{UAH} Republic of South Sudan: Whose War Is This?

By Aldo Ajou Deng Akuey


South Sudan had passed through the period of death, from 1955 to 2005. In this period alone, we lost 2.5 million people. We incurred hundreds of thousands with acute disability. We live with hundreds of thousands widows, widowers and orphans without providing any care or services. We have heroes and heroines whom we are expected to remember collectively. Now comes the most senseless and useless war, said to be going on between Nuer and Dinka,just after two years of the longest and the most awaited freedom in the world.

 

We are not for this. We must collectively condemn. And collectively blame the SPLM and the war lords who kept on war mongering. It is the SPLM and war mongers that ignited the fire and not the tribalism for its sake. By this article, I would like to discuss briefly how and where everything went wrong in Juba. It is also necessary to focus on Riek’s coups and tribal connections. This associates with his 1991 and15 December coups, which are similar in character and actions.

 

In September, 1991, I was still in Khartoum and working as a member of the National Assembly and a Deputy Speaker (1990-1993). While I was in Khartoum, Dr.Riek Machar Teny defected from the SPLM/A,1991,,declaring that he and Dr. Lam Akol had overthrown Dr.John Garang de Mabior,by a military coup,from the Chairmanship of the SPLM/A. After two days from his announcement, I got informed from the most reliable source of National Islamic Front, NIF, that what exactly happened was not a coup in the real meaning of the word, but it was just a cover-up. It was reported that a secret agreement between Bashir and machar to fight Garang and destroyed the SPLA was signed. This agreement was signed by Molana Abu Kassea and Ahmed Aradi (both died in plane crash in Bentiu when they went to receive Keribino Kuanyin in 1992) in a world food programme boat, designated for reception of Riek and Lam Akol at the Sobat River. In December 1993, I left Khartoum/Sudan for Britain. While in London, I resigned from the membership of the National Assembly and the post of the Deputy Speaker. The reasons of my resignation from the government of general Bashir were mainly two: (a) I did not agree to Islamic rule programme under which the South was undergoing the most intensive Islamisation and Arabisation, and (b) The surrender of Dr. Riek and Dr.Lam was worrying to the Southern Sudanese as a setback for the liberation. What is important to note here was the characteristics and intention behind the 1991 and the recent December coup.

 

The coup of 15 December 2013 cannot merge the 1991 coup. There was no change of fire regarding Riek’s coup of 1991. But there was real intended and directed gunfire on December 15,2013. There was no assumption as to the coup, but an intention to change the government by force could have been easily detected. The fact that Riek went with his forces after the defeat underlined and confirmed the evidence that he was fully aware of the coup. If he were not aware, the simplest thing Riek would have done was to condemn the violence and appealed to the Nuer soldiers of the SPLA to ceased hostilities immediately. Instead,Riek called on the whole SPLA to move and force out General Salva Kiir from office. Such a statement could nullify his innocence of the coup plan and execution.

 

 This was not the first time for Dr. Riek to lead a coup against SPLM, with full commitment to fight the so-called Dinka. This senseless incitement of tribal hatred, led Dr.Riek to champion the killings of the Dinka SPLA soldiers, individual Dinka citizens and the Bor Dinka Community massacre in 1995. Compare to killing of 1991 and the inhuman atrocities witnessed so far, in Juba, Bentiu, Malakal and Bor, It could be concluded that Riek lack ABC nationalism, and in as far as the Republic of South Sudan is concerned. May be, just may be, Riek should begin to think about forming a Nuer Tribalism state that may resample Arabs nations, Isrealise or Greeks and Turks in Cyprus.

 

 There was no any logical ideology behind the coup attempt. The statement following the announcement mentioned:”Dr. John Gerang has been overthrown as the Chairman of SPLM/A in a military coup led by Dr Riek Machar Teny and Dr. Lam Akol." The SPLM was not mentioned or did the coup explained genuine change and how the problem of South Sudan would be solved. They only borrowed the words of our nation Heros, General Gai Tut, Joseph Odoho, Gordon Mortat and Benjamin Bol Akok: “fighting for the right to self-determination, that amounts to total secession.” Those words were not meant for appeasement of Khartoum, but for real confrontation and not based on friendship.

 

Riek's coups always ended up in disappointment to his national intellectual supporters from wide spectrum of South Sudan nationalists. In the coup of 1991, he had some reasonable support from intellectuals nationals in the leadership of the SPLM/A, who did not agree to Gerang’s political project of a socialist New Sudan. The December coup again was backed and planned by the disgruntled senior leaders (the gang of eight, so to call them) of the SPLM political bureau. But now, with a very correct assumption, these leaders must have been disappointed with the way our people have been killed following the greatest barbarism and unprecedented brutality. All these acts are not within the traditions and culture of Dinka and Nuer. These acts are not also found in the Holy Bible. Many learned people could easily associate these acts with former Soviet Union or the jihadist of the Arabs and Muslims worlds. But these ideologies of hatred and inhuman behaviour are not found in our indigenous culture. We might have acquired these bad manners and hate from the cold war and continue its trauma and syndrome. With all these atrocities, Riek wants to rule the South Sudan and he is sure that he will get the forgiveness. Such a forgiveness will not be given by human. It may be forgiven by God because God Himself is forgiveness.

