Aliab Dinka
Encyclopedia
The Aliab Dinka are a subdivision of the Dinka people of South Sudan
. They traditionally lived in an area west of the upper White Nile
river.
The name is also used to refer to a breed of cattle maintained by the Aliab Dinka people and widespread in the region.
of South Sudan, in the Awerial County, to the west of the White Nile.
The Aliab Valley is a low floodplain to the west of the Bahr-el-Gebel (Nile) between Tombé in the south and Lake Papiu in the north. The valley is between 2.5 miles (4 km) and 6 miles (9.7 km) wide and perhaps 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) in length. The Bahr-el-Gebel flows well above the east side of the valley between high banks.
During the rainy season, usually starting in June, the river overflows its banks and floods the whole valley, which becomes a huge swamp. After the southern half of the valley has drained, between December and April it is suitable for cattle grazing. A report from 1951 said that some Dinka hunted the abundant game during this period, particularly buffalo.
.
There was an uprising of the Aliab Dinka that year.
3,000 Dinka men attacked the police post at Mekamon, near Bor, and killed several policemen.
Mandari tribesmen in the region to the south attacked at the same time and killed some telegraph linesmen and police.
Lieutenant Colonel Richard Finch White took several companies of the Egyptian Army Equatorial Battalion to the area to handle the situation.
The Mongalla province Governor Chauncey Hugh Stigand
went on patrol himself, and on 8 December 1919 was killed at Pap, between the Lau River and the White Nile.
Two other officers and 24 soldiers and porters were speared to death by 1,000 Dinka warriors.
The rising was put down harshly in 1920.
A force under Colonel Robert Henry Darwall led the punitive expedition, which killed over 400 Dinka, Atwot and Mandari tribesmen, burnt many villages and took about 7,000 cattle.
Stigand's successor Vincent Reynolds Woodland
wrote that "The Government has done nothing for the Aliab. It has not protected them from aggression, has given them no economic benefits ... it has forced them to do a certain amount of labour, to pay taxes and to endure a not negligible amount of extortion by police". However, although he removed the Egyptian ma'mur at Minkammon who had triggered the Aliab revolt through his abuses, Woodland did not appoint a replacement. The Aliab Dinka were left with no administration at all.
In the past, the Aliab Dinka had a close relationship with the Mandari people. In the dry season, the Mandari would graze the Aliab grasslands beside the Nile. In return, the Aliab Dinka would share the Mandari woodland grazing in the rainy season.
In times of shortage, however, there has been conflict between the Aliab and Bor Dinka and the Mandari. During the period starting in 1972 with the end of the First Sudanese Civil War
the Aliab Dinka used their control of administrative posts to undermine the old agreements on dry season grazing.
When hostilities resumed in 1983 with the Second Sudanese Civil War
there was a violent reaction against the Dinka, with many being killed by the Mundari in Juba
.
Conflict flared up between the Aliab Dinka and the Mandari again in November 2009. About 40 people were killed in a dispute over grazing land on the border of Aliap and Terekeka
counties during a period of water shortage.
Nine of the Dinka were killed and about 31 Mundari men were shot dead by the more heavily armed Dinka.
The Aliap Dinka claimed that the Mandari had been the aggressors, abducting five women and four children and stealing 20 cows.
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
. They traditionally lived in an area west of the upper White Nile
White Nile
The White Nile is a river of Africa, one of the two main tributaries of the Nile from Egypt, the other being the Blue Nile. In the strict meaning, "White Nile" refers to the river formed at Lake No at the confluence of the Bahr al Jabal and Bahr el Ghazal rivers...
river.
The name is also used to refer to a breed of cattle maintained by the Aliab Dinka people and widespread in the region.
Location
The Aliab Dinka mainly live in the Lakes StateLakes (state)
Lakes is one of the 10 states of South Sudan. It has an area of 40,235 km². Rumbek is the capital of the state. Lakes is in the Bahr el Ghazal region of South Sudan, in addition to Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal, and Warrap states. Bahr el Ghazal itself was a former province...
of South Sudan, in the Awerial County, to the west of the White Nile.
The Aliab Valley is a low floodplain to the west of the Bahr-el-Gebel (Nile) between Tombé in the south and Lake Papiu in the north. The valley is between 2.5 miles (4 km) and 6 miles (9.7 km) wide and perhaps 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) in length. The Bahr-el-Gebel flows well above the east side of the valley between high banks.
