The former commissioner of Pibor County Joshua Konyi has praised the peace agreement with the SSDM-Cobra Faction led by David Yau Yau and denied that he had ever opposed the agreement.

SSDM-Cobra Faction battled the South Sudanese government in eastern Jonglei State from 2010-2011 and again from mid-2012 through 2013 until signing a peace deal that gave them power to govern Pibor as a special administrative area and made their leader David Yau Yau equal in status to a state governor by protocol.

Konyi, who was removed from his position as commissioner by presidential order and without explanation in August 2014, today told Radio Tamazuj that he fully supports the Pibor agreement.

“As I see it now Greater Pibor is doing well under the administration of the Chief Administrator brother David Yau Yau – I see him as doing well now.”

He said he thought the re-division of Pibor into multiple counties under the overall direction of the Greater Pibor Administration was a good step and he also said he looked forward to the re-opening of the schools in the area.

Asked why he had been removed as Pibor Commissioner, Konyi denied that it was because he had opposed the formation of ‘Greater Pibor.’ “I don’t think I was against the agreement. No, that kind of speech is coming from somebody who is not saying something good. I am happy and that was the same as I was saying at the time when I was commissioner.”

“I think that was something good that happened to the ‘greater’ County that I was responsible for. Now it has become seven counties. Don’t you think if your wife delivered for you seven children on one day wouldn’t you be happy or would you be angry?”

Konyi continued, “I think the agreement benefits all the people, not only David Yau Yau and his group. First of all, the government benefits from it as the government of the South and us as citizens of greater Pibor we benefit from it – from one county to seven counties, we will all benefit.”

He recalled that during his time as commissioner he found it difficult to visit all the bomas and remain connected to the people because he was responsible for such a huge area, whereas the new administrative structure helps address this by creating new county administrations.

“I thank the President of the Republic and the fathers or politicians of the Murle who stood up for bringing peace to greater Pibor in the time of war, and I also thank my brother David Yau Yau because he wanted peace and made an agreement with the government at the time of the rebellion of Riek Machar and joined our government army,” Konyi said.

The former commissioner is now serving as a general in SPLA Division 8 (Juba faction) and posted currently at Panpandier in Bor area.

File photo: Pibor Commissioner Joshua Konyi (left), 6 August 2013 (Radio Tamazuj)

Related:

Draft deal with Cobra Faction to establish Jonglei sub-region (29 March)