 

In 1999. Riek decided to break the bond with Bashir and sought reconciliation with Dr.John and the SPLM/A. He was ambivalent and confused. Though John had no confidence in Riek, he decided to allow him back to the movement with greatest suspicion. The reason why Riek was accepted back by Dr. John was  based on unity of purpose and the conventional law of necessity to succeed and liberate the country and its citizens, once and for all. 

 

But, the charismatic John, knew he would punish the criminal 'when the time arrives.' It was, in fact, necessary at the time, to condone the bad behavior of Riek and buy time to keep pressure on the enemy to come to terms with peaceful resolution of the conflict. From then on, the power struggle between, the assumed Dinka domination, and Riek's Nuer tribe, was left to sleep. Now Riek's power hunger has awakened the conflict from the sleep.

 

Riek could not give up his plan to become the Chairman of the SPLM/A, inpite of the fact that there was huge suspicion and dislike of him by the SPLM/A core members of the political Bureau. To be exact, majority of the members do not approve of him, not only as Deputy chairman of the SPLM and the vice president of the Republic of South Sudan, but was debarred by transitional constitution to only act and supervise elections for a new president, if salva were to resign form presidency as the may be,but should not be him.

 

In March 2012,Riek returned to his 1991's programme to campaign for the leadership of the SPLM and the country. He declared, in the meeting of the political Bureau of the SPLM, that he were going to contest against General Salva Kiir Mayardit in 2015. Pagan and Rebecca, who do not share comradeship with him, rejected his initial nomination and proposed themselves instead. Riek is not only mistrusted by the SPLM, but they consider him as a betrayer who is only awaiting final punishment. But the recent fall out between Salva and the gang of eight, has forged a temporary understanding between Rebecca Garang,Pagan Amuom,Riek and the rest. Since their removal ordean, they believed they have become friends. But this friendship can only be cited as “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” A saying which may keep them together to end Salva Kiir’s presidency.

 

Now things seem to be warming up concerning the true members of the SPLM-in-Opposition and Riek’s announced National Resistance Movement. The opposition negotiation team is now divided, showing that the group has started a process to distance themselves from Riek’s tribal feud and brutality. If this game becomes real, the government of Salva Kiir will have no choice, but only to negotiate with Riek and Taban Deng. If this division concludes or occurs, then this war will definitely qualify as tribal war between Dinka and Nuer. It will thereafter be moving away from the SPLM power struggle to more dangerous and undesirable tribal war that may qualify for another stupid Somalia. But we must state a guidance and say: what has happened has happened!!! But we collectively stick to love of our nation, a country we fought for throughout half of the century (1955-2005) and regain peace and build our nation for all of us.

 

The present negotiating teams must stay put in Addis Ababa until peace is genuinely achieved. To make peace a success, there must be a spirit of’ good faith and sincerity. Some negotiators may not look at it with diligence and good faith. There are crimes of financial and misappropriation of public funds and crimes of genocide and against humanity. To succeed, some of these fellows may be tipped of eventual forgiveness, as far as the money theft is concerned, but not cases of murder because murder case does not elapse with time,e.g the murder committed by Etiller in the second world (1939-1946) have not been waived until now.

 

To reach a lasting peaceful settlement of this war, I suggest that the following steps be taken by the negotiators:1.Secession of hostilities, which has already been reached, thank you; 2.ceasefire, separation of forces and international monitoring, protection of civilians, lifting the state of emergency and freedom of movement; 3. Political negotiations, only within the SPLM leadership; 4.dialoque between the Nuer and Dinka tribes, involving elders, women, intellectuals, youth and chiefs etc. This can be mediated by the Kenyan National Council of elders and 5. Formation of new transitional government evolving all parties and national personality who matter in the peace making and keeping.

 

Aldo AjouDengAkuey

 

By Aldo Ajou Deng Akuey

Member of the Council of States (Senate) and National Legislature

Juba, Republic of South Sudan.

 

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*A positive mind is a courageous mind, without doubts and fears, using the experience and wisdom to give the best of him/herself.

 

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The only way of limiting the usurpation of power by
 individuals, the military or otherwise, is to put the people in charge  - Capt. Thomas. Sankara {RIP} ’1949-1987

 *“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent

revolution inevitable”**…  *J.F Kennedy