When the announcement is first made that the Shilluk king is on his way back to his kingdom in Fashoda, and that a courtesy call is being planned, at first, it’s just “another” story. As the day draws nigh and the excitement levels heighten, suddenly it’s all too real.

It’s been four long years since His Majesty Kongo Dak Padiet occupied his throne in his kingdom, situated in Fashoda, north of South Sudan. The last contact he had with the UN mission was during his evacuation to Juba, in the heat of the conflict.

Returnees in the Jonglei area have advocated the setting up of land dispute commissions to assist in arbitration and mediation that would ensure that land is returned to its rightful owners.