The so called national unity government
By Watts Roba Gibia Nyirigwa
September 22, 2005 — When the war broke out between the SPLA and Khartoum government in 1983, it continued more than two decades without a complete victory from either side, till when the CPA was signed on January 9, 2005 to end the longest war in Africa. Upon inking the peace agreement, SPLM/A become confident that the war was over and declined to be ever prepared to fight yet another fierce and brutal war.
The so called government of the national unity has come into existence as tremendous victory to NC/NIF and as a disgraceful and disappointing to the expectations of the Southerners. The Southern Sudanese People were expecting that the SPLM/A should be up to their words and that they should not waver and wither but stick to the course. The concessions made by SPLM/A leadership has demoralized and paralyzed the real course which SPLM/A fought for. The peace negotiation took more than three years to arrive to the CPA. And for SPLM/A to make concessions within two-months discussions to form the GNU, was an alarming signal that SPLM/A lost confidence in its capability. Let me remind SPLM/A leadership with the moving words of Dr. Garang “we are not anybody’s burden; we are masters in our own house. We are confident in ourselves and of the future”.
Yes, we are masters in our own house and we shouldn’t permit intruders, perpetrators and exploiters to steal and dismantle our house. It is our legal rights to defend and protect our house. The course of our struggle is clear and we have to stand to it for the realization of our vision.
Like the previous governments, Southerners do not expect much to see from the so called government of the national unity (GNU), except that they see it as a step forward to the implementation of the CPA. But Southerners have great expectations and are expecting much to see from the government of the southern Sudan (GOSS) when it is formed.
It is worth mentioning here that the deprivation and humiliation of Southerners is continuing and still will continue unless if we Southerners rediscovered ourselves. Over 90% of the oil fields are located in the south, but there are no Southern experts in the field of petroleum if I am not mistaken, due to the monopolization of this sector by Northerners. Do the NC/NIF and SPLM/A leadership agreed jointly to oversee on the ground employment and training of Southerners in this field? I deem it wise that this has to be in place or otherwise we will never be masters in our own house.
Despite the mixed reactions both from Northerners and Southerners about the government of the national unity (GNU), I believe that there is no point at the present juncture to judge and evaluate the GNU, as we have to wait and judge the GNU from its deeds and results but not words.
* Watts Roba Gibia Nyirigwa is a Sudanese from Cairo – Egypt. E-mail: [email protected]