Greater Upper Nil: Southern Sudan is watching you
Time and again there has been call by Southern Sudanese everywhere for an unconditional need for unity or else we perish. This message has endeared others to core values of our liberation struggle but also made villains cum heroes famous from nowhere. In another word there are individuals or groups who are using this word as a stepping stone to undermine others for sole purpose of advancing their malicious and envious schemes. Sadly, in them the voice of reason disappeared to the periphery on the expense of peace and stability.
There are elements within our society who are living in the past or wish that everyone goes there. They believe that by making several press releases or do something harmful against the SPLM/A in particular and GOSS in general their masters in Khartoum would dig deep into their wallets/pockets. Far from it, the SPLM as a party has a lot of other issues to address and resolves other than waste time looking down at misguided groups in Europe and the Americans who left the struggle when their service was direly/seriously needed and here want to come or be known and understood through mischievious back door. They must take this, you can’t outsmart the SPLM/A unless one lives somewhere out of this planet.
But let’s ask ourselves once more about the identity of these individuals. Who are they and where do they come from? Who are these people that are unconscious about their people dreams and are only interested on their personal dreams/gains? The answer is simple; these are people who declaring war over internets and threaten people power. Those who put on fire institutions that are backbone to the CPA. Those who hire hit groups to harrass and kill civilians on international routes. Those who writes critical letters and hid their identity whose content is to put suspicioun and doubts among our communities.
Well, one of them is a colleague who left the bush (not because he was young) and ran for safety from the war or its fatigue to Europe via East Africa under fake stories of being a lost one, because he graphically killed one or two of his parents so to buy sympathy. You may also think of another on similar ground. Again to this question; does this particular friend possess any patriotic stamina to brag about or display? Here comes my chest thumbing query, if he was man enough why didn’t he wait as I did to see the end of that tough game (war)?
By the way who told him that by writing hugely against the SPLM/A, the SPLM/A would bow down? The living truth is this, the SPLM/A is an experienced and matured organization and such feathered grounded activities will not make any of the members lost a sleep but it will make SPLM/A more determined to prove them wrong as it did during the negotiation that has brought this change to the Country. During that time the same group were shouting themselves hoarse while the SPLM never look back. Professor David de Chand knows better.
Let’s narrow our argument to Upper Nile writers and pose this provocative question which is actually the theme of this topic. Why is one tribe or two tribes always a case study for the people of Southern Sudan? Why is one region always an obstacle to our quest for freedom? When will they say ‘guys let’s give the front stage of rebellion to others and wait at the back yard’? Someone has joked badly that if GOSS collapsed the cause of that collapse would be traced in the Upper Nile Region? What? Greater Upper Nile? I didn’t take it casually; that is serious one, right? It was also said had it not for Upper Nile, Southern Sudan would have long been liberated. Prove to those lamentations are slowly coming into the surface. One top Upper Nilian senior Minister shamelessly hopped and jumped to bed with NCP immediately after the formation of Government of National Unity. He is deeply entrenched there and had shot the door behind him. Imagine again most of nasty articles that appear on the World Wide Webs for the Sudan are authored by Upper Nilians. Who deceive them that other regions have no brain to contribute for our national issues?
Let’s take this one piece of liberation history. In 1983 in August people from Upper Nile who formed 80% of the force at that time disagreed within themselves and they made Southerners pay for it. When we first moved out of Juba to the bush 1983, the Upper Nilians stopped us and robbed us of our belongings and denied us the right to participate in our national cause. We lost several souls unnecessarily, as they cried out to our merciless second enemy ‘why do you kill us’? Late Samuel Ghai Tut however was human among in human leaders within that company.
In 1988 after that region became tired and failed to stop us from going for military training, they agreed. Mr. Gordon Koang Chol who was in-charged after the demised of Akuot Atem Mayen, Abdallah Chol Deang and Samuel Gai Tut made peace with the SPLM/A. He was promoted and placed as Commander next to Alternate Politico Military High Command Members. Soon after this agreement the war was nearly won in the Southern Sudan through the barrel of the gun (Bright Star Campaign). Then a double sword blow came when Mengistu Haile Mariam of Ethiopia was toppled by Tigerai led dissidents of Meles El Zenawi. Dr. Lam Akol used this catastrophe to persuade Dr. Riek Machar Teny for a coup that became known as SPLA/M Split. Things never became the same again as the Government of Sudan took advantage of this situation to weaken SPLA militarily; the main stream group led by Dr. John Garang and almost finish it. The Movement went into deep crisis but it wasn’t out; thanks to the wise leadership of Dr. John Garang de Mabior and some divine power. Looking at our shoulders and see that history anyone with heart would bow in humility and kiss the presence as from where we came from.