During the rainy season, usually starting in June, the river overflows its banks and floods the whole valley, which becomes a huge swamp. After the southern half of the valley has drained, between December and April it is suitable for cattle grazing. A report from 1951 said that some Dinka hunted the abundant game during this period, particularly buffalo.
1919 rising
In 1919 the Aliab Dinka country lay within the Mongalla Province of the Anglo-Egyptian SudanAnglo-Egyptian Sudan
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan referred to the manner by which Sudan was administered between 1899 and 1956, when it was a condominium of Egypt and the United Kingdom.-Union with Egypt:...
.
There was an uprising of the Aliab Dinka that year.
3,000 Dinka men attacked the police post at Mekamon, near Bor, and killed several policemen.
Mandari tribesmen in the region to the south attacked at the same time and killed some telegraph linesmen and police.
Lieutenant Colonel Richard Finch White took several companies of the Egyptian Army Equatorial Battalion to the area to handle the situation.
The Mongalla province Governor Chauncey Hugh Stigand
Chauncey Hugh Stigand
Chauncey Hugh Stigand was a British army officer, colonial administrator and big game hunter. He was killed in action while attempting to suppress a rebellion of Aliab Dinka....
went on patrol himself, and on 8 December 1919 was killed at Pap, between the Lau River and the White Nile.
Two other officers and 24 soldiers and porters were speared to death by 1,000 Dinka warriors.
The rising was put down harshly in 1920.
A force under Colonel Robert Henry Darwall led the punitive expedition, which killed over 400 Dinka, Atwot and Mandari tribesmen, burnt many villages and took about 7,000 cattle.
Stigand's successor Vincent Reynolds Woodland
Vincent Reynolds Woodland
Vincent Reynolds Woodland was a British colonial administrator who was governor of Mongalla Province of the southern Anglo-Egyptian Sudan from 1920 to 1924....
wrote that "The Government has done nothing for the Aliab. It has not protected them from aggression, has given them no economic benefits ... it has forced them to do a certain amount of labour, to pay taxes and to endure a not negligible amount of extortion by police". However, although he removed the Egyptian ma'mur at Minkammon who had triggered the Aliab revolt through his abuses, Woodland did not appoint a replacement. The Aliab Dinka were left with no administration at all.
Conflicts
The Aliab Dinka have traditionally been primarily pastoral in occupation, although they engage in some agriculture.In the past, the Aliab Dinka had a close relationship with the Mandari people. In the dry season, the Mandari would graze the Aliab grasslands beside the Nile. In return, the Aliab Dinka would share the Mandari woodland grazing in the rainy season.
In times of shortage, however, there has been conflict between the Aliab and Bor Dinka and the Mandari. During the period starting in 1972 with the end of the First Sudanese Civil War
First Sudanese Civil War
The First Sudanese Civil War was a conflict from 1955 to 1972 between the northern part of Sudan and the southern Sudan region that demanded representation and more regional autonomy...
the Aliab Dinka used their control of administrative posts to undermine the old agreements on dry season grazing.
When hostilities resumed in 1983 with the Second Sudanese Civil War
Second Sudanese Civil War
The Second Sudanese Civil War started in 1983, although it was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. Although it originated in southern Sudan, the civil war spread to the Nuba mountains and Blue Nile by the end of the 1980s....
there was a violent reaction against the Dinka, with many being killed by the Mundari in Juba
Juba
- Locations :* Juba, the capital of South Sudan* Juba, Estonia, a village in Võru Parish, Võru County, Estonia- People :* Juba I of Numidia * Juba II of Numidia * Juba of Mauretania...
.
Conflict flared up between the Aliab Dinka and the Mandari again in November 2009. About 40 people were killed in a dispute over grazing land on the border of Aliap and Terekeka
Terekeka County
Terekeka County is an administrative division of Central Equatoria state in South Sudan.The headquarters is the town of Terekeka, lying on the west bank of the White Nile north of Juba."Terekeka" means "the forgotten" in local dialect.-Location:...
counties during a period of water shortage.
Nine of the Dinka were killed and about 31 Mundari men were shot dead by the more heavily armed Dinka.
The Aliap Dinka claimed that the Mandari had been the aggressors, abducting five women and four children and stealing 20 cows.