Why NIF refused to let oil go?
By Sabrino Majok Majok
September 21, 2005, The founders of first Guerrilla Movement, the famous Anya-Nya one, rebelled against the government of the day in 1955 due to what they rightly defined as maltreatment and subjugation of people of the South Sudan by Northerners. Patriots’ ideas were readily embraced by many Southerners both young and the elderly across South Sudan, including Abyei. Despite of scarcity of weapons and ammunitions, members of Anya-Nya I fought the government for 17 years until Addis Ababa Peace Accord (AAPA) was signed in February 1972.
Although members of South Sudan Liberation Movement (SSLM), Southern Sudanese intellectuals, and grassroots welcomed the peace accord as a reasonable bargain, there were also sizeable opponents against AAPA. For example, the late First Vice President of the republic of Sudan, Chairman and C-in-C of the SPLM/A, and President of South Sudan, Comrade Dr. John Garang de Mabior, and some other Southerners–including those of AKuot Atem and Gai Tut–thought AAPA was a “bad peace.” In fact, there were Southerners who felt that the peace wasn’t worth joining the government under Field Marshal Jaafer Mohammed Neimeri, and so this group chose to remain in foreign countries or live in Southern Sudan villages.
Despite Southerners’ acceptance of AAPA, albeit not prefect, president Jaafer Neimeri abrogated it in 1983. To add insult to injury, the madman issued a presidential decree that imposed the so-called Sha’ria law without regard to various beliefs in the country. This unprovoked, unilateral, dictatorial decision angered Southerners including those who were already involved in a combat to wage a pierce resistance.
South Sudan Free Officers Movement (SSFOM)
Armed with new reasons for resistance such as discovery of oil in the South, development of Jongulei Canal, and imposition of Sha’ria law, members of SSFOM-mainly South Sudan officers from Anya-Nya I)-began to contemplate and evaluate the worthiness and feasibility of a lasting peace under the May regime. In the end, the officers agreed that a second arm struggle was the only way to regain security, economics, democracy, justice, education, and God-given freedom. Hence, the formation of SPLM/A on May 16, 1983. Since then, oil issue has become intertwined with other political agenda within the ranks and files of SPLM/A. For instance, various SPLA battalions have composed many songs on oil, Jongulei Canal, and other natural resources.
While SPLM was waging the war, it was also engaged in intermittent peace talks such as Abuja I and II, and IGAD. From all these peace negotiations, SPLM presented a strong case of wanting to free every citizen of marginalized peoples of Sudan, including Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile; and to share the country wealth and power equitably and qualitatively amongst stakeholders.
IGAD peace negotiations
Among other Sudan Peace Forums, an East African IGAD proved itself as the only and reliable peace forum to help resolve Sudan’s conflict. In its decade long peace talks which started with first agreed text called DOP (Declaration of Principles) in 1994, IGAD diligently and professionally strive to a well-established goal of lasting and just peace, whereby all Sudanese are equal irrespective of colour, gender, race, and beliefs.
In its marathon and difficult peace mediating between Sudan main warring parties, IGAD intensified its work by 2002. And in the same year, a famous Macharckos Protocol was signed between SPLM/A and NCP/NIF. Then other agreements followed including wealth and power sharing protocols, all of which produced what is now known as a CPA. This document addresses the root causes of the conflict such as marginalization, underdevelopment, wealth (notably oil) and power sharing and security arrangements. And it’s a comprehensive, straightforward document ever produced in Sudan’s history. Except NIF members, no person of a sound mind could fail to interpret it correctly. Indeed, out of greed and deceit, NIF chose to interpret CPA erroneously and callously.
How SPLM/A and NCP/NIF got into conflict
The comprehensive Peace Agreement stipulates that power must be share “equitably and qualitatively,” in all three clusters of government: sovereignty, economy, and service ministries.
In an interview with an Arabic news online (www.sudaneseonline.com) on 13 September, Cdr. Pagan Amum, the Administrative Supervisor of Lakes State, said that before SPLM/A and NCP/NIF began allocating ministries between themselves, a rule of the game was established. Thus, if NCP/NIF picks first, the SPLM/A would go second; and vice versa.
According to Cdr. Amum, NCP/NIF understood the rules and did very well on first cluster, sovereignty ministries. Each party picked a ministry after another. Thus, NIF picked a ministry of presidential Affairs; SPLM picked a ministry of Cabinet Affairs; Then SPLM picked a ministry of Foreign Affairs; then NIF picked a ministry of Interior; end of game one.
