FOCUS – The meeting that nearly split SPLM
By the EastAfrican
NAIROBI, Aug 8, 2005 — In the build-up to the signing of the Sudan peace accord in January, tensions emerged within the leadership of the SPLM after rumours spread that Dr John Garang had decided to arrest his number two man, Commander Salva Kiir Mayardit.
Leaders of the movement called a meeting to thrash out the differences. Below are excerpts of the minutes of the three-day meeting which took place in Rumbek from November 29 to December 1, last year.
John Garang: This meeting has been called to address the following accusations and rumours;
– That there was a meeting held in Nairobi under my chairmanship where it was decided that Salva Kiir be replaced by the chairman with Commander Nhial Deng.
– That I went to Kampala and met with Commander Pieng and ordered him to arrest Salva Kiir.
– That commander Malual Majok went to Ramciel to collect forces to go and arrest Salva Kiir at Yei.
Salva Kiir Mayardit: The rumours came from Nairobi and around the leadership of the SPLM/A. The second message I got was through Commander Pagan Amum, who was visiting the liberated areas with friends from friendly countries.
The rumours implied that I will be arrested at Ramciel where the chairman was. When I received that rumour, I called the security personnel in Yei and discussed the issue at length. I also asked them to find out where the sources of the rumours from Nairobi were coming from.
I assure you that the allegation that I am against peace is not true. I am really for peace so that the international community can rescue our suffering people. There are those who want to create confusion in the movement and fabricate rumours. I don’t have personal problems with the chairman.
If we are national leaders, which I don’t believe we are, because we have no cohesion within our leadership structure, let us be sincere with ourselves. After meetings are concluded, we run to foreign countries.
There is no code of conduct to guide the movement’s structures. When the chairman leaves for abroad, no directives are left and no one is left to act on his behalf. I don’t know with whom the movement is left; or does he carry it in his own briefcase?
The chairman killed the National Executive Council by creating the Leadership Council. But there is no provision in the convention for a leadership council.
Does he want to revive the political military high command? The Leadership Council creates a situation where all are directly reporting to the chairman, including SPLM county secretaries. When I mention these facts, they should not be construed to be my personal problems. Those around the chairman don’t tell him the opinion of the public.
The chairman is everything, from a finance officer to one at the lowest level. Corruption, as a result of the lack of structures, has created a lack of accountability that has reached a proportion that will be difficult to eradicate.
In fact, there are many outstanding administrative problems that require our attention. These include failure to follow the SPLM chain of command by allowing specific individuals to directly communicate with the chairman. If the responsibility of governors goes directly to the chairman, what will be the work of Commander Daniel Awet?
The chairman should not make appointments of SPLM county secretaries.
I would also like to say something about rampant corruption in the movement. At the moment, some members of the movement have formed private companies, bought houses and have huge bank accounts in foreign countries. I wonder what kind of system we are going to establish in South Sudan considering that we have ourselves indulged in this respect.
Garang: I will give the floor to the national leadership to comment on what has been said by Salva Kiir. I don’t want this to be a debate between me and Salva Kiir.
Elijah Malok: I support what Salva Kiir has said. We need to take collective decisions. The leadership council should address and resolve these outstanding issues and get back on the right track. Let’s form committees to reorganise the army.
Garang: I will give my contribution to what has been raised. We need to dispose of rumours.
In the whole of South Sudan, there is a general concern from the citizens, that there is a danger facing the movement. We have to clear the danger and give our people assurances.
Salva Kiir and I have been together in the movement for 22 years, and have been close friends, and we will continue that way.
Twenty-two years of friendship can’t be thrown away by rumours. Salva will be with me now until the end of the interim period and beyond.
The allegation that I will be replacing Salva with Commander Nhial Deng Nhial was also a bad lie; it would mean that I would have dismissed all those senior to Nhial, who include Riek, Jarnes, Daniel Awet and Lual Diing. So, this allegation is a lie.
This rumour has caused commotion everywhere in Southern Sudan, Khartoum and the Diaspora; so I will assure our people everywhere and send a strong message to the Khartoum government that they will not divide the SPLM/A.
Salva and I are innocent of the situation and four of our leaders will appear in a press conference telling the whole world about our unity and that there is no problem among SPLM/A members.
Secondly, I want to assure you of my confidence in Salva Kiir. My relationship with Commander Salva goes back to 1983.
Garang Mobil: Facts must be stated now in order to solve them once and for all. The question I want to discuss today is that there is a problem, but the chairman keeps saying there are no problems, only a “gap” between him and Salva Kiir.
He will not accept there are problems in the New Sudan. But if the problem is not solved, there will be no peace. I also want to say that the movement is in the hands of a few and many are alienated. National resources must be shared by all, no matter how small.
The structures are controlled by a few minority groups, and this must be sorted out now in Rumbek.
Agassio Akoll: There is a problem because many people ignore Commander Salva as deputy chairman and Chief of the General Staff. The governors and deputies bypass Salva Kiir and correspond directly with the chairman. This is not the procedure. Salva Kiir has raised specific issues which need answers. The Chairman has not responded adequately.
Justice Ambrose Riny (SPLM’s Chief Justice): The chairman dissolved legally instituted organs of the movement as contained in the national convention of 1994 and unilaterally established illegal institutions which are not supported by any legal provisions of the convention. The chairman was supposed to establish a constitutional committee to draft our constitution. It has not been done.
