Early colonial period Mongalla, South Sudan

theodore roosevelt on safari

after final defeat of caliphate (khalifa) british under general herbert kitchener in 1898, nile uganda border became part of anglo-egyptian sudan. expedition upriver omdurman (ondurman) arrived in december 1900. post had been established @ kiro transferred mongalla in april 1901 since kiro claimed in belgian territory. during 1904 posts established needed in mongalla districts suppress activities of abyssinian brigands infested country .

until 1906 mongalla province part of upper nile province, after became separate administration. first governor angus cameron, appointed in january 1906. party anglican church missionary society (cms) arrived same month, decided not suitable base , instead located mission downstream @ bor. colonial administration opposed efforts cms convert bari people of mongalla. missionaries interpreted due influence of islam in weakening spiritual ideals of officials.cameron desired avoid friction muslims had undertaken of work of building , servicing new provincial capital.

in 1910 theodore roosevelt visited province. before arrival, governor r.c.r. owen informed governor general sir reginald wingate done former president of united states, pointed out troops had not 1 donkey. roosevelt s expedition reached mongalla @ end of february, coming belgian congo via lado enclave. impressed egyptian , sudanese troops, when visiting native dance commented on lack of middle-aged men, result of mahdist wars had ended on ten years ago. in june 1910 british sudanese forces took on lado enclave belgians, becoming part of province of mongalla. anglican , roman catholic missionaries requested sunday retained sabbath @ lado, had been under belgians, rather changed friday had in rest of sudan. however, governor owen opposed retaining sunday; felt more bigoted muslims in army object working on friday, , noted recruits army instructed in muslim religion.

general sir francis reginald wingate, governor-general of sudan

a few months later, however, owen proposed creation of equatorial battalion composed entirely of southerners. force taught follow english commands , christian faith, would, on time, unite uganda , prevent spread of muslim faith farther south. against islam on basis may @ time break out wave of fanaticism . owen s plan approved wingate. wingate said ...we must remember bulk of inhabitants ... not moslems (muslims) @ all, whole of uganda has accepted chritianity without murmur, , furthermore english easier language learn arabic... .

in 1913, government increased restrictions on private travel , immigrants, meant arriving in mongalla , wishing go north uganda or belgian congo examined sleeping sickness medical officer. maximum punishment breach of new regulations £10 fine or 6-month prison sentence.

on 7 december 1917 last of northern sudanese troops withdrawn mongalla, replaced equatorial troops. these southern , @ least nominally christian troops remained permanent garrison of town , province until mutiny in august 1955.

when hasan sharif, son of khalifa muhammad sahif, exiled mongalla in 1915 after taking place in conspiracy in omdurman, governor owen said ...i told him lucky come , see part of sudan nothing, when tourists pay hundreds of pounds ... fear doesn t see joke... . owen retired in 1918. major cecil stephen northcote succeeded him governor of mongala 1918 1919, moved on become governor of nuba mountains province.

the sudan lightly administered. late 1919 there 17 british administrators in bahr al-ghazal , mongalla provinces, combined area twice of britain. in years, british officials depended on native officials advice , act interpreters. however, had careful ethnic rivalries. fadl el-mula, dinka had been police quartermaster, impressed governor of mongalla , appointed assistant superintendent of twic dinka in 1909. credited keeping peace between dinka , nuer people, 2 groups history of fighting , cattle raiding. however, fadl el-mula biased towards dinka police attacked angry nuer , had removed post.

the arabic language , muslim religion continued spread in south sudan merchants , administrators north, , british officials preferred speak arabic rather learn local language. rising aliab dinka in 1919 suppressed harshly in 1920. year nuer attacking both dinka , burun people on border ethiopia. governor of mongalla in 1920, v.r. woodland, said mongalla @ time in such muck-up state doesn t know start .

woodland called decision; either south sudan should separated north , administered territory in same way uganda, or british should encourage development arabs within structure of north sudan. nothing done.