Mapping Actors and Alliances Project in South An initiative of the Small Arms Survey’s Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) Project www.maapss.org Update No. 5

MAAPSS Update 25 March 2021 State: New appointments and developments

the state administration, as well as in What’s new in Unity the world of NGOs.

• In Koch county, recently reappointed Why does it matter? commissioner Gordon Koang Biel has been attempting to reassert his power • Following the establishment of the over restive Jagei youths, who have Ruweng Administrative Area, Unity been raiding in county. state is now a mono-ethnic Nuer Backed by People’s state, as well as in theory being the Defence Forces (SSPDF) under Jagei well-spring of SPLA-IO support, as Jany, Koang’s interventions amongst well as the birthplace of , his own Nuer subsection risk creating the opposition’s leader. Political further cycles of conflict, as alienated changes in the state thus constitute a youths raid into , and bellwether for broader changes in while the SSPDF and Koang conduct levels of support to the SPLA-IO. increasingly violent campaigns to repress the Jagei Nuer. • In much of the state, the government and the variety of South Sudanese • The Sudan People’s Liberation Army oppositions that operate in Unity are in Opposition’s (SPLA-IO) increasingly unified. SPLA-IO cadres nominations of weak, locally appointed to positions of power within unpopular figures for state-level the state administration or as county positions, and for county commissioners are drawn from a commissioner positions, underline the small circle of Machar loyalists and opposition’s acquiescence to the family members, and their government’s (SPLM-IG) political appointments are designed to be dominance. The unpopular SPLA-IO politically palatable to the Montyuils in appointment for county commissioner . This means that the in Payinjiar risks further alienating its opposition county commissioners in base support in southern Unity state. southern Unity, like the government appointments to the same region, are • Overall, state-level appointments in external impositions, without popular Unity confirm the dominance of the support on the ground—a situation clique of military and political leaders that does not suggest that those around the Bul Nuer governor Nguen commissioners have the capacity to Monytuil, and the Leek Nuer control recent outbreaks of revenge descendants of Tungwar Kueingong raiding in Mayendit and Payinjiar Ret—a prominent customary leader in counties, or that the SPLA-IO can Rubkona county—who have maintain meaningful levels of political maneuvered themselves into support in the region over the long positions of power at every level of term.

1

Mapping Actors and Alliances Project in South Sudan

An initiative of the Small Arms Survey’s Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) Project Update No. 4 www.maapss.org

• The increasing distance between will likely lead to further raiding and state-level political appointments and violence in both counties; both men the sentiments of the communities on are unpopular and divisive choices the ground, and of the customary and will essentially rule as the heads authorities, suggests that the capacity of occupying armies. Both will likely of local political figures to control use violence to accumulate cattle and communitarian forces by means other to quell discontent with their authority. than explicit violence is increasingly However, the violent responses to limited—a situation that does not these appointments will probably bode well for the prospect of future remain localized; decisions about political stability in South Sudan. broader military campaigns, such as southern Unity witnessed in 2015 or What does the future hold? 2018, for instance, are made in Bentiu, and for now, Nguen Monytuil • Reportedly, Kiir will allow Machar out has little interest in pursuing the of to conduct a tour of the remnants of whatever forces oppose country in 2021, and visit the various his rule into the swamps of the south governors and deputy-governors that of Unity state. he has appointed after consultations with the SPLM-IG. In Unity, it is likely • The weak county commissioner that this tour will encounter turbulent appointments for Leer, Mayendit, and waters. In Payinjiar, community Payinjiar are likely to be accompanied leaders have insisted that William by increased raiding in Dinka Gatgiek Mabor—the SPLA-IO- communities bordering Unity state— appointed county commissioner—was in , for instance—as the not their choice, is not welcome in commissioners will be unable to exert southern Unity, and should remain as enough power over the youth to ‘a commissioner in Juba,’ much like prevent such raids. In , the pseudo-potentates the in contrast, the appointment of James government appointed for SPLA-IO Chol Gatluak Manime as territory from 2013–20, who governed commissioner is likely to partially by press releases from Juba, while prevent raiding into Warrap, the the SPLA-IO had effective control on source of frequent altercations the ground. Unlike from 2013–20, it is between the Twic and the Bul Nuer in now the SPLA-IO that is in Juba, recent years. Manime is the brother of controlling the map but not the Tut Kew Gatluak, Salva Kiir’s territory, while customary authorities influential security advisor, and a and local militia forces control the figure who is relatively popular in counties of southern Unity, often still Mayom county thanks to his largesse; using the name SPLA-IO, but remote reportedly, some of the money he from its leadership in Juba. purloined from the various security funds he administered in Juba was • The government appointments of reallocated to the Bul Nuer Stephen Taker Riek as commissioner community. Manime is thus able to of Leer county and of Gordon Koang exert some control over Bul Nuer Biel as Koch county commissioner youths.

