19/06/2022
OPINION ON THE JONGLEI CANAL PROJECT'S RESUMPTION AND RIVERS DREDGING
16 June 2022
The resumption of Canal project and the rivers dredging would be one of the monumental political blunder ever was made by the government since independence of South Sudan in 2011 July 9. And if we asked ourselves, what was the purpose of Jonglei Canal project that began in the Sudd area in the 1970s? Why might someone in Sudan and Egypt want to dig the Jonglei Canal? The Jonglei Canal Project was considered as one of the most important integrations Project between Egypt and Sudan. The Project was designed to make full use of the Nile Water, promote human, and economic development in the isolated regions, and boost agricultural development in Sudan and indeed Egypt bythen.
Furthermore, the aim of the Project is an important project that was proposed by the government of the two sisterly countries, Sudan and Egypt with the important to reduce the vast water losses in the Sudd region, in South Sudan, Canal Jonglei. Sudd is the Arabic word that was derived from word Sadd, meaning Barriers or Obstruction in English. However, there are two ways of swamps, one is the Permanent swamps during the dry season which started from November until April, two is Seasonal Swamps created by flooding of the Nile / Bhar El Jebel the wet season which started from April until October, that is between Mangalla in the South and Malakal in the North.
Indeed Canal project was one of the controversial topic between South Sudanese Politicians by the time, many of them were against the Project. But few of them were by the side of the Project inwhich one of them had indeed threatened the refusals Teams, he told them that, this Project will pass even by your Eyes.Therefore, Canal Project was amongst the top agendas of South Sudanese which let them to rebels against the government of Sudan. And as a matter of facts, when they obtained the power of having they own Army Forces, the Canal project was the first target to be shut down in January to February 1984 by Jamus Battalion.
Jonglei Canal project was started in 1978, and the construction started with destruction, many areas as been destroyed in Atar area like "Kolthoth and Mat" has been demolished without proper Compensation. The same to Khorfulus, Yith nooi and Manaduai has been demolished and the same to Ayot in Gawar and indeed in Bor areas. Fundamentally, South Sudanese are pastoral and farming Societies, and their main source of Water are those swamps, ofwhich Egypt want to drain now, our wildlife are going to immigrate, and the tame animals are going to die if rivers will be dredged off then the Swamps (Toch) are going to dry. This Project is not far from distinction of all terrestrial species.
In 1979 after one year of the Project I was a boy of 13 years old, we used to go and detour down there to the big wonderful Machine, and to whitemen which was unique from Us to see such a strange entities in our area. Our cattle herding areas between Kolthok and Wun de Miaker was occupied by the Machine, but we still going there with our cattle we don't know what to said bythen, but now things are quiet different, therefore, I said No for the resumption of Canal project, and No for the Dredging of our rivers, and let we all says Nooooooooo with loud voices.
To those who put flood water as a cogent reasons for the dredging of the rivers should steer clear from the dredging, because the Flood water is natural and it is there everywhere around the world, that includes United of America and United kingdom. Flood water had inundated Upper Nile region in Nine 1963 and 1964, but we took almost 5 decades without Flood water. Therefore, we cannot make permanent droughts to happen in our Country by dredging the rivers and let Egypt go and brimming their water Stores with our water for their future us. Let we all says Nooooooo for dredging or resumption of Jonglei Canal project.
Adung Miaker ~