A Long Quiet Border Yearns for Signal
Majak-baai rarely trends, yet its border huts echo with silence whenever danger looms. Without a mobile bar, villagers trek miles to alert security posts, delaying responses along the porous frontier with Sudan’s Darfur region.
Executive Chief Garang Diang Biar voiced the frustration before thousands gathered for a thanksgiving ceremony honouring newly appointed officials. “We face insecurity but cannot call for rescue,” he told the crowd, listing gaps in schooling, clinics and grain supplies.
Minister Ateny Promises Towers by January
Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services Minister Ateny Wek Ateny acknowledged the hardship after relying on a portable Starlink unit during his visit. “I have now seen the challenges you face firsthand,” he said, pledging a technical survey next month to pinpoint mast locations.
He stressed the ministry would fund equipment while urging residents to contribute clear, dispute-free land and guarantee engineers’ safety. “We will buy the tower; your role is to protect the team,” he cautioned.
Community Duties and Government Logistics
Officials say site selection will prioritise payams such as Juorbuoc where cross-border cattle raids are frequent. Engineering teams must map terrain, power sources and security corridors before concrete bases are poured.
Ateny warned colleagues against sharing unverified updates outside formal channels, noting that presidential endorsement travels through structured reports. Observers viewed the remark as an attempt to curb rumours that often derail rural infrastructure drives.
Cautious Optimism as Deadlines Near
Many in Aweil West recall earlier pledges that stalled at paperwork. Farmer Aluel Wol said she wanted proof beyond speeches. “A ringtone before next planting season would be progress,” she remarked, phone still offline.
Yet the minister’s timeline and the presence of newly elevated state leaders injected fresh confidence. For now, villagers weigh January’s promised survey as a potential turning point, where every bar on a screen could translate into safer nights and livelier markets.