By Othow Okoti, Pochalla, South Sudan
Friday, 28 November 2025 (PW) — Recently, social media has been rife with hate speech stemming from the territorial claim over Raat (Raad), an area along our international border with Ethiopia, which is contested by both the Anyuak and the sedentary farming Murle community, also known as Ngalam or Jebel Boma Murle. For a century, the Anyuak, Jie, Murle, and Kachipo have coexisted peacefully in what is now referred to as Greater Pibor Administrative Area’s (GPAA) Jebel Boma County. The Anyuak have lived harmoniously with the Ngalam Murle without prejudice or segregation in Awetaballa. Until recently, there had never been a significant territorial dispute in this region. In this article, I will provide a historical, ethnographic, and cartographic profile of the area in question, with the hope that it will illuminate the geography and ethnography of the region, ultimately restoring the once-thriving peaceful coexistence that is now threatened.
Historical Background
The history of Awetabala/Jebel Boma/Raat can be traced back to the arrival of three Anyuak brothers: Okwa, Apinydide, and Gak. These brothers were the first settlers in the Boma region and are ancestors of the Okwa/Boma Anyuak, a Luo ethnic group of Eastern Nilotes. They arrived in the area from Lafon/Bahr el Ghazal around the 15th century (Collins, 1983). Their migration was gradual, with varying itineraries.
The Lafon group settled at Boma Mountain, along a stream called Awang Nyang, now referred to as Labarab in Murle dialect. At Awang Nyang, a dispute arose among the three brothers, leading Okwa and Apinydide to establish a village on the northwestern side of Boma Mountain, while the Jie tribe settled to the southwest. Gak traveled north of Awang Nyang to the Ojwaa area, where he established a village now known as Jo Ojwaa (Ojwaa people).
Okwa and Apinydide remained around Boma Mountain but faced significant challenges when their cattle died due to tsetse flies. Consequently, they decided to migrate from Boma to Pool Dwai near the Nyibari River, then to Aguma Mountains, and finally to Aweta-Bala stream near Alal Mountains, today referred to as Khor-Chum, Pakok, and Suri.
The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan Boma
According to Robert Collins, the most powerful local authority in the borderlands was Olimi, after whom the Ilemi Triangle was named. Olimi, whose name the British misspelled as Illemi, was a prominent Anglo-Egyptian Sudanese Anyuak king who held sway during the 20th century. His village was the last Anyuak settlement along the Akobo River, near its junction with the Ajibur River, bordering both Ethiopia and the protectorate of Uganda. Olimi was so respected in the region that the government honored him before his assassination in 1936. While his territory extended to Illemi, Boma was his home and the base from which he ruled, and it was in Boma that he was laid to rest (Okony, 2025).
According to Manas J. Okony, Boma—home to the Murle, Anyuak, Jie, and Kachipo—has a name derived from the Anyuak word ‘Biem/Biem,’ meaning ‘guerrilla,’ reflecting the area’s significant guerrilla population. Another interpretation suggests that the name comes from ‘Bomo,’ meaning ‘let’s branch,’ coined by the Lafon group who viewed the mountainous terrain as a barrier during their march.
In the early 20th century, the Kachipo migrated to the Boma plateau during a severe drought in the Ethiopian highlands. Chief Losanga reached a working agreement with the Boma Murle to live and cultivate near Mount Bejunu. By this time, the Murle had already established themselves in their current territories, having begun settling there by the 1850s.
The Colonial Legacy of Boma: A History of Conflict and Coexistence
During the colonial era, the Boma region witnessed intermittent violent conflicts involving the Anyuak, Murle, and Kachipo communities. However, these conflicts were typically resolved quickly. Notable instances include the 1932-34 Anyuak raid on the Murle and a 1936 combined alliance of the Anyuak and Murle against the Kachipo. Both colonial and traditional authorities played roles in resolving these disputes, reflecting a spirit of coexistence among the Boma communities.
Historically, since the era of King Olimi, there has been a consistent effort to promote lasting peace and eliminate violence in the area. For example, in the 1920s, a treaty was established between the Okwa/Boma Anyuak and the Murle of Jebel Boma under the king’s auspices, aimed at keeping the border between the two communities free from violent conflict. The oral treaty, respected by the Boma communities, stipulates that if either the Anyuak or Murle breaching the accord resorts to violence, that community will suffer severe consequences. Due to this significant oral agreement, which has been historically vital for peaceful coexistence, Jebel Boma enjoyed peace from the 1920s until 1984, when the Murle abducted children from Okwa and killed civilians. The land between Boma town and Raat, including Awetabala, should remain a conflict-free zone without disputes.
It is important to acknowledge that the Boma Murle do not have a historical border with the Akobo River. Raat, the South Sudanese army post on the Akobo Riverbank, belongs to the Okwa community of the Anyuak, from whom the Murle are unlawfully claiming ownership.
