16/05/2026
Historic Recap of the SPLA Liberation Era Around Ibonni–Obunge Payam (1983–2005)
The Beginning of the Liberation Struggle — 1983
In 1983, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) was formed under the leadership of Dr. John Garang following the outbreak of the Second Sudanese Civil War. Across Eastern Equatoria, many young men from the Lopit Hills joined the liberation struggle, traveling through bush routes toward SPLA-controlled territories and military training camps in Ethiopia.
The Lopit region including Ibonni, Obunge, Imehejek, and neighboring villages became strategically important because of its mountainous terrain, strong community support, and access routes linking Torit, Lafon, Kapoeta, and the Kenyan border areas.
The rugged Lopit Mountains offered natural protection and concealment for SPLA fighters during military operations. Whenever SPLA units were overwhelmed by Sudan government forces advancing from the north, the hills often served as temporary refuge, regrouping points, and supply corridors.
Ibonni and Obunge Payam During the Liberation War
Historical accounts from Lopit elders describe Ibonni village as one of the command and coordination centers within present-day Obunge Payam during the liberation years.
The area reportedly served several important functions a military transit point for SPLA units, a shelter for SPLA commanders and wounded fighters, a civilian protection zone during attacks, and a coordination center for movement toward Torit, Imehejek, and Lafon.
According to local oral histories and community records, several senior SPLA commanders either passed through or operated around Ibonni and Obunge during different phases of the war:
1. William Nyuon Bany,
2. Oyai Deng Ajak,
3. Isaac Mamur,
4. James Hoth Mai,
5. Francis Atada Kerbino,
6. Inyasio Aburi,
7. Robert Okimo,
8. Maj. Gen. Ohisa Robert,
9. and Dr. John Garang de Mabior.
One local historical account states that Dr. John Garang stayed overnight in Obunge in 1989 while traveling with SPLA units and artillery forces through Eastern Equatoria.
Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, Obunge and nearby villages became well known among local communities for hosting military commanders, organizing supplies, and supporting movement operations within the Lopit Hills.
The Lopit Community’s Contribution to the Liberation Struggle
The Lopit community made major sacrifices during South Sudan’s liberation struggle and contributed both directly and indirectly to the success of the SPLA/M movement.
Support for SPLA/M Forces
The Lopit Mountains served as an important strategic area for SPLA fighters. Communities across the hills provided refuge, shelter, food, and local intelligence to liberation forces moving through Eastern Equatoria.
Villagers frequently shared available resources with SPLA fighters, including sorghum, livestock, groundnuts, water, and locally brewed beverages prepared by women in different villages and bomas.
Lopit women played an especially significant role during the war years by supporting displaced civilians and preparing food supplies for fighters stationed in the hills.
Recruitment Into the Liberation Struggle
Many young men from the Lopit community joined the liberation struggle voluntarily, while others were recruited during mobilization campaigns across Eastern Equatoria.
Among the well-known commanders associated with the Lopit origin were:
1. Cdr. Inyasio Aburi of Mukshasha Battalion,
2. Cdr. Robert Okimo of Niran Battalion,
3. Cdr. Francis Atada Kerbino of Twektwek Battalion,
4. Maj. Gen. Ohisa Robert.
And many others
Their contributions, together with many unnamed fighters and civilians from the Lopit Hills, became part of the broader history of South Sudan’s liberation movement.
Imehejek: The Liberation Logistics Corridor
Imehejek became one of the most important humanitarian and logistical centers in the Lopit region during the civil war.
During the late 1980s and 1990s aid aircraft reportedly landed on bush airstrips, wounded civilians and fighters moved through the area, churches and schools became temporary shelters, and SPLA movement routes connected Imehejek with Torit, Lafon, New Cush, and neighboring territories.
The areas surrounding Imehejek and Ibonni were frequently described by residents as “military action-packed” because of constant troop movements, attacks, displacement, and military coordination.
Torit and the Liberation Front
Torit was one of the major battlefronts during the liberation struggle and became one of the most contested towns in Eastern Equatoria.
Control of Torit shifted multiple times between SPLA forces and Sudan government troops throughout the war years.
Military operations around Torit deeply affected the surrounding Lopit villages civilians fled into the mountains for safety, food shortages increased, local youth joined the SPLA movement, and villages such as Obunge and Ibonni became support zones for fighters and displaced families.
The liberation struggle profoundly shaped the political identity, social memory, and historical consciousness of the Lopit people.
Legacy of the Liberation Era
Following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005 and the independence of South Sudan in 2011, many veterans and elders from the Lopit region continued preserving the memory of the liberation struggle.
Today old SPLA movement routes still exist through the hills, liberation songs and oral histories are remembered by elders, former wartime gathering points remain known within communities, and places such as Ibonni, Obunge, and Imehejek continue to symbolize sacrifice, resistance, and resilience during the war years.
The Lopit community also demonstrated strong support for South Sudan’s independence during the 2011 referendum. Community members widely viewed independence as a path toward ending decades of political marginalization, conflict, and oppression.
According to local accounts, voting participation in many Lopit areas overwhelmingly favored separation and the establishment of an independent South Sudan.
Happy 43rd anniversary to SPLM/A8
