The SPLM third party and its implications in the peace process
By Peter Gai Manyuon
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and loves have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it ….always”? Mahatma Gandhi
March 6, 2014 – After seven political detainees were released last month, most of the people thoughts they might be in the rebellion side after their releasing but to my dismal ,they came up with an idea that is opposed by most South Sudanese and other intellectuals globally, they have declared that, they only want reforms within the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) as leading party in the Republic of South Sudan; which has no different with what Dr Machar, Alfred Ladu and Gen Taban Deang are also advocating for.
Partly, most of the political detainees especially the seven and the remaining four which people are saying are in the jailed were part of the press conference that was organized by Dr Machar with all of them present on the 6th of December 2013 in Juba. And that justified where they belong in this current political arena within Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) that have resulted to a lot of atrocities committed.
Hence to me, it was not surprise to see the seven coming up with the ideology of forming the third block in the negotiation table in Ethiopians Capital Addiss-ababa.
We all know that, even the SPLM as the party, there had be splits on three basis, one group support President General Salva Kiir Mayardit and the second group support Dr Machar and the third group is with Pagan and his Mother Nyadeng De Mabior. They never agree to give the ticket to Dr Machar but what they agreed upon was making reforms within the ruling party if am not mistaken ; they unanimously come together to look for the strategy to remove Mayardit from the seat which has become so sweet for him.
There has been struggle on who to become Chairperson of the party among the three group but they did not compromise with each other until the group lead by Pagan and his Mother Nyadeng joined Dr Machar group and eventually organized two conferences that provoked Mayardit group in Juba and eventually lead to the ordered of the Commander of the Republican guards to disarms the body guards of Dr Machar from Tiger and , immediately the war broke out, where many people were killed, other were raped, tortured and thousands are in the refugees camps in Uganda, Sudan and Kenya as well and above all cause by lack of calculations from Mayardit group.
Well, looking at some people like Luke Jock, Gier Chuong Aluong, Engineer Chol Toang, Kosti, Deng Alor, Madut Biar and Iteng, you find that, these very guys’ thoughts, since the crises started and escalated beyond human control when they were in Jailed, they are having different perceptions that people might take them as neutral persons in the current mess in the Country or they are of the view that International Community might get someone from them to lead the Republic of South Sudan as an interim President. Mind you, people like John Luke Jock, is very confident that, he might be given chance since Nuer and Dinka are fighting over the leadership, in case people said Nuer should lead, he might be consider as someone who did not get involved in the current mess going on in South Sudan, forgetting that, he was the one who created all these messes going in the South Sudan by drafting and putting in to Law the interest that have lead to the confrontation within the governance system in the new nation. For sure who can agree for John Luke to be in Interim government?
Nevertheless, the fact is that; Pagan and Nyadeng De Mabior are having different agenda which is parallel and ambiguous to the rests of party members; both two are taking the party leadership as something for their family because no one will deny that, there is certain category of people who have nicked name themselves as Garang’s boys; and therefore, they are trying to transport and impose on other people about Dr John Garang Vision and mission which is already a gone case because right now we have Republic that has new laws and principles.
Why Mama Nyadeng De Mabior support the rebellion before the seven political detainees were from jial?
However, it was not surprise to me as the person; Mama Rebecca Nyadeng was trying to use Dr Machar power and his group to get his children’s away from the custody and begins advocating for the third party block in negotiation table in Ethiopia which she and the rests of the seven political detainees who were released are after. The question is; were the seven not part of the rally that was conducted on the 6th of December 2013 in Juba? If yes; what make them different from Dr Machar, Alfred Ladu and Taban Deang Gai? Realistically and logically we should think with the sense of maturity and sometimes, we can use our intelligentsias to visualize and contextualized the political, and interest behind the scene in this scenario.
Moreover, many analysts have come out with different projections and predictions about the interest behind the seven political detainees which were released; and eventually, they are confusing the situation of the newest state.
Who is capable to be part of interim in case both parties accept the peace to prevail in South Sudan?
Some people have come out trying to advocate for something, that will not be possible to happen in the Republic of South Sudan; people like Lawyer John Luk Jock is having interest inside him to be part of the interim government and therefore; he is trying to convene his group in Ethiopia that, in case of anything, he should be suggest but he does not know that, most of the South Sudanese citizens are not happy with him due to the way he manipulated the constitution of the whole Country to be personal document which has been use against him as well. In really sense who can accept him to lead or be part of interim government?
May be people like Ezekiel Lul Gatkuoth, Lawyer Dong Samuel Luak and Governor of Western Equatoria Bokosoro are the only right choices for the interim government because in really sense, interim government want someone who cannot dictates people again in near future. For the case of Dr Machar who advocate for democracy, should wait for 2015 because Democratization move hand in hand with elections, or what do you think? And Gen Salva should step down for safety of the citizen of South Sudan.
No one will deny the fact that, both two have made most of the South Sudanese to lost their lives because of their ideological differences.
Key recommendation;
• Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), International Communities with African Union should not allow or dissolve the ideology of the seven political detainees forming a third block and moreover they were looking for the reforms within Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) like What Dr Machar, Taban Deng and Alfred Ladu Gore were advocating for. Or if they don’t want to take side to chose either SPLM in opposition or joining the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit in Juba then let them not act as blockage to South Sudanese people, because civilians who are inside United Nation Mission (UNIMISS) in South Sudan compounds are tired of sickness, hotness of sunshine and no medication as well. There is need for peace so that, innocent civilians go to back to their homes.
• International bodies with help of Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) should not make mistake of bringing in someone who is implicated with corruption case. There are 75 officials who took away millions of dollars to foreign Countries; they should not be allow to be in any system in the Republic of South Sudan.
“Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving.” ? James E. Faust
Author is Independent Journalist who had written articles extensively as columnist on issues of Democratization and Human Rights in South Sudan; you can contact him through;[email protected]