The impetus of this article is to analyze and critically look at some of the reasons why the Nuer of the 21st century in both South Sudan and Ethiopia have shamed and tarnished the image and the historical character of the Nuer society.

The historical character of the Nuer society in South Sudan and Ethiopia is defined by their egalitarian, segments lineage structure, deep reliance on cattle for identity and wealth, fierce independence and Nuer military prowess, that gave them strong resistance and resilience to outsiders.

Those historical accounts from the 18th through 20th centuries consistently portray the Nuer people as brave, proud, and have a reputation of formidable warriors.

In this article, the author will elaborate on the assertion that Nuer people in the 21st century have shamed and tarnished the Nuer historical image and character despite numerous behavioral actions which are different from the ancient Nuer societies.

Historically, the Nuer were known for their fierce warrior and strong formidable military prowess that enabled them to be among the few African societies who successfully and significantly resisted European colonization.

They were thought to be an intractable problem that impeded the peaceful establishment and efficient running of a new colonial administration.

This resilience stemmed from a combination of their warrior culture, strategic use of their environment, and egalitarian social structure; that made it difficult for better-equipped foreign armies to navigate and sustain operations.

Such a strong warrior identity is deeply rooted in Nuer culture, emphasizing bravery and standing in one’s ground. It was that mindset, which had contributed to their ability to resist oppression.

They also were militarily successful in expanding their territories through strategic plans

Profoundly, Nuer resistance to foreign intruders started way back since the inception of Sudan. It started when the Arab people crossed the Red Sea through Egypt and later penetrated into Sudan in the twelfth century.

The resistance continued during the Turkiyyah period of (1820–1885); the efforts by the Mahdist state to end the Turk Egyptian colonial oppression which started from (1885–1898) and the United Kingdom ruled through the Anglo- Egyptian Condominium that started in 1898 and ended in 1956.

Although the unification of the different Nuer sections under a single leadership was rare, they still have a very strong unity where they cannot be used against one another by an outsider enemy.

During his field study, the British social anthropologist Sir Edward Evans-Pritchard, described the Nuer as “truculent and aggressive warriors who do not bowl and see anybody as a master.

According to him, “If you wish to live among the Nuer, you must do so based on their wish, which means that you treat them as a kind of kinsmen and they will treat you as a kind of the kinsmen as well.

Evan reasoned that, “Nuer wants to see all people as equal to them, no matter whether they are from Europe or Africa origin.

However, that mentality does not exist among the Nuer of the 21st century. If Evans-Pritchard could resurrect and restudy the Nuer, he would take back that phrase given the fact that, Nuer of the 21st century bowled to others.

They not only bowled toothers, they denied their ethnicity. When Nuer were killed by Mathiang-Aynor in 2013 in Juba South Sudan, those who were wounded, can say “they were killed by Nuer instead of Mathiang-Anyor that carried out the genocide.”

Some Nuer leaders denied the fact that their fellow citizens had been systematically killed in Juba. The rest who wanted to swallow the pride at the expense of their fellow tribesmen’s blood called their fellow Nuer as terrorists.

Yet, some of them allowed their mother’s in-law to crawl in front of Salva Kiir. Others kissed hands and kneeled down before Dinka elites as a form of worshiping them.

In Gambella region Nuer are frequently attacked by ethnic Anyuak. Such attacks are often carried out by Anyuak armed groups on public transport vehicles traveling between Gambella town, Itang and Lare woreda.

One of the recent attacks involving Anyuak militias was carried out on December 9, 2025 where four people were killed and eight others were injured in multiple incidents in Gambella City and Lare. Currently, tensions between the Nuer and Anyuak and Nuer are escalating as Anyuak had ambushed Nuer suburban areas in Gambella town.

On December 7, 2025: one person was killed and another one was wounded when a bus traveling from Itang to Gambella City came under attack.

Furthermore, on November 28, 2025: an attack occurred in Itang Special Woreda. That also killed a dozen. Previous attacks include the May 25, 2025 ambush on a vehicle that killed five people, and a March 27, 2024 attack on a bus that left three dead.

All these attacks were carried out by Anyuak militias. The sad part is that Nuer militias are not doing anything since Anyuak militia working with them in the city of Gambella made it a culture to massacre Nuer in buses, Nuer militia has never ambushed a single vehicle traveling between Anyuak areas.

