Majur Nhial: “I was arrested seven times, sentenced to death for three of those but I survived because of Dr.John Garang”

Lt General Majur Nhial Makol

Lt General Majur Nhial Makol Source: Supplied

Majur Nhial Makol was born at Pathuyith village in Dinka Bor area in 1946 and went to School at Mathiang court centre. Majurs went across South Sudan attending different schools that include Juba commercial secondary School, Khartoum University where he obtained a bachelor Degree in Economics and Master Degree in Economics Development from Cambridge University in 1977. Majur worked for in the Ministry of finance before he was transferred to Police Department in the South Sudanese Government High Executive Council. By 1983, Majur was promoted to the rank of Lt Colonel and that when the war started in Bor. Instead of following his career, Majur joined a group of South Sudanese who defected in Bor on 16/05/1983 after the Sudanese army attacked the Garrison of Malualchat. Malualchat which is located in the South East of Bor town was the headquarter to the predominantly south Sudanese 105 battalion which was absorbed into the Sudanese army in 1973. Majur was at the same rank with Dr. John Garang de Mabior but he was senior.


After they joined up with leaders from the Anyanya two which Akuot Atem, Abdalla Chuol were the part, Majur who was urged by his community members to contest the leadership during the early formation of the Movement decided to support Dr. John Garang de Mabior despite his ranks. Between 1983 and 1993, Majur served at various position within the SPLM/A but treatment made to some his colleagues at Pageri where he was also kept prompted him to send a letter to Amnesty International his release.

In a letter to Amnesty International which was later obtained by the SPLM/As leadership, Majur reported the mistreatment and what he termed as the intended negligent by the leadership toward some intellectuals from certain communities. Majur cited the torture and the mistreatment of Akuak Kudum who was alleged to have been hit on his head with pistol Beretta 92 according to the eye witness. Another injury which is believed to have contributed to the death of Akuak was when the warden hit on his testicles while he was being beaten. The internal bleedings and injuries are alleged to have caused the death of Akuak Kudum in Pageri prison.

Majur said that the relatives of Akuak rejected to bury him because they needed to know who killed him? Akuak was later buried near the prison at Pageri. While in prison in Pageri; Majur was joined by many political detainees from Bor who were alleged to have planned a clandestine coup against the leadership of SPLM/A. These people include Akuak Kudum, Makuei Deng, Alier Apollo and many others. The mistreatment forced Majur out of SPLM and he briefly switch sides between the North and South Sudan.

In 2005, Majur was retired by Dr. John Garang from the military service but appointed as Auditor General the position that fit his profession as economies but never serve that position. His appointment was short lived by Dr John Garang de Mabior. Majur was again taken to Police and retired at the rank of Lt General in the South Sudanese police. He has now been sick for almost three years in Bor. Here is the first interview on SBS Dinka Radio

 

When I left Bor in 1983 with the rank of Lt Colonel from police and post graduate of Cambridges University. I became the second ambassador after Lual Diing Wol to Libya. I helped in setting up the first SPLA/M radio in Libya which uses to broadcast for one hour. In the SPLA, I have been arrested 7 times, sentenced to death three times but I am alive today because Dr. John Garang de Mabior intervened. Most of this arrest was done by Lam Akol, Salva Kiir, Karbino and William Nyuon. My last arrest in Pageri was done by Salva Kiir in which was sentenced for firing squad but someone again leaked the news to Garang. I never met Garang after every release but I am told that great ordered you to be released. I was arrested by Lam Akol at Abuong for 1 year and then transfer to Bilpam. I walked while shackled from Abuong to Bilpam.I was kept in the same prison with Paul Malong Awan. Sometime later, Malong went on hunger strike for almost same days. At that point, I manage to sneak out of and help communicate the message to Dr. John Garang on the radio that one of his officers was almost dying in prison on hunger strike. Dr. John Garang immediately ordered the review of cases and that how we survived the Bilpam prison.

 

 

 


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