Sudan’s SPLM chairman should stop changing colours
By Tut Gatwech
February 16, 2008 — The SPLM chairman, Salva Kiir Mayardit, should stop acting like a chameleon by changing his colours depending on where he finds himself or in the presence of whom. I am always shocked by his repeated and seemingly well unthought-of statements over the media as the CPA implementation and his Party’s objectives are concerned.
Not long time ago that, while in the presence of NCP’s Omer el-Beshir in Khartoum, Kiir told the world that the SPLM had no any remaining differences with the NCP over the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). Reading this over many media outlets, I felt relieved thinking that all the outstanding issues, which almost took the country back to war, were resolved. But that was not the case! The statement was in favour of the NCP which wanted to mislead the world and lull the international community to sleep that every thing was very okay in the CPA implementation.
About a day later, I read a contradicting statement by his Deputy, Dr. Riek Machar, who was explaining to the press, as he came back from Khartoum, I guess, the outcome of a meeting of the Joint Political and Executive Committee he co-chaired with Sudan’s Vice President, Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, over the debate on the outstanding issues in the CPA implementation. He enumerated many critical issues which were not resolved. What a shock! I was surprised asking myself whether or not Machar heard his boss the other day denying any existence of differences between the two parties to the CPA. It was later on confirmed that there still exist differences over many issues.
Just last week, I read another statement from Salva Kiir assuring the world that he was satisfied with the implementation of the CPA. He was then shut up and proved wrong just a few hours later by news of fighting between the SPLA and SAF over the issue of redeployments of forces, which is one of the unresolved critical issues.
Up to date, the issues which remain unresolved include, but not limited to, the redeployments of SAF and SPLA troops to North/South of 1956 borders respectively, demarcation of the border itself, transparency in oil management and share and Abyei protocol. Are these not differences between the SPLM and NCP and, of course, indicators of dissatisfaction in the CPA implementation?
Again, while in Cairo, Egypt, the SPLM chairman publicly stated that the SPLM is a ‘Unionist Party’ and should therefore work for unity of the Sudan. Did he mean what he said over the media or did he simply decide to act like a chameleon while in the presence of Egyptian authority who might not want to hear the word ‘separation’?
To me, such statements would damage the credibility of the SPLM and its leadership in the eyes of the people of Southern Sudan. Mr. Kiir should have left the so-called unity to the National Congress Party (NCP) to try to attract it while playing a low profile. Avoiding the truth, in order to gain short-term favors while incurring long-term damages to your Party and the people you represent, is unpatriotic.
Comrade Kiir has already achieved a tremendous job by uniting the people of Southern Sudan; an achievement not previously done by any SPLM leader since 1983. He should therefore not let his people down by directing his party to work for unity which would undermine the aspirations of the people of Southern Sudan!
*The author is a former SPLA Child-Soldier and can be reached at: [email protected]*
Ben Oduho
Sudan’s SPLM chairman should stop changing colours
Since the formation of the SPLM/A the Goal and objectives of the movement have not change. What have cahnge is that SPLM/A is no longer politico-Military organization as per CPA. It is currently undergoing transformation. SPLM per CPA is political party and SPLA/ the army of Southern Sudan as per CPA.
What also appeared to have changed is SPLM tactics not the strategy. SPLM Strategy remains the same as per CPA; achievement of truly democratic New Sudan regarless of the outcome of the referandum on self-determination that will be decided in year 2011. It would not be SPLM or any one party that would vote for unity or no unity. That decision would be done by all the people of Southern Sudan.
The fact that SPLM is National Party and therefore stands for the unity of the country on new constitutional and political despensation which called New Sudan does not imply its absence from the South as the South part partial of the whole Sudan as per Anglo-Egyptian agreement of 1953 that brought the traditional, religious and political parties in the North to power
Should this vision not achieved the principles for which SPLM stood for and still standing for; equality, justice, freedom and democracy will continue to inspire the marginalized people of the Sudan whether they are in the South, East, North or Western Sudan or center.
The Sudan shall never remain the same again.And this time around we need to do things differently if we are to make a difference. To continue to do thing in the old way and expect change is not only absurd but a desplay of ignorance of the dynamics of the struggle brought about by transformative leadership of SPLM.
When president of southern and First vice president of the Sudan and C in C SPLA said that SPLM is unionist party he has not change. When he made this statement I believe he did it as the chairman of SPLM. It should understood as the official position of SPLM as a party.
Remember brother Salver Kiir wears three hats as per CPA signed between Government of Sudan GOS and rebel sudan people’s Liberation Movement/Army SPLM/A.
1. Gen. Salver Kiir is the Chairman of SPLM and C in C of SPLA
2. Gen.Salver Kiir is the President of the Government of Southern Sudan GOSS
3. Gen. Salva Kiir is the First vice president of the Republic of the Sudan
Above all Gen.Salva Kiir was a former Anyanya freedom fighter,a southerner nationalist who has the South and the people of Southern in his heart, national leader who like many of his collegues who challenged the stsus quo in Khartoum and want fill the political vacuum created by lack of active political participation of the people of Southern Sudan and other marginalized people of the Sudan equal representation in national politics. Representation is one of the core values of democratic self-government. By demanding represetation at all levels lgovernance SPLM leadership want assure the Sudanese people in general and people of Southern Sudan in particular they have to fight for their rights and not expect to be given in golden plate. Freedom is not free we have struggle for it. As per CPA the struggle assumed a different form and alliances are likely to change from time time that is why brother Salver was able to bring various group that could not have been part of SPLM/A at that time. Not only is face of the Sudanchanging but face of SPLM if it is meet challenges of 21 Century Sudan
As national leader he must generate possible altrnative solutions and evaluate each alternative and select that alternative that will bring maximum satisfaction with minimum cost or loses
Because of these positions he is key political player in the Sudan whose decision must reflect and represent various position and shades of opion and his be consonant to the tents CPA.
We will always expect him to to make statements and decisions without compromising the fundamental objectives of SPLM:Achievement of truly democtraic New Sudan or risk separation of the South.
Ben Oduho a graduate student and can be reach at [email protected]