Nuer and Equatorian agree to struggle against tribalism in South Sudan

The representatives of the Equatoria’s Solidarity International (ESI), Equatoria’s Professionals in Europe (EPE) and the Union of Nuer Community in North America (UNCONA) held a series of discussions from Dec. 1st —7th. The three communities examined the political experiences of South Sudan ever since the independence of Sudan as well as the current political situation and concurred that lack of consensus among democratic forces in the South is the cause of deepening national crisis that has now placed South Sudan in the verge of collapse due to mismanagement of Southern affairs by the SPLM party.

The communities are unequivocally conscious of the opportunities of democratizing the South as the result of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) to effect fundamental and positive changes in the region. To utilize this historic opportunity, the three communities reached a common understanding to work together while maintaining their respective community programs and independence.

PREAMBLE

WHEREAS the communities aspire to achieve freedom, justice, liberty, democracy and chart the course to sustainable peace, stability and development;

WHEREAS arbitrary rule and the denial of democracy and respect for basic human rights have created bitter resentments and conflicts lasting for generations;

WHEREAS the repressive policies of the undemocratic SPLM party resulted in the waste of vast human and economic resources;

WHEREAS the communities desire to establish a just and democratic order where authority emanates from the freely expressed will of the people, where people have control over decisions affecting their lives, where power is devolved to organs of government closest to the people, where the rule of law replaces the rule of the jungle, where fundamental freedoms and civil liberties are guaranteed for all;

WHEREAS the communities agreed that the combined or coordinated efforts and actions are necessary for freedom and democracy to flourish and to end isolated struggles that have contributed to the continuation of tyranny and injustice;

WHEREAS the institutionalization of tribalism and corruption in the SPLM and Government of South Sudan (GoSS) is not the aspiration of the marginalized people of South Sudan who struggled to establish a just and democratic South Sudan;

Therefore, the three communities, through their duly authorized representatives, enter into this MOU, to guide the three communities in their joint efforts and coordinate their activities in the formation of wider coalition to rescue the people of South Sudan from corruption, tribalism and tyranny of the SPLM.

UNDERSTANDINGS

The three communities agreed that the fundamental cause of the failure of South Sudanese had been misdiagnosed by some political forces in the region. The discussions held by the representatives of the three communities on all issues pertaining to the national crisis and current political situations in the South arrived at the followings conclusions:

1) The problem of underdevelopment in the post-CPA South Sudan is no longer caused by the North as it is mistakenly perceived by the corrupt SPLM party, but between tribal chauvinists of the SPLM—who champion corruption—and the political forces in the South who want to establish democratic order. Since independence of Sudan, South Sudan has been divided between those who believe in establishing a democratic state and those who believe in imposing militant tribalism and kleptocracy against the will of the people;

2) The three communities unequivocally concurred that the political crisis, which currently bedevils South Sudan, is exacerbated because tribalism captured the institutions of the Government of South Sudan (GoSS);

3) The communities understood that the implementation of the CPA is hampered by the ongoing corruption in the GoSS. The institutionalization of corruption and tribalism is antithetical to the fundamental objective of South Sudan liberation struggle. The three sides affirmed that the only way for the people of the South to exercise the right to self-determination, as promised by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, is to unite behind a coalition of South Sudan parties with the tradition of establishing a just, democratic government;

4) The communities agreed that democratization of South Sudan is not possible without reforming the securing organs of the SPLA and reinstate a system which respects basic human rights and international norms;

5) The three communities affirmed that South Sudan is politically pluralistic, religiously and culturally diverse and there ought to be a consensus on a new social contract that does not permit discrimination on the basis of tribe, religion, culture, race, gender or region;

6) The three communities concurred that tribally inspired military repressions in Greater Equatoria would only exacerbate the ongoing insecurity and would not propel South Sudan towards a lasting democratic order.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of the MOU is to establish a working arraignment that:

1- Achieves a new, just, and democratic South Sudan where all human and democratic rights are fully respected;

2- Genuinely addresses the serious issues in the region and amicably resolves the many intractable conflicts in South Sudan thereby laying the foundation for lasting peace, democracy, stability and development;

3- Understands that the implementation of the CPA is not possible prior to reforming the GoSS by de-tribalizing government institutions;

4- Reaffirms respect for and commitment to the basic norms of international law and the principles enshrined in the UN Charter;

5- Unequivocally affirms that the right to self-determination is a legitimate human right that shall be exercised by the people of South Sudan and Abyei;

6- Guarantees the supremacy of the rule of law based on Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant UN Covenants;

7- Lays the foundation for the transformation of South Sudan from autocratic government under the corrupt SPLM to democratic order that meets the aspirations of all and addresses the grievances of the South Sudanese people by instituting a genuine representative political order;
8- Promotes peace in the region and the entire Sudan, ensuring that the resulting peace dividends shall be enjoyed by all;

9- Ensures liberty, peace, justice and the rule of law; and
10- Propels the struggle against tribalism, sectionalism, and corruption.

TASKS

The communities shall:

1. Advance the development of democratic culture and institutions;

2. Struggle against the current institutionalization of corruption and nepotism by the signatories of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (NPA);

3. Promote harmony between the Equatorians and the Nuer by overcoming the SPLM’s tactics of divide and rule through dialogue, mutual understanding and respect;

4. Uphold a culture of peaceful resolution of inter and intra-communal conflicts in all states of the South as a vehicle to create conditions conducive to peace, stability, economic development and political integration;

5. Work together to promote brotherly relations among South Sudanese people by mitigating and preventing all forms of tribalism, clanism and sectionalism;

6. Pool together the communities’ resources and talents to conduct effective political and diplomatic campaign against the SPLM, and;

7. Coordinate the activities of the three communities by mobilizing and galvanizing their respective constituencies in order to achieve freedom, democracy and durable peace in the South.

For the Nuer Community

John Gatluak Kam
President of UNCONA

For Equatorian communities

1. Dr. Luka Odiong , Chair of EPE

2. Victor Charles Adeba, Spokesman of ESI

For Contact

Dr. Luka Odiong, [email protected]