VZCZCXRO3646
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0978 1151014
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251014Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2465
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000978 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR SOCI EAID SU
SUBJECT:  Name Game: Southern Sudan Asserts Itself 
 
 
¶1.  As the people of Southern Sudan work to recover from 
the occupation by the North, many areas see changing the 
name of their village, county, or even state as a way to 
show the land is now theirs.  The most significant of 
these changes is the recent decision of Bahr al-Jabal 
State to rename itself Central Equatoria.  However, all 
over the south new counties are forming and towns are 
going back to their traditional names. 
 
¶2.  The state legislature of Bahr al-Jabal voted on April 
6 to officially changing its name to Central Equatoria. 
According to state government officials, the name change 
has now been approved by both the governor of the state 
and by the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) Council of 
Ministers.  It will become official as soon as GoSS 
President Salva Kiir issues a Presidential Declaration, 
which is expected shortly.  However, the state government 
has already started using the new name for all state 
business.  Since forming the state government, officials 
had been eager to cast off the Arabic name given them by 
the north and replace it with one they say reflects more 
their identity, and their unity with their brothers in 
greater Equatoria. 
 
¶3.  All across Southern Sudan, new counties are forming 
as residents reject the organization imposed on them by 
the north and form groups they feel are more appropriate. 
Examples include the break-away of Ikotos county from 
Torit county and the splitting of North Bor county into 
Twic East and Dukuk counties.  This breaking-up and 
reforming of southern counties is expected to continue 
over the next year as residents better organize 
themselves for change. 
 
¶4.  Many towns have also reverted to a previous name. 
When asked why the names had changed, Southern Sudanese 
explained that as the war expanded, insecurity grew, and 
the northern government cracked down on assistance, more 
and more towns were placed on the Operation Lifeline 
Sudan (OLS) no-go list.  According to residents, they 
soon discovered that if they changed their name, either 
OLS security or government officials would not realize it 
was the same place and humanitarian assistance would 
continue.  As towns go back to their old names, this 
confusion continues to create some problems for aid 
organizations.  Acting Consul General Juba and PRM 
representatives had some difficulty booking a plane to 
inspect USG projects in Panyagor, until they discovered 
that the had to ask to go to Mabior -- Panyagor's wartime 
name. 
 
STEINFELD