in the NGO sector in terms of employment.

“The Monyiemiji wrote a petition after realizing that there is unfair and unjust employment in the NGO sector. Before writing the petition, we made an assessment and found three tribes dominating every organization and that includes Acholi, Madi, and Kuku and this is not only in Eastern Equatoria State, this is in the whole of South Sudan,” Sereno said. 

“The reason we mentioned these tribes is that we know Acholi, Madi, and Kuku, but in the Dinka areas, they say Equatorians. For us in Equatoria, we know them, like what happened in Western Equatoria State, they also mentioned Kuku, Madi, and Acholi. I want to say that the violence that happened in the state was not done by the Monyiemiji,” he added. “Our issue is very clear; we need justice in employment. If all these are in place, these problems would not be happening, give chance to the Monyiemiji.” 

Okumang Mokson Ahiatamoi said that the United Nations agencies, UNMISS, and NGOs are dominated by some tribes to the extent that Community Based Organizations (CBOs) formed by the Monyiemiji are denied funding.

”And these are the communities who are in UNMISS. Whenever you apply, your document is dumped and theirs is brought up. Okay, if my document is dumped somewhere, then let me know that there is a problem here and there which you have never addressed,” Okumang said. “We have NGOs or the CBOs formed and as we speak we are not given funds at all. It is because these people of the same community are controlling these NGOs. How do you expect us to get funds?” 

Josephine Abalang, the former information minister in the then Torit state, described the demands of the Monyiemiji as genuine and asked them, in coordination with the church, to work with the state government to reach a solution.

“I want to start by saying, the complaint of Monyiemiji is genuine. Now we heard that they are stranded, these things are not progressing. I have two things; the Monyiemiji and the leadership of the church. Sit together with the leadership of the government so that where you are stranded it is sorted out” Abalang said.

Martinson Mathew Oturomoi, the former deputy justice minister cautioned the leaders against politicizing the Monyiemiji issue and said the question of discrimination in employment is a common practice that needs redress.

“I think it is very important for all of us not to overplay an issue and connect it with politics, let’s not politicize this issue. The issue of Monyiemiji on several occasions, I think we discussed it in the forum as leaders,” Oturomoi cautioned. “The issue of discrimination in employment should not be put under the carpet, it is all over South Sudan, not only Torit. So what we would like to do as leaders is to address the problem. Secondly, I think from the side of the Monyiemiji leaders, we have been very calm and we said the Monyiemiji using violence is not acceptable.” 

Peter Otim Karlo, a Member of Parliament in the yet-to-be reconstituted State Legislative Assembly said, “The Monyiemiji, by writing their document asking for rights, were joined by other wrong groups who started beating people and looting houses even by day. This is what provoked most of the situation and also some other people who have guns. So the Monyiemiji should have controlled their team on security issues.” 

Oyet Nataniel Pierino, a Member of Parliament in the South Sudan Legislative Assembly, stressed the need to sanitize Eastern Equatoria State to create a balanced platform for recruitment.

“This is the problem of South Sudan. If you want to know who the Minister is, you see the sweeper, he is brought from his (minister’s) village. You go to NGOs, if you find the human resource manager is from that community, then you know the greatest number comes from his community. Go to the petroleum sector, all these problems exist. We must sanitize Eastern Equatoria. We must be transparent, fair, if there is domination truly in the NGOs sectors, this must be verified,” Oyet said.

Governor Louis Lobong Lojore called on the political leaders of greater Torit to help in addressing the complaints of the Monyiemiji regarding employment.

“I hope you were able to talk about the issue of Monyiemiji also here since the leaders are all here. They have to address and talk to Monyiemiji. NGOs are threatened, some are even thinking of leaving Eastern Equatoria, and we as a government cannot force them to stay. If they decide to leave, they can leave and go to other States,” Governor Lobong warned.

The Monyiemiji in April petitioned the government to address the issue of unjust employment within the NGO sector which prompted the state governor to form a committee to investigate the matter.

The committee recently commenced assessment to get data of employees in every organization and United Nations Agencies in the state.