The Arrival of Ngalam and Their Distinction from the Murle
The term “Ngalam” refers to the Olam. Several years ago, some individuals from the Olam tribe migrated from their homeland in the Ethiopian highlands to the southern Boma Mountains, which are now referred to as Ngalam, meaning Olam (tribe) people. These newcomers are not originally from the Murle, who migrated from Torit (Chukudum) in the Boya Mountains during the mid-19th century; however, they share a closely related language.
The Ngalam people settled south of the Boma highlands and formed positive relationships with the Okwa Anyuak both in the mountains and across the river. This coexistence is exemplified by the alliances between the two communities. For instance, during the last century, when the Kachipo tribe attacked the Ngalam area, the Ngalam sought refuge in Okwa territory for safety. The Okwa people stood by them, defending the displaced tribe, and together with Anyuak forces, chased the Kachipo away from the Boma Mountains, allowing the Ngalam to return to their village. Through this struggle, they forged a brotherhood, sharing blood and experiences of hardship together.
The border between the Anyuak and Ngalam lies at Aligam Mountain/Nyilangora, near a stream called Pool Dwai, situated between Ngalangora and Aguma Mountain. The communities of Boma are closely interconnected by lineage, which should serve as a foundation for peaceful coexistence.
One of King Kwot Olimi’s sons, whose mother was of Murle descent, Mazee, has been the head chief of Nyat since 1992. In the time of King Okwanga Kwot Olimi, Lakurnyang Lado approached him seeking a place to establish an Anyanya-2 camp. King Okwanga directed them to set up their camp at Raad camp in 1983.
Boma During the Liberation Era
Okwanga succeeded his father, Olimi Kwot, as king of Okwa in 1978 and remained in this position until the outbreak of war in Southern Sudan. He joined the Anyanya-II movement and later the SPLM/A rebellion at Bilpam in 1983, where he rose to the rank of captain.
In early 1983, King Okwanga granted permission for the breakaway Anyanya-II faction, led by the late Lakurnyang Lado, to establish a base at Raat. This event marked the first settlement of non-Anyuak people in Raat to date. The land of Okwa/Raat provided sanctuary and resources, including gold, fish, and wild meat, to freedom fighters. According to Anywaa customs, every piece of land belongs to a specific clan, and its use must follow proper channels. Commander Lakurnyang Lado, who was detained and publicly executed by his colleagues, adhered to these processes and was granted Raat as his training camp.
After the collapse of Lakurnyang’s rebellion, Raat was temporarily abandoned but was reoccupied in 1985 when the Scorpion (Agrab) battalion, under the command of Ngachigak Nyachuluk, graduated from Bonga training camp and headed to liberate Jebel Boma. At that time, their forces resettled in Raat. It is essential to note that Raat does not belong to the Murle people; all SPLA/M high commanders are aware that this area belongs to the Anywaa community. Thus, SPLM/A commanders consistently sought the king’s blessing before launching military campaigns.
In 1985, King Okwanga was asked by Commander Nyachigak to offer a blessing, known as “Lam” in Anyuak, meaning “prayers,” early in the morning for the land and the forces accompanying him into battle. That year, Boma Garrison was captured by the Agrab battalion.
In 1991, following the military overthrow of Ethiopia’s Mengistu government, Raat was renamed Pakok by the Dinka people fleeing from Ethiopia. Some members of the Red Army may remember this name, and in 1992, Sudanese refugees from the Dima camp and SPLA/M forces returned to Sudan, referring to the area as Pakok. This name was used as a code during the movement to avoid bombing by the Sudanese government during the war.
The CPA Era
The long civil war ended with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) on January 9, 2005, ushering in a new dawn. During this period, the area became known as Suri Payam. The Ngalam Murle took the payam of Awetabala to their part of Jebel Boma County, naming it Suri Payam (which means “hunting” in Murle).
In 2008, the area experienced a brief period of ups and downs during the census, and the issues present were resolved.
Conclusion
The Anyuak community shares a blood relationship with the Boma Murle. Boma Payam falls under Pibor County, while the Awetabala/Raat/Pakok area has been under Pochalla County Administration since 1976, when Pochalla was upgraded to a district. Before 1976, both Pochalla and Boma fell under Pibor District. The dispute between the Anyuak of Okwa and the Murle of Boma is discouraged by the elders from both sides.
The Awetaballa Anyuak are committed to coexisting peacefully with the Ngalam Murle, free from prejudice and segregation in Awetaballa. The CPA grants all South Sudanese nationalities the right to exist and develop their own cultures within the borders established in 1956. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees from all South Sudanese nationalities are returning to their original homelands to rebuild their lives. The Anyuak of Awetaballa also wish to return to their original homeland.
References
Collins, Robert. (1983). Shadows in the Grass: British in the Southern Sudan, 1918-1956. Yale University Press.
Okony, Manas J. (2025). South Sudan: The Untold Stories of Liberation Struggles. The Fountain Publishers.
Waller, Richard. (1985). Ecology, Migration and Expansion in East Africa. African Affairs, 84: 347-70.
The author, Othow Okoti, is the commissioner of Pochalla South County in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA). He was also the founding station manager at Radio Pochalla FM.
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