Commander Pieng: I have not been happy with our meetings because they end without resolutions. I am a revolutionary soldier. I am not happy with the response of the chairman. There are problems to be addressed, and these problems must be solved now.
There must be committees to reorganise the movement. I agree with Commander Elijah Malok’s call for a system of committees. When the chairman goes away on a visit, he never leaves anyone to act in his place.
Lt Gen Oyai Deng (Chief of Staff SPLA): (Addressing Garang and Kiir). When you started the movement, you were seven people. Today, it is only the two of you. Someone said that you conspired against those who died and now you are conspiring against yourselves. I strongly agree with Commander Salva that when the chairman goes away, he locks the South in his bag.
Gier Chuang: I understand what is happening. I didn’t believe that Garang will sit near Salva Kiir again today. I am happy to see this conference. People have died due to internal differences and I refer to what had happened in the 1991 crisis.
James Oath : (Addressing Garang) When the movement started, you were seven. Now you are only two. All the five died having problems with you. Why do you have problems with your colleagues? It has become very difficult to meet the chairman. A committed must be formed now to sort out our problems.
Oboto Mamur: The chairman always has problems with his colleagues. Now you are two and you are turning against yourselves. Mr Chairman, you have been telling lies since 1983. A chairman should trust his deputies because there is a big problem here. There must be a committee to follow up on all resolutions agreed here.
Santo Ayang: I thank the community leaders of Bahr el Ghazal zone who went to Yei to speak with Salva. Without them, things would have got out of hand. The chairman must tell us the truth about the source of these rumours. All that was circulated was not rumours, and no one was bribed by the enemy.
Those around the chairman only please him and do not tell him the truth. I support the formation of the committee as suggested by Taban Deng Gai.
Elias Wai: All are not convinced with the response of the chairman to issues raised by Commander Salva. The chairman is placing his relatives in key positions, including Alija Majok, who is too old to be the governor of the central bank.
Biong Ajang: Salva has a right to blame the Leadership Council. Dr Garang has no powers to dismiss Salva because the national convention elected both of them. I support the formation of committees.
Lt Col. Mathiang Rok (Speaker of the National Leadership Council): This meeting has saved the lives of many people in the South. I would like to quote from Francis Mading’s book: “Things that are not said divide people.” People still doubt whether what the chairman has said is satisfactory. Our main concern is whether the structures will be functional.
Arthur Akuien (Minister for Finance): I am being called the secretary of finance but without any finance. I want to point out that the rumours have been destructive and that the leadership style encouraged them. The chairman does not delegate powers to his deputies. He is responsible for creating this crisis in the movement. After appointing someone to a position, he does not work with him but will depend on someone else to do the work.
Dr Justin Yac ( SPLM representative to Igad): The chairman is good for external contacts but within his own institutions, he is not good. He is good at talking but not at doing things. The chairman should not think that he is always right. He must admit his mistakes and work with a team.
Kuol Manyang: I think this meeting is historical. As we enter a new era, we are going to be more united. You differ with someone and you reconcile. Differences are natural. I was informed through unofficial channels that Salva had been removed. I called Commander Deng Alor and we were joined by Commander Awet and we went to Salva and told him that the rumour had no basis. As for structures, the only problem is how to manage them effectively.
Nhial: People should be judged by what they have contributed to the movement. We should address our issues. I am absolutely prepared for the proposal to dissolve the leadership council.
Malik Agar: The differences between the chairman and Salva Kiir have been around for 10 years. Whenever they are about to be resolved, each of them tells us that there is no problem. We need systems which work. I have been working as a governor for 10 years. Has the chairman called me any day even to give me advice? There are no systems in this movement.
James Wani Igga (SPLM secretary general): When the rumours started, I was in Nairobi on my way to Kampala. When I reached Kaya, I was being asked by the people to tell them what happened. We have several problems, one of which is corruption. Some time back, the chairman told us that Deng Alor had brought some money from Nigeria. We never heard about it again.
Nepotism is also a major problem and I will give two examples. The removal of Aleu Anyeny from his position and his replacement by the chairman with an officer from Dr Garang’s own village. The other is the appointment of Dr Lual Deng as an advisor to the chairman. I suggest that an investigation committee be appointed by the chairman to find out the origin of these rumours. Let’s avoid kitchen cabinets and corruption.
Riek Machar: The SPLM must retain an independent national character. Serious rumours have been spreading in London. While I was there, there was talk of a change of guard and replacement of Salva Kiir with Nhial. The lack of dialogue can be a source of disunity.
Salva Kiir: I have no more to say. The issues which brought us here have been raised and you have all expressed your views. I must thank those who came to talk to me in Yei. Rumours must be treated us rumours, but there is no smoke without fire. There are people among us who are more dangerous than the enemy.
Garang: Thank you for allowing me to talk while I am sitting. Greetings to all in the hall. Because of this meeting we left a scanty committee to continue with the peace talks in Kenya. ·I appreciate how the meeting has been conducted. I am thanking the delegations that contributed to resolving this unfortunate problem, but above all, I sincerely thank Commander Salva Kiir for his patriotic stand to avert this situation