Refugee community leaders from the counties comprising the former colonial Fangak District have welcomed the move by South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar to designate their area as ‘Phou State’.

This comes after the rebel group SPLM-IO declared the division of Jonglei State into four states of Phow, Bieh, Jonglei and Pibor, as part of an overall plan to break up the 10 states of South Sudan into 21 states.

Bol Khan, Information Representative of Phou Youth Union in Uganda, told Radio Tamazuj that he thought the creation of the new states would bring more equal development to the country. He also welcomed the appointment of Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam as Phou interim state governor.

The Phou Youth Union is a consortium youth organizations from the old Fangak District, excluding the Padang Dinka youth of Pigi County. Its members are drawn from Ayod and Fangak counties, including Lak, Gawaar and Thiang Nuer youth associations.

Jal Duop Yang, an elder from the Phow community said that the creation of new states was in line with the original SPLM/A vision for “taking towns to the people.”

“That's why Dr Machar came up with the wonderful and fruitful idea which will benefit all people of South Sudan,” Yang added.

Likewise, Stephen Waat Bipal, chairman of the Phou community in Uganda told Radio Tamazuj that he welcomes the new structures put in place by SPLM-IO

Both Gatdin Ngundeng, a former chairperson of Phow Community in Uganda from 2009 - 2011 welcomed the new structures for the ‘Federal Republic’ of South Sudan.

He applauded Pagak conference for the resolutions to form 21 states headed by interim governors. He expected this would be better for service delivery and development.

Meanwhile, Bol Khan also urged IGAD mediators to bring peace between the two warring parties.

“The Phou Youth Union is hereby urging the two main warring parties, GRSS and the SPLM/SPLA to quickly speed up in negotiations and bringing to South Sudanese suffering citizens a permanent peace on a golden national plate, today not tomorrow,” said Khan.

He pointed out that many South Sudanese are dying every day.

“The ordinary citizenry cannot suffer for another similar past year. No this is too much hence; the year 2015 should be a year of peace.”

File photo: SPLM/A-In Opposition delegates in Pagak