Where are Jie people found? Jonglei or EES?

The government of Eastern Equatoria state has formed a 13-member committee to appeal to the Council of States over Kasengor boma, which is under dispute with Jonglei state.

The newly signed agreement between the government and the South Sudan Democratic Movement of David Yau Yau has included Kasengor boma under the administration of Greater Pibor Area.

The Minister of Information in Eastern Equatoria state says the area cannot be annexed to the new administration without using legal channels.

Clement Laku Chichim told Eye Radio Sundown Program that the decision to where Kasengor belongs should be decided upon by the people of the area, the Jie.

“We don’t argue on the interest of getting people or getting the land, but we talk of what the constitution of the Republic of South Sudan says,” said Mr Chichim.

“And I quote this: ‘the territory of the Republic of South Sudan is at the borders of January 1956. As such any other internal border, the same applies to the constitution’ and therefore we cannot just talk over something which the constitution is specifying. And as I was saying that the Jie of Kasengor is under Kapoeta East of Eastern Equatoria state.”

The Deputy Governor of Jonglei state, who hails from Pibor County, Baba Medan, said the issue of internal boundaries should not bring about disunity among the people of the two states:

“…. coming to the state as Jonglei state, we don’t have problems with the borders because 100 percent -Kasengor is one area of Jonglei state. There is no doubt of that, and coming to the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, that one is the policy of the agreement between the group of Yau Yau and the government.”

The Greater Pibor Area Administration will bring together the Murle, Anyuak, Kachipo and the Jie communities, as per the just inked agreement.

The Jie community lives across the boundaries of Kapoeta East and Pibor Counties.