Then the parties moved to second category, Ministries of economy (game two); the NIF went first and picked a ministry of Finance; then a diligent SPLM picked a ministry of energy and Mining expecting the game to continue.
Surprisingly, a greedy, self-fish, guilty conscious NIF was furious and demanded that SPLM pick a different ministry other than a ministry of energy and mining. Hence, the difference between the people’s Movement and NIF.
Until yesterday, September 21, 2005, the formation of national unity government was unnecessarily delayed for months by NCP/NIF insistence to control top economical positions, contrary to CPA provisions.
Southerners and Oil
According to CPA, Southerners were supposed to acquire 50% oil pump out daily. As there is nothing in South Sudan left by ruinous war, this share would be virtually 100% revenue for Southerners from which they will build schools, hospitals, roads, resettle millions of IDPs and refugees, feed hungry citizens, and pay for everything that would be needed for a smooth running of a nation. Southerners wished to have won either a ministry of finance or ministry of energy and mining, so that they will be able to keep track of every penny of their oil money and daily output, nothing less or more.
Why NIF Refused to Let Oil Go?
Since oil was explored, extracted and found its way into international markets seven years ago, NIF has been the only party in Sudan that knows everything from country’s oil consumers to exact amount of oil exported; from revenues that our oil generates monthly to projects/programmes that are being financed in the country. Their outright refusal to share wealth with SPLM isn’t difficult to ascertain. NCP/NIF is simply conscious against revealing its long time Asian business partners including the king of terror, evil Osama Bin Laden.
For example, When Osama moved to Sudan in 1994 he became a staunch ally and financial beneficiary of NIF. In Sudan, he was able to get interest-free loans from NIF banks which sustained him financially and supported him to set up many agricultural, industrial, and construction businesses throughout the country. His foreign trading company, Wadi al-Aqiq, secured a near monopoly over Sudan’s agricultural exports. Furthermore, his construction company built a 750 mile long highway from Khartoum to Port Sudan, and so many other business.
To date, the NCP/NIF connection is as strong as it was 11 years ago; in public, however, NIF would like to convince us to contrary without concrete evidence or providing financial trails of Osama’s wealth accumulated and still being accumulated inside Sudan.
In all NIF falsehoods, one thing might be true; that’s they might have changed the frame of their financial dealings, but the truth is that all the content of their businesses and state of relationships remain the same. Otherwise, let them show us Osama’s money now!
What is NIF Afraid of?
As you may know, Sudan is still on the US list of states sponsoring terrorism, an act NCP/NIF shameless has being denying ever since. Therefore, letting its former foe (SPLM) to inspect economical books that are heavily tainted with Osama signatures was, on the part of NIF, tantamount to suicidal act or mercy killing. Another reason is that NIF wants to control the country wealth and power as a weapon to subjugate and bribe rightful owners of oil, to submission; the so wishfully think! But they might be kidding themselves. Southerners of today are determined to turn things around. For instance, if there is a repeat of war due to NIF violation of the CPA, which is likely to happen)….God knows who would seek a refuge: NIF or the people’s Movement, the mighty SPLM/A.
As our leader used to say, “Sudan won’t be the same again,” NIF must be reminded that come rain, shine, flood, war, hurricane, tornado, Southerners are more resolved than any other time in Sudan’s history. It’s just a matter of time before we get to our destination! But for now and until we vote in an internationally monitored referendum, NIF is a big pain in the neck, and so it must be dealt with seriously and decisively by all of us peace loving Sudanese, especially Southerners.
At this juncture, all newly appointed states ministers, especially in the ministries of finance and energy and mining must not accept to be relegated and sidelined in their respective ministries. Instead, their first weeks or months at work shouldn’t be a causal “show around” but must be a detailed, thorough examination of documents/records. To these ministers to be efficient, the practice of wanting to be efficient and do much should be a continuous monthly duty, if not daily or weekly. They must send our famous, strong message to NIF that in their presence “Sudan won’t be the same again!”
Likewise, those who are going to hold full ministerial positions must be most efficient and supportive to their comrades in different departments, the junior ones. They must not succumb to successive ruling parties’ sicken, insulting, divisive, evil “praise”: “You are different or you are not like your brothers (or sisters).”
Finally, SPLM/A and entire people of the New Sudan must work collaboratively and cooperatively as we implement CPA. Let’s be the watchdog of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, twenty-four-seven. 365 days a year! Because it’s not yet “Uhuru!” And the best and sure way is the SPLM/A’s.
– Sabrino Majok Majok is a member of SPLM/A in Diaspora (SPLM/A Seventh Front). He is a resident of Canada.majoksabrino@hotmail.com,or [email protected]