2

Mapping Actors and Alliances Project in South Sudan

An initiative of the Small Arms Survey’s Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) Project Update No. 4 www.maapss.org

the peace agreement pays to these groupings and their relative weight in terms of position (that SSOA should get a specific number of positions, SPLA- Main Developments IO another number) obfuscates the more central alliances that determine State-level appointments politics in Unity state. In Bentiu, the Leek and Bul Nuer elite have made a On 22 February, Salva Kiir announced pact, through the families of the the appointments in Unity State to state Tungwars and the Monytuils, at the government positions, including expense of and a advisers, and chairpersons for state variety of Bul Nuer challengers to commissions, as well as county Nguen’s crown. It is this Bul-Leek axis commissioners. Noteworthy of power that currently holds sway in appointments included Lam Tungwar Bentiu. Kueigong as Minister of Housing, Land, and Public Utilities. Lam Tungwar is a The reorganization of the SSPDF Leek Nuer from the Cieng Chuol section, who was born in the Kaljak In January 2021, Salva Kiir’s proposed area, Rubkona county, and is the son reorganization of the SSPDF was of the popular Paramount Chief circulated, though it has not yet Tungwar Kueingong Ret. His brother is become public. In Unity state, the Tor Tungwar, the deputy governor of SSPDF remains largely unchanged, Unity state, and former SPLA-IO with Akol Majak Nyigan Aco continuing military governor of Unity state. Other as commander of SSPDF Division 4, brothers work in the humanitarian and Carlo Kuol Ruai Kuony as his industry, while one of his sisters deputy. Division 4 is the only regular married Nguen Monytuil, formally division that retained both the joining the two families, both of which commander and the deputy straddle the opposition-government commander. As in other states— divide. notably in — the ranking SSPDF officer in Unity is Two sets of brothers now occupy not Nuer, but rather a Kiir loyalist from politically and militarily central positions out of state, and thus less likely to in Unity state. Nguen Monytuil is the make common cause with potentially governor, and in theory a member of rebellious forces within the state. The the SPLM-IG; his brother, Bapiny theory, anyway, is that Aco’s Monytuil, is the leader of the opposition independence from Bentiu politics South Sudan Liberation Movement makes him more likely to be loyal to (SSLM) and a member of the South Juba. Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), for which he is the secretary for security Aco’s reappointment as Division 4 affairs. Relations of kin, in this case, commander is also recognition of his prove stronger than the provisional role in assuring the peaceful transition grouping to which each brother pays of Division 4’s special division, a mono- nominal fidelity. Indeed, the attention ethnic Bul Nuer force based in their

3

Mapping Actors and Alliances Project in South Sudan

An initiative of the Small Arms Survey’s Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) Project Update No. 4 www.maapss.org

heartland: Mayom county. Its former work together—and in 2019-20—when commander, Matthew Puljang, was the opportunity to get rid of a mutual dismissed on 24 April 2020 after Tut rival arises. Kew Gatluak and Nguen Monytuil schemed to bring him to Juba in order Following Puljang’s removal, he was to separate him from his forces before kept under house arrest in Juba, while dismissing him. Puljang’s powerful amongst the Bul Nuer political elite in Division 4 special force was paid mid-2020, Bapiny Monytuil led an directly by the office of the president elaborate negotiation that brought two and was answerable to Salva Kiir dissident figures, Puljang and Stephen rather than to the Division 4 Buay—effectively the two losers to the commander in Bentiu. Puljang’s relative Monytuil brothers in the competition for autonomy posed a threat to Nguen Bul Nuer power in Bentiu—back into Monytuil’s control of Mayom, and thus the fold. Puljang’s rehabilitation, albeit his control of Unity state more as a weakened figure forced to accept generally. In recent years Matthew the new balance of power, allowed him Puljang has been increasingly ill, and to return to Unity in the January spending much of his time in Uganda reorganization of the SSPDF, as head undergoing medical treatment. Nguen of military production for Division 4. Monytuil and Tutkew Gatluak saw This role puts Puljang in a potentially Puljang’s weakness as an opportunity lucrative position. In theory, military to remove him as a rival, which they did production deals with the army’s successfully. Division 4 special division agricultural production. In reality, it then went under Aco’s direct command. likely leaves Puljang to play the While some of its soldiers and military’s part in government land deals Puljang’s men have raided into Warrap, with the international corporations that and controlling the Bul Nuer youths have been buying up land in South remains difficult, Aco is widely thought Sudan since 2006, often in legally to have handled his part in this dubious arrangements. Puljang’s transition with aplomb. archenemy, the Bul Nuer Michael Makal Kuol Deng—who formed an While in 2020, Monytuil, Tutkew alliance with Taban Deng Gai in Gatluak, and Aco handled the removal 2010—became head of military of Pulang; Tayib Gatluak engineered production in , effectively the arrest and dismissal of the popular removing him from Unity state, but in a Bul Nuer commander, Stephen Buay. potentially lucrative position. The In the January 2021 reorganization of transfer of Kuol Deng to Abyei from the SSPDF, Tayib Gatluak, also known Unity further weakens Taban Deng as Tai Tai, was recognized for his role Gai’s position in the state. in the removal of rivals to the Monytuils and Tutkew Gatluak with the position of Tutkew Gatluak and the politics of deputy commander of SSPDF ground Mayom county forces—under Boutros Bol Bol—one of the most important military positions in The most important county in Unity, the country. Tayib Gatluak and Nguen whence much of its political and military Monytuil are rivals for power, but also elite hails, Mayom is a crucible for the

