Following South Sudan's independence, 45 prominent Jieng ( Dinka) politicians and elders formed the Jieng Council of Elders, which is chaired by a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Ambrose Riiny Thiik. [1] [2] The JCE is a tribal advisory committee to South Sudan President Salva Kiir, [3] [1] and it has been accused by Justice Deng Biong of advising Kiir on "divisive ethnic policies". [4] The JCE is often accused of being behind hardline SPLM policies, [5] [6] [7] and radicalisation of young Dinka. [8]
The King of the Shilluk Kingdom, Kwongo Dak Padiet, claimed his people were at risk of physical and cultural extinction. [9] He claimed the SPLA razed down several villages and that his lawyers were preparing a case before the International Criminal Court against senior SPLA staff and members of the JCE. [10]
The JCE opposed the Intergovernmental Authority on Development's (IGAD) 2015 peace agreement that was supposed to end the South Sudanese Civil War between Kiir (Dinka) and Riek Machar ( Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition which advocates for Nuer people’s interests) [11], and demilitarise Juba. [12] [1] In addition, the JCE advised Kiir to undermine the agreement. [1] [13] Also, the JCE has misrepresented the United Nations' work and intentions, leading to incidents where attacks on UN personnel occurred. [1]