They just watch their citizens killed regularly by armed Anyuak militia like them. One counts this action as the failure of the Nuer of the 21st century.

The Nuer of the 21st century, especially those who hold government positions, don’t act as protectors of their civil population, they can only blame their fellow Nuer who speak out against injustices being inflicted on them by their foes whether in South Sudan or in Ethiopia.

On the side of South Sudan especially during the inception of the SPLM/A in 1983, Nuer have been used against one another.

For example, William Nyuon Bany was used by John Garang to kill Gaatjaak Nuer as well as Anyanya’s two detectors. Gathoth Mai, Nguen Monytuil, Gony Beliew, Buay Rolnyang and countless Nuer officers had been used by Salva Kiir to butcher innocent Nuer in the name of false patriotism in 2013.

Then in 2017, he used Taban, and many others to kill Nuer. In 2025, James Koang Chuol was used to kill his fellow Nuer. Salva Kiir is using them to exterminate their society while he Salva is building the Dinka kingdom on their watch, yet, they turn blind eyes on his actions.

In the history of South Sudan liberation, there has never been a single incident or division that could occur between Nuer and Dinka where Nuer might not be used to fight among themselves.

They cannot order any Dinka commander who remains on their side to go and fight with their fellow Dinka. Dinka could not execute such an order, but Nuer would agree to be deployed to kill their fellow Nuer.

This is the tragedy Nuer community has been facing for years. Also, on the side of Ethiopia, Nuer who are the majority are always outsmarted by their fellow Anyuak.

They are always divided and manipulated by the Anyuak which is the reason why there has been only a single Nuer governor of Gambella since 1991.

This time around, Nuer needs to think. They need to reverse the lack of a single central authority Evans-Pritchard had described as a weakness of maintaining large-scale political unity into a desire for political unity if they want to survive as a community.

The ongoing divisions and persistent Political fragmentation and manipulation by external and internal actors within the Nuer community, particularly among the various political factions or groups in both countries need to be reversed.

Once we realize that desirous unity, our counties will never be described by our neighbours either as “Hostile or Friendly” we are either going to be one hostile or friendly group.

The lack of unity has left the Nuer community vulnerable to external threats and internal displacement. Nuer society would be a more formidable political force in South Sudan or Ethiopia that will be capable of achieving better power-sharing and national leadership goals if they are able to work together and not fragmented internally or manipulated externally.

If we continue with this dangerous fragmentation among ourselves and being manipulated by our neighbours, Nuer will lose their distinct cultural and political identity given the fact that they are going to be absorbed into other ethnic groups as Nuer have been displaced in large numbers.

Although this writer’s tone is calling for Nuer unity, he is mindful that achieving it remains difficult due to several factors.

Some of these factors may include clan rivalries among Nuer sub-groups, rivalry among Nuer leaders, with some aligning with the government and others remaining in opposition movements, and most importantly, the lack of common collective goals among Nuer regarding their contemporary political dynamics and future direction.

Nuer political dynamics and future direction largely depends on overcoming these internal divisions and transitioning from being a tribe that is always used and frequently turning against each other for personal gain into a united front that doesn’t fight one another.

In summing, the Nuer of the 21st century have shamed and tarnished the Nuer historical image and character both in South Sudan and Ethiopia.

This 21st century Nuer society in South Sudan and the Gambella region of Ethiopia shamed and tarnished their historical image and character by behavior of factionalism and Political Fragmentation which negatively affected Nuer’s historical reputation.

This internal fragmentation remains the greatest failure among the Nuer that prevents them from maintaining unity and a key reason for a perceived loss of political influence in both countries.

Ultimately, for the Nuer to secure a stable and influential future in South Sudan and Ethiopia, they must overcome a deeply ingrained cycle of conflict and division among themselves by embracing a united, long-term political strategy that aims to support one another once their tribe man is an aspirant for the leadership position.

By doing that, they will regain their traditional practices and break the cycle of political manipulation that had ruined their forefathers, dignified reputation.

Respectively,

Lul Gatkuoth Gatluak

The author is a political commentator. He can be reached at lu**********@***il.com