People of South Sudan have been asking themselves with many rhetorical questions as to what, a problem of Western Equatoria State is most specially Tambura County. On the face of it, one would see an accusation made and immediately there could be response(s) to counter the accusation. Mostly respondents to such accession (s) respond to the accusation in tribalistic manner.
Reading from the current press release by four Hon. Members of National Legislative Assembly dated 02/05/2023. It would very clear to any ordinary person without knowledge of the genesis of the plight of the people of Tambura, to conclude who are the architects of violence in Tambura time immemorial.
The impartial and not well thought written press release overshadowed with tribalism, authored by individuals with questionable good morals, did nothing less than exposing their ignorance to conceal their tribalism. Today, the people of Western Equatoria State know the four MPs as tribalistic and architects of Tambura violence.
The four MPs are claiming clean hands while their hands are dirty and tainted beyond wash. They four claimed their two MP colleagues had a hate speech. That innocent balanda community were being labelled as conspirators with Seleka, Ambororo etc. The four have very shot memory and have easily forgotten the multiple audios intercepted of the agent of the four MPs coordinating the killing of innocent Azande crossing to CAR for businesses including the son of the commissioner of Tambura, which almost every WES citizen listened to; an open mockery of victims of their sponsored project in public.
The four MPs claimed their two colleagues did not notify them to air their grievances as if the four had no idea about the killing of innocent citizens. All the four had wanted is no one should raise the matter to public so that the fully funded project of the four continue uninterrupted. If Hon. Bandindi and the cohorts were not tribal, which other colleagues did they notified to join them in signing the press to counter the press of the two MPs? The press of the two MPs was backed with detailed records and was very impressive. The four accused the two MPs of tribalism, however their press release of 2nd May speak volumes about their tribalism and support of killing innocent civilians of Tambura.
If the four MPs were not tribal, they would have rallied the other Azande MPs who were not part of the press release made by the two MPs to sign their press release to clearly depict there other colleagues as tribal. The four MPs cannot point fingers at the two MPs as tribal as they, themselves exhibited more tribal sentiment in their press release by rallying the supports of the Balanda of Western Barh El Gazal into the problem they created long time ago in Tambura. It shall be noted here that, the problem was created by the Abare of Tambura, who as of today wants to classify themselves as Balanda to win favor from the Balanda of Western Balr el Gazal. To set the record straight, the Abare of Tambura are a mixed race, just like the Waswahili of East Africa and the Goffals of Zimbabwe. Although the Abare are trying to avoid the use of the name Abare, still it is hard to change history in the broad day light. That is why almost all the Abare of Tambura use or call their children with the Azande names. If Pascal Bandindi may be asked, why is he using Zande name “URU”? Or why do they call their children with Azande names? This is just a simple ideological fact which everyone knows.
Some facts about the clandestine Hon. Pascal bandindi Uru shall be discussed below, 1990 to 2005. Who wrote the press release and called his tribesmen to sign, to show solidarity with his long and uncouth behavior that has caused the people of Tambura great misery, who will live to regret voting him for life.
It is worth noting that, controversial WES state minister of Commerce and Investment, just before the press release of the four MPs, was spotted around the National Legislative Assembly, suspiciously awaiting to append his signature on the press release; but it seems Hon. Pascal Bandndi advised him not to append concealing him as a key player on ground in what can be known as Bandndi Foundation.
Hon. Lino Utu has been known for being incompetent. He is failed leader, he cannot utter any word in the parliament those in parliament bear witness to this. Lino Utu failed miserably during his leadership in Western Equatoria State. The worse scenario was witnessed in Tambura state resulting in his sudden disappointment by the State Governor. Lino was accused of buying and selling of Ambororo cows; the person seen to have established first relationship with foreign forces which ended up in coordinated attacks on innocent civilians in Tambura. This unethical behavior of Lino compromised the security of Tambura state while he used to act as chairperson of security in absence of State Governor.
Hon. Salleh; who is well known as honey harvester (Ba nu Anyege) is believed not to have read what he signed because he cannot write and read. Salleh is a fugitive of tribal conflict he participated in, in Wau and when was being searched, Bandindi called him to Tambura to hide there from justice. Everyone in Tambura know him as a Balanda who run away from Wau because of the conflict between Balanda and Dinka some years back. He is notably one of the right hand of Hon. Pascal Bandindi in aiding Abare and fueling the conflict in Tambura.
The clandestine Hon. Pascal Bandindi Uru – from Liberation struggle in 1990 – 2005
The clandestine Hon. Pascal Bandindi Uru has been the mastermind and architect of the tribal conflict being experienced in Tambura today, in Western Equatoria State. He started this a project when he had an opportunity to be assigned during war in Sudan relief and rehabilitation Association (SRRA). He used that opportunity of SRRA to mobilize abare against Azande. He would conduct tribal meetings in a house which he occupied at Masia and another house in Napare of one the Balanda who migrated from Wau because of a job offer to work as carpentry at the Catholic Diocese of Tambura Yambio. During this time he made two attempted assassination of Hon. Bakosoro. One which he planned in Tambura failed, in Yambio, he (Bandindi) instructed a notorious uncultured man, who was known as Buzu in Yambio to kill Bakosoro, and this Buzu died miserable death because of being used. The attempted assassination of Bakpspro was because Bakosoro was becoming popular who was not bare than Bandindi. Pascal Bandindi made several assassination attempts on the lives of Azande leaders but failed. The same clandestine Bandinidi created a map of what he referred to as Mamurunze. It should be noted that, Bandindi tried sometimes back before liberation to support this fake map with a writing from one of anthropologist who came to WES and fall in love with a balanda lady. Bandindi asked him to write his of abare in Tambura saying it was Mamurunze. The anthropologist asked few questions like if Bandindi claim Tambura as for abare, where was the grave of the chief of abare? And he said the name Mamurunze comes from the name of river mamenze that has been misspelled by Azande as Makenzie, how about the Mamenze found in Yambio, Maridi were are those River Mamurunze? Pascal Bandindi failed to answer those questions. The anthropologist told Bandindi, he could not write that Tambura is original place of abare, if he does so it would render his profession and anthropologist a destruction.