4

Mapping Actors and Alliances Project in South Sudan

An initiative of the Small Arms Survey’s Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) Project Update No. 4 www.maapss.org

violent antagonisms produced in the The Permanence of Gordon Koang rest of the state. Puljang’s removal Biel in Koch County from power in 2020 enabled Tutkew Gatluak to consolidate his own power Like Manime, Gordon Koang Biel, the in Mayom county, thanks to Kiir’s reappointed Koch county appointment of his brother, James Chol commissioner, served with the Bul Gatluak Manime, as commissioner. Nuer commander Paulino Matiep’s Manime’s ascension to power puts up South Sudanese Independence another blockage to Taban Deng Gai, Movement/Army (SSIM/A) during the who is cutting an increasingly remote second civil war. While Manime, along and unimportant figure in Kiir’s with Tut Kew Gatluak, was largely a administration; his political grouping political figure coordinating between the was given none of the positions they SSIM/A and its supporters in , claimed in the February-March Gordon Koang Biel was a famous dispensation of state- and county-level commander who effectively ran Koch positions throughout South Sudan. county as a personal fiefdom. Like Manime can only be overjoyed by Bapiny Monytuil, Biel was absorbed Taban Deng Gai’s marginalization—not into the SPLA in 2006, following the only did Gai burn down Mayom county Juba Declaration. In 2013 he sided, in 2008-10 while governor of Unity along with the Monytuils, with the state, he also forced Manime to flee government, and was rewarded with southern Sudan in 2010. the position of county commissioner of Koch. From 2014–18, Biel raised Jagei Manime is a popular figure in Mayom. Nuer militias to fight in southern Unity, Unlike Matthew Puljang, he is not a which participated in some of the worst military commander, and thus presents atrocities of the South Sudanese civil less of a threat to Ngen Monytuil’s war. control of Unity. However, it is unlikely that Manime will be able to actually Following his dismissal from the county address Mayom county’s substantive commissionership in 2018, Biel threw problems. Increasingly formal divisions his hat in with Taban Deng Gai, and his of payam boundaries (what were once militia forces worked in concert with counties in the 32-state division of Gai’s in Guit in 2019. However, with South Sudan) have intensified inter- Gai’s fall from Kiir’s grace, Biel returned sectional raiding and conflict as what his loyalties to the Monytuils, and was were shared areas of collective grazing reappointed commissioner in late 2019. have become the site of sectional, He remains a useful and violent force ethnicized claims to land rights. This for the Monytuils, though his standing problem is structural, and unlikely to be in his own Jagei Nuer community is solved by a country commissioner who falling. The Jagei Nuer do not feel like can be expected to be more interested they have received their share of the in the cattle he can obtain through fines plunders of 2018–19 and are aware and taxes, just as the last that the Leek Nuer of Rubkona stand commissioner was. far higher in the political ordering of the state.

5

Mapping Actors and Alliances Project in South Sudan

An initiative of the Small Arms Survey’s Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) Project Update No. 4 www.maapss.org

