What have SPLM, and Kiir become of
By Buol Nhial Aguet
Nov 11, 2005 — Truth to tell, I do understand that this isn’t spiritually hip, but for the sake of making this article more understanding, I felt compel to at least visit the saddest moment in which H.E Salva Kiir took the office of the Presidency of the South and the post of V.P. in the government of national unity (GONU). It is my sincere hope that no one will view this as a comparison between our former leader, late Dr. John Garang and our new leader, H.E. Salva Kiir. I don’t intend to compare the two leaders. Doing so would be foolish, futile, and undignified proceeding, at least for now. It may be applicable in the future.
When First Vice-President of Sudan, and President of southern Sudan government, Dr. John Garang De Mobior died in a helicopter crash on July 30th, all of us: the citizens of South Sudan, and our friends fell to our knees and wept. It was a saddest moment in the history of our Struggle. Many of us were finding it hard to pull out of it, to reassemble some sense of hope for the future, to minimize our growing concern that something very terrible is happening, something akin to the destruction of our country. Worse still, the uncertainties of what the future holds for us were mind-blowing. One of these was the fear of power struggle among SPLM’s top commanders, which I think was a legitimate fear given the fact that it had happened on many occasions in the past. The other fear was the fate of the CPA, which its success largely depends on peaceful transition of the leadership, or otherwise. However, after the SPLM Council unanimously elected Lt. Salva Kiir as a President of South Sudan, and First V.P President in the GONU, the fear died and the hope that was in limbo revived, at least, at that moment.
It was hoped that, the new First V.P of Sudan and Pres. of South Sudan, H.E. Salva Kiir, having been with the Movement since the inception of the struggle (something that had earned him a lot of respect across the country) had learned a lot and would stand toe-to-toe with the Khartoum’s deceptive elites. This hope was again revalidated, when he later said that “SPLM is a vehicle without a reverse gear.” To us, as people of the South, this short sentence was nothing to our understanding other than the notion that SPLM; under his leadership would still be a people movement as it has always been, and would remained unshakable to the fundamental principles for which it has been fighting for in the last two decade. That was what we knew of SPLM, and that was what we were expecting to continue as he had promised. Ironically, SPLM has become a vehicle with a reverse gear; making that inspiring famous quote nothing less than a lip service.
You see, I carry within me the all-too-unexamined assumption that SPLM is moving forward into a form that better nourish the likes of peace, justice, hope, and democracy. More filling, less divisive. In dismay, H.E. Salva Kiir’s actions so far tell us that it is not; it is rather going backward. SPLM has taken different forms and shapes, and it is, in fact, on its way to splitting into various factions unless if it (SPLM) change the manner in which it has been handling every aspect of its major policy since the formation of the GONU. Make no mistake about it, the main cause of the rip isn’t the question like whether the Khartoum is employing its old tactic of using Southerners against themselves; it is what the SPLM had become. SPLM has adopted a soft stand toward Khartoum elites in the name of preserving the peace, and more sadly; it is not longer a people’s movement but movement, of the nepotism, by the nepotism, and for the nepotism. These things have not registered well with SPLM’s die-hards. Bear with me, I will tell you.
Let first settle the point of SPLM’s soft stand toward Khartoum’s elites. No one can deny the power, which the Khartoum has over SPLM. In addition, Khartoum’s habit of negotiating in bad faith is also something known to everybody, and to think of SPLM’s win over Khartoum is naïve, and after all, that is not what we were after. However, we didn’t expect to lose either. We were expecting our equal share of power, which has been stipulated in the CPA. And by “equal share of power,” I really mean nothing less than dividing the fates ministries equally among parties because those ministries are where the real power lies. Now, as we are all knows, the fates ministries, which are the ministries of Justices, Defense, and all the ministries in economic sector, all have gone to NIF in the face of SPLM. Why is that, compromise, right? What SPLM should know is that, NIF is allergic to compromise, and such concessions strengthen its views that, H.E Salva Kiir is a political novice. Equally important for SPLM to note is that, with these issues; the NIF wants to divides the country, divides and conquers. It doesn’t want a compromise. It wants power.
That is what they have been known for. Even if you look back to the time when Anya one formed the government with the main government; you can see some of their old habits in this new formed government. We were kept out of economic sector in that government. In this government, the same process has now been repeated. We are again being kept out in all branches of economic activity. That is power, power, power accumulation and its counterattack shouldn’t be compromise, but power, power, nothing less. But perhaps as frightening as anything in all of this is the likelihood that our oil can now be tampered with, and perhaps already have been. And we don’t know that, won’t know, will only be when we are the CEO. The fact is, our economy is being over-grazed. The land that we hold dear and hope as the only thing that will lift us from poverty will be mined, plundered, and abuse by the oil companies. What will soon remain is a fallow field, full of mud, bereft of its value.
My second point which I have alluded early is concerning the formation of Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS). As some of you may well know, there has been a number of complains about misrepresentation in the GONU, and GOSS, noticeable the letter of Nuer Caucus to H.E Salva Kiir in which they said their community has been marginalized in both governments. Though I fully feel their concern, I truly believe that being a country with many tribes as it is, South Sudan can’t afford to have each of her tribe a ministry or ministries. That is something we should be aware of. I believe ministries post should be given to individuals who are capable of carrying out the job effectively, and even if those qualified individuals happen to come from one tribe, say Acholi, then why not. Can we deny them to serve their country just because they come from one tribe? That is a way to doom.