Hon. Pascal Bandindi was once secretary of Agriculture during the liberation struggle. His office tenure saw him squandering the resources of the country for his own benefits which caused him a very bad record and that has made him not to qualify for any job in South Sudan today aside from the mistake the voters made. Some of the very good examples of these include the A Nzara factory which he vandalized and sold equipment’s parts to a known traders in Uganda. He also cut and sold the teak in Yei to businessmen in Arua, Uganda. It is this scandalous behaviour that rendered him unfit for any key ministry in the republic of South Sudan and in fact he might one day die without holding such prestigious position in his life. But he places all blame on Azande, that they refused him to get a better job in South Sudan and yet, because of short memory, if it was not Azande, he wouldn’t be in National Assembly today.
It shall also be noted that the current top leadership of both the SPLM and the government of South Sudan witnessed such behavior of Bandindi in Yei. He was advised on many occasions in vain. He even denied approval for some of the leaders in the national government. His serves at the Agriculture in Yambio before war was also marred with corruption and nepotisms. He would only recruit his own tribemates. It should be noted that, he suffered mental disorder to the extent of not putting on cloth and it is suspected that; such mental problem might have impaired his ability to think well from time to time.
Flashing back on his behaviour, the 2019 report emerged about his secret meetings and plans in Juba which was based on facts. The secret meetings he was conducting and the plans being laid in order to create conflicts in Yambio. Whenever his secrets are revealed to the general public, in most cases you would see him rush to the press to make statement and swore to the Almighty God pretending to be saying the truth.
Clandestine Pascal Bandindi as SPLM member
Hon. Pascal Bandindi claims to be a member of the SPLM but his actions are contract to what he says, he is a complete IO in action. Tracing his leadership style back to the 1991, when Riek broke away from the SPLM, he was an underground supporter of Riek that time. He always claims that he is a die-hard of SPLM but deep in his heart it is a different thing. During the 1991, when Cdr Luka join Riek faction, Hon. Pascal was also part of the group. He could be sending information secretly to Cdr Luka to share with the leadership of Riek faction.
What the public need to know is Pascal Bandindi is like water melon which green but red inside, outside he is SPLM and inside is IO; when he acts he acts IO. This is clearly seen when he is openly defending the atrocities IO is committing against citizens. He does not want notorious primitive governor of WES be changed to bring peace. The Primitive governor is being used as an instrument for Bandindi Foundation. It should be clear today to everyone that, Bandindi is one of those insiders of SPLM sellouts. The issue of the Seleka which he has rushed to dispute is a very true story, with intercepted telephone conversations between the boys of Pascal bandindi and Seleka planning to kill the son of Tambura commissioner. Anyone who would like to verify the story can just go to Tambura and ask the people who were there during the conflict. A phone call would also be made to verify the truth. We have county authority and some of the organized forces who saw the body of the seleka. Every sound minded person could see how cheap Hon. Pascal could go down to say: “…… The alleged so called photo of a Seleka fighter said to have been shot and killed in Tambura was sent to Balanda diaspora for verification through electro-micro imaging test analysis and the image was identified as having taken in 2006 in one of the Sahel regions…..”. This is a big lie. How can a balanda verify incriminating evidence against balanda? Anybody with sound mind cannot buy this big lie. Witnesses are here on ground as I speak and are just laughing at yaba.
In 2012, a peace conference was held in Tambura, this conference was attended by high delegation headed by the current Vice President Hon. Dr. Wani Igga. When the discussion became hot and fingers being pointed at Hon pascal Bandindi, he immediately changed his colour and tone. One could not actually believe this is the pascal Bandindi who pretends that he is a leader of the people of Tambura. He stammered when responding to the various allegations. When the aircraft of the Vice president landed in Tambura to bring him back to Juba, Hon pascal wanted to board the flight and run away to Juba. He was rejected on the basis that he is part and parcel of the conflict. And as a leader of the areas there is no way he could leave the conference and leave, yet he was the main subject of the conflicts. Therefore, he was forced to attend the conference, a very clear indication of his clandestine behaviour.
What everyone know is there are people who must take responsibilities of the conflict in Tambura County if there shall be change of state leadership with a sound minded leader; and Pascal Bandindi is the mastermind of the conflict.
In 1990s, in Nairobi, Hon. Pascal proved how tribal he was when he used to hold secret meetings exclusively with the Abare youth; who were being hosted and supported by Azande leaders so that they can acquire higher education alongside their colleagues. Any time Pascal could visit Nairobi, he could call the Abare students for secret meetings. Some of the students included the late Peter Utu, Louis Sende, the late Ann Biniku, Daniel Zingifuaboro among others. The meetings were all about instigating the youth against Azande, yet these youth were being hosted and fed by the same people he was instigating them against. Hon. Pascal does things in secret, putting the children of other people at the front line while he sits back pretending not to know anything, yet none of his children has ever been in the front line to fight for his cause.
In Juba, as indicated by the 2019 report which exposed his secret meetings, he has continued to hold various secret meetings in residential houses. These days the meeting rotates from home to home in form of social gathering.
That is just an iceberg on the true colour of the so-called MPs.
By John Mandela, Freelance Journalist, based
In Tombura; email: johnmandela@gmail.com