This situation though didn’t come out of the blue; it was a man made thing and Upper Nile owes us sincere apology. Why? Because why did they have to hold Southern Sudan captive for their own greed, malicious and stupid brain? How should we tolerate some animals within that society? Whenever they disagree others become casualties. Every time Southern Sudan goes one step forward, the Upper Nile brings us back two steps away. If war is cheaper and peace is expensive why didn’t they learn from numerous needs this region has more than other regions in the South. Who made them things that South is Upper Nile and whatever they do other Southerners would just follow blindly?
What of other militias groups in Wau and Juba if that could come as an argument? We will tell you that other militias are far more civilized, reasonable in their behavior and organization. There is order in promotion and operation. There is an iota of patriotism in them as they do their treacherous business. In Upper Nile that is not the case and therefore a big difference. Look, it becomes unreasonable and sometime like a joke having the list of officers and men thick at the top and thin at the bottom. What does this tells Southerners? Is it that we have not been fighting along side Arabs that someone just left me and file several stars to lead me? On top of this puerile, they are out loudly telling Southerners to get it cold and to allow them do dirty jobs of telling us this one is my target not you and if its done we will turn South into ungovernable state. Chic! This is unacceptable and they must stop taking us for a ride!
If there are hearts anywhere (am just sorry) these men could have gone in prayers when our President was humiliated last week along with his colleague as they face the National Congress Party (NCP) over pending issues in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). It was just disheartening seeing my President sitting helplessly before cameras when President El Bashir exudes hauteur as he flashes smiles through out. El Bashir defiantly got away one more time with Abyei issue, the Other Armed Groups (OAGs) and the pulling out of Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) from South per the agreement. Ignore what the press says about productive resolution on the OAGs and SAF’s. Isn’t that something that could worry someone? Our talents and everything therefore should have been directed toward the above not the other way round. Southerners everywhere could offer help to GOSS and the SPLM in this difficult situation in time.
It’s unjustifiable then to have group of political parties (SSDF, SSUDA, Democratic Forum etc) claiming to be fighting for the right of the marginalized to incite the same people they want to liberate against one other. If SPLM is Dinka then we can easily say so-called SSDF or Forum is Nuer’s. What is our business or the business of other tribes that aren’t Nuers or Dinkas to join either side? Your hate for Dinka and Dinka for Nuer has taken you too far and makes you look small in our eyes. But to the best of knowledge the SPLM/A isn’t a Dinka Movement unless that slogan is for cheap political machinery. I think this Movement is a national one with supporters across our tribal lines. The number isn’t the issue but the variety of its cadres.
If for any purpose other than the truth, let’s stop tribal language and incitement all together. Our survival depends on our being together (togetherness or unity); and let’s reject tribalism and learn to be accommodative. It doesn’t pay but hurt if we shout others down while we forget the consequences of doing this. Let’s not waste our precious gains and time to make Southern Sudan a waste land again after this window of opportunity. Who is really tribalist? Tribalist could be me or you but the bottom line is anyone who looks things at his/her tribal lens. Upper Nilians you are blackmailers and intimidators. You are making us nothing before the eyes of the world because of your little thought over big and small issues. Southern Sudan is big and one or two tribes have messed us up for too long and its time to tell them, no!
In this field therefore, the SPLM the ruling party in the South must not take things for granted this time round. Sometime if the interest of our people is at jeopardy or under threats from Khartoum sponsored group (our brothers) or even Dinkas who are out to get quick riches; the party must do everything in its power to bring hell out for control purposes. If that could be termed dictatorship so be it! President Kiir has a constitutional mandate to protect our people from bad governance from within and enemy agents from outside. Freedom of expression has been abused and reduced. The Referendum as one of the ultimate targets still a long way and the Party must be vigilant unless it loses out to bad elements within our society. Organs of the SPLA must do their job and never ignore writing on the wall. Arabs in Khartoum have made every attempts and our vanguard (the Party SPLM) must be at the look/watch out.
Isaiah Abraham is a Southern Sudan living in Southern Sudan. He could reached on [email protected]