Ministers are there to serve the whole country not their home towns or villages and I don’t see any reason why it is important to have one or two person(s) from each tribe as minister. I always wonder why this come up all the time; is it because we don’t know what the duty of the ministers is, or is it that we don’t trust each other and that each of us need a representative up there? The only equal representation that is possible, which South Sudan can afford to her tribes is an equal representation in the parliament. That is what we should be advocating, because not is it only achievable but also needed. Though he had failed to use the best method, I think H.E Salve Kiir had made a good decision for not using ethnicity in his appointment of ministers. I attest this to be his best decision so far.
My concern here with the appointment of the GOSS ministers is the fact that H.E Salva Kiir didn’t use skills, knowledge, and experience as factors in determining who to give the job to in a lot of cases and this is where my complain differ with the Nuer Caucus letter. He appointed some people for important positions; people whose brains could reveal to be swiss cheese if scan by an MRI monitor. That is nepotism and that is what SPLM had become. More importantly, that is not good for a country where there is no system to follow, or a lot of subordinates with experiences, skill, and knowledge that may help the boss whose mind fit that description. Another concern in the appointment of the ministers is that; he appointed some people to positions where they may not have vast knowledge, skills, and experiences. This fact has been demonstrated by John Luke’s appointment (who I heard is a lawyer by profession) as a Youth and Sport minister. I think John Luk would have catered better service to our country in areas pertaining laws where he is an expert, unless if he also have vast knowledge and experiences in the area of sport, something that I have yet to learn. The same to others who have been appointed to areas where they have no vast knowledge.
Let’s have a show of hands here. How many of you would say it with a straight face that nothing is wrong with Kiir? NONE! And it rather astonishes nobody that we are now seeing beyond delusions, but who would have thought of it that way three months ago? As I sift through every day’s ordinary experiences, I felt whipped and whupped on a daily basis by actions that I find nearly impossible to believe. How indeed? I search among the detritus, the op-ed articles that seem to pop out at me every time, the valuable articles sent to me by friends, and I try to find the meaning there as to why the movement that has championed our cause for years, and the person whom we have wished for so long turned bleak in a second? I have felt confused. I have never and will never be at home with cynicism, but I am extremely disillusioned with the political campaign that has oozed and belched its way across the country; from the formation of the government of National Unity to the formation of the Government of Southern Sudan. It is as if H.E Salva Kiir has a premeditated intent on making cynics of us all. It hit me hard, and I am sure, you too as well.
Flashed with what Jacob J. Akol, a Southern distinguish journalist, had said three month ago, and knowing what I know now, I wonder what he was really telling us when he said that, “With Kiir Mayardit, we are in good hands.” Was he really saying what he truly knows and believed to be truth, or did he utter it as a kick in the leg to the late. Dr. John Garang? It needs no rocket scientist to figure it out. History has already and will continue to tell us what he meant by that. However, no matter what it was meant for, this is not fair to Salva Kiir. It raises public’s expectations that he can not satisfy. Let’s not make another mistake of putting him on a higher bar.
Whether by deficiency, design, or default, Kiir’s shepherding so far had turn the country’s fate into a divisive issue among Southerners. Some think that the country is on to a good footing, some think otherwise, while some are confuse in the middle. Lack of press had played a big role in this confusion. Majority of the people have not yet heard from the President since he took the office, and as a result, they don’t know what he is up to and the direction in which the country is heading. The only people that have heard (though little) from the President are the students and the intellects who have access to the news. If there was a wide press; everybody could have had a sufficient amount of information, and probably, things would have been in black and white, with no gray.
Unfortunately, some of these students and intellects who have access to the truth had taken advantage of not having a wide press by distorting things to suit their needs. They keep telling us that everything is wonderful and rosy when we now that isn’t so, know fully well that grave danger lurks ahead, know that the real problems can’t be glossed over. If there is a press that could digs a bit deeper to the truth; what it will find is by no means the verse of “everything is wonderful.” No-it will more likely find that things are in fact not rosy, and probably, going bad than we think.
The truth is that, the manner in which H.E Salva Kiir has handled almost every aspect of the country so far had failed to bring about the changes we need to move forward. And even those who keep telling us that everything is rosy are beginning to see the writing on the wall, and although they don’t say so, they act though as if he is already a lame duck.
Is there any relief in the face of these grievous feelings? I think so. Bear with me.
I think Kiir is our president in part to challenge us into a higher level of integrity with our own level of realization. From the feeling that there are no easy answers here and that some of the pundits may be right when they say that Kiir may drive us into wilderness, from the sense that there is nowhere to hide our heads in the sand, should surely arise a new reality, a new strength, a new image in us. This is a time for every individual to delve deeply into her and his own sense of what is real and true, into whom he or she is, into what is right for our country. And it should be so, because real life is calling us to see beyond illusion.
We have somewhat lately afraid to speak clearly about what H.E Salva Kiir and SPLM is doing to our country and our national spirit. Have we been pushed far enough yet, for us to feel compelled to speak the truth-not in a warlike way, but in a patriotic way? I think so. The time is now. And the opportunity, unless many of us are mistaken, is ultimately for our own good.
Some people will say that I am furnishing the anti-Kiir. Why so? Because I have drawn this conclusion with complete indifference to everything but the quest of truth. But I hope a fair minded individual, who has sufficient understanding will grasp the spirit of my words in an affirmative manner. I am neither anti Kiir nor SPLM. I am shouting out to H.E Salva Kiir and the SPLM that Southerners expect better from them than what they are getting. My fellow citizens, it’s time to deal with reality or it will deal harshly with us.
Our leaders are listeners, thus, we have a choice. We can champion and fashion a new South Sudan renaissance in the essence of speaking out. Or we can watch this still-young nation and its entire resources slip out of our hands, and slide into the rising sea. There is, certainly, a third choice, which is not to make a choice at all. That, possibly, would be the worst choice.
* Buol Nhial Aguet, a Sudanese at Saint Martin’s University, WA USA .