Jagei Nuer youths, alienated by Biel’s Sudanese civil war, becoming Leer efforts to be useful to Nguen Monytuil county commissioner again in 2014, in and to maintain relative peace with which role he led government attacks Koch’s northern neighbours, raided the that razed villages in Leer. He also Leek in January 2021 and have participated in campaigns into southern ambushed and harassed traffic along Unity from 2014–18. He is generally the Bentiu road. This has embarrassed hated by the local population, who Biel and undermined his claim to immediately led protests against his importance in the state, for these appointment. Taker will command an attacks indicate he no longer has effectively occupying force in Leer control of the Jagei Nuer youths. In county, with the SPLA-IO still in control February 2021, Biel sent the SSPDF— of the majority of the territory. Chap Kai led by his former rival for the position of Dhuor is the current Leer SPLA-IO county commissioner, Jagei Jany—into commissioner, while Brigadier Kuong Koch county to recover the cattle stolen Kuony Dhoal is the SPLA-IO operations from the Leek by the Jagei Nuer, commander and the leader to whom further eroding Biel’s popularity in the the Nuer communitarian youth militias, county, and seemingly committing the or Gojam, report. county to a further cycle of violence. Taker’s reign is likely to focus on the The Return of Stephen Taker Riek forced pacification of dissident Dong in Leer County elements in Leer county and the extraction of capital—in the form of Given his distance from the youth livestock—via taxes and fines. forces in Koch, and his increasing reliance on external military support, Opposition impositions in Payinjiar Biel resembles a figure with whom he otherwise has little in common: The appointment of William Gatgiek Stephen Taker Riek Dong, now Mabor by the SPLA-IO in Payinjiar reappointed by the government as county follows the pattern established commissioner for Leer County. While by the rest of the county-level Biel was an established military leader appointments in Unity state: the during the second civil war, Stephen preferred figures are obedient and Taker was a trader and civilian who dependent on external support, with parlayed his relative wealth into political loyalty to Bentiu or Juba rather than to power, first becoming the member of local constituencies. This form of local parliament for Leer county and then politics as external imposition is more county commissioner. In the latter generally likely to increase friction on position, he was exceptionally the ground throughout Unity state. In unpopular and so corrupt that even Payinjiar, the local customary Taban Deng Gai felt forced to dismiss authorities had supported the him in 2010. commissionership of Justin Machien, and, when the SPLA-IO blocked Like Biel, Stephen Taker rode the wave Machien, supported Michael Lot of government power to a position Gatluak. Both these recommendations during the current phase of the South were ignored by Machar, who chose

6

Mapping Actors and Alliances Project in South Sudan

An initiative of the Small Arms Survey’s Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) Project Update No. 4 www.maapss.org

Mabor, one of his former bodyguards, such figures as Stephen Taker and for the position of commissioner. Mabor Gordon Koang Biel. is not well-liked in Payinjiar, and the population feels that the SPLA-IO is It is unlikely that such a system will be remote from the community’s concerns stable. Government control is and interested only in maintaining its predicated on the coronation of these own powerbase in Juba. John Tap Puot locally weak figures who rely on Kang remains the most popular political external support. Such a reliance figure amongst the SPLA-IO in increases their alienation from local Payinjiar; Mabor has been warned by populations excluded from the political the customary authorities in Payinjiar to compact in Juba. Those populations be a ‘commissioner in Juba’ and not to will be increasingly unlikely to be set foot in southern Unity. This power controlled by such figures, leading to vacuum, however, with Payinjiar increases in raiding and SSPDF effectively being controlled by SPLA-IO retaliation. The creation of local commanders that are not recognized government in Unity state, in other by the SPLA-IO in Juba, is unlikely to words, is likely to lead not to peace, but enable a reduction in current rates of to a new form of war. violence, which are high due to revenge killings and raiding in Mayendit Acronyms and Abbreviations and Payinjiar counties, and which look SPLA-IO Sudanese People’s Liberation Army - set to continue in the months to come. in Opposition SPLM Sudanese People’s Liberation Conclusion Movement SPLM-IO [RM] Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement/Army – in Opposition [Riek Machar] The SPLM-IG, SSOA, and SPLA-IO SSLM South Sudan Liberation Movement are increasingly part of a single system SSIM/A South Sudanese Independence of power in Unity state, centered on the Movement/Army Monytuil brothers and the Tungwar SSOA South Sudan Opposition Alliance SSPDF South Sudan People’s Defense Force family’s control of Bentiu, and the Bul SPLM-IG Sudanese People’s Liberation Army Nuer military and political compact – in Government centered on Tutkew Gatluak and Tayib Gatluak in Juba. The SPLA-IO around Disclaimer Machar—distinct from those IO figures Information provided in this MAAPSS Update is such as the deputy governor, Tor sourced from field research conducted by Tungwar, who have thrown in with the Small Arms Survey and HSBA experts, including interviews with officials from the Monytuils—are reduced to a series of SPLM, SSPDF, SPLA-IO, local and state family appointments and loyalists—like leaders, and other prominent officials both in Mabor—that have little power on the and outside of South Sudan. Where ground. Elsewhere, government appropriate, in-text links are provided to access appointments in Unity repeat the secondary source material and actors’ profiles on the MAAPSS website. pattern of the current civil war, 2014–21 to have effectively ruling colonial forces in hostile territory led by putatively local leaders with little to no support on the ground. Witness the permanence of

7