SPLM sending mixed messages
By Deny Ajak Jongkuch*
April 1, 2006 — Those of us who grew up in the SPLA/M are always critical and have serious concerns when it policies are heading into wrong directions. We the youth in the SPLA/M, once called the “Red Army” by the SPLA/M and now known as the “Lost Boys” by the west feels that the future of Southern Sudan is ours. Therefore; it is our responsibility to bring foreword things that are matter to our country and her citizens. No doubt that we worked hard for the birth of CPA; it is an insult if we see that CPA is under constant abuse either by SPLA or NIF. Abusing CPA may result into another civil war that maybe fought by nobody then the current youths of Southern Sudan.
To represent the good image of the SPLA outside the Sudan, we always like to see our leaders with a unified voice. Our leaders in SPLM/A has to stop sending mixed messages because they confused those who are working hard to show the good part of SPLA in the diasporas. Our friends who had been supporting us since the beginnings of civil war are trouble by mixed messages sent by our leaders within SPLA/M. Should they lost their interest and withdraw their supports, the consequences would be untold suffering to our citizens.
Our leaders in the SPLA/M most be inform that the policies of the SPLA/M and GOSS have not met the expectations of Southern Sudanese and their supporters worldwide. These expectations reached the climax when the SPLA/M signed CPA which gave hope to entire marginalized Sudanese. The decline of the expectations started at the time when the hero of marginalized Sudanese, Dr. John Garang lost his life in the helicopter crash. The nomination of Mr. Kiir Mayerdit to lead the SPLM/A forces and Marginalized people of Sudan into land of freedom elevated some hope, but majority doubts his leadership. Kiir had made himself clear that the SPLA is vehicle without reversed gear. Whether SPLA/M and GOSS is on the right truck is matter of debate. Judgment is base on how much one is accessible to news on the ground.
Since the death of Garang, formation of GONU and GOSS, our leaders in SPLM/A lost a unified voice over issues that are matter to marginalized citizens of Sudan. Lack of credible information, mixed messages, and invisibility of SPLA leaders had created confusion in the South, Darfur, and in the eastern Sudan. Daily killing of Southern Sudanese by LRA and other armed groups supported by GOS is troubling. The most troubling issue thou, is the issue of unpaid SPLM/A soldiers who are responsible for the protection of CPA. They are unorganized, unequipped, and no uniform. Their families are still struggling without support from the government they protect.
There are a lot of things that need to be addressed to our leaders both in GOSS and GONU. One of the issues is sending mixed messages to the media. Our leaders sent mixed messages during the debate over the ministry of energy/mining and ministry of finance. Mr. Pagan Mum protested that the issue should be send to IGAD for final decision. The idea seems to be supported by Southern Sudanese citizens. On the other hand; the SPLA/M top leadership gave up on the debate, hoping to keep CPA a live. SPLA as a party would have sat down to decide if the matter should be send to IGAD or just give it up to Basher party. Given up everything we fought for in the name of CPA is not a good policy in my opinion.
After short period of times when the debate of ministries was over, the issue of oil dividend came up. The vice president of Sudan and president of Southern Sudan, his Excellency Kiir mayerdit think that Southern Sudan had not received her full share of 50% of oil revenue from Northern government. Mr. Akuein who is the minister in GOSS said different thing which contradicted his boss. Mr. Akuein said the GOSS had received it share and is working out formulas for which the money should be use. Who is telling the truth and who should the public believe in this case?
Another burning issue is the role of Dr. Lam Akol as member of SPLA and Sudan foreign minister. Most of Southern Sudanese and marginalized people of Sudan are wondering if Dr. Lam is representing their interests in the GONU. Some are even wondering if Dr. Lam changed his Southern identity or unknowingly switched to basher’s party. Some are even wondering if Dr. Lam is working out of order from his boss (Kiir). Dr. Lam and President Kiir Mayer contradicted one another on every issue. Example, Kiir thinks U.N forces should take over in Darfur as long as they will not be part of the problem. While Dr. Lam and Basher opposes the take over of Darfur by U.N forces from AU forces to stop killing. SPLA/M as a party should have unified policy toward the conflict in Darfur instead of sending mixed messages.
Most of are wondering to when the Sudan became an Arab land as claimed by Dr. Lam. Some are even asking if the SPLA/M policies has changed and recognized Sudan as an Arab land instead of an African land. There is a logical thinking here. If the Sudan is an Arab land indeed, then what were we fighting for? I wonder if Dr. Lam is an Arab. It never had been in SPLA/M policies to recognize the Sudan as Arab land. SPLA/M should have informed it supporters if it had changed it policies instead of surprising people with such strong words. Since the signing of CPA, Our leaders had sent a lot of mixed messages even our President Kiir contradicts himself in many occasions. It is good to say one thing and go for it instead of flip flopping.
You can be one party but still disagree on some issues. But sending mixed messages every now and then do confuse people. It shows inability to setup clear polices and be consistence with them. It shows no direction and leave people with a lot of questions to ask where are we going. If there are changes in the SPLA/M policies, these changes had to be open to the public should that people like Dr. Lam would not confuse the public. I think our president Kiir Mayerdit needs to call a SPLA/M nation convention to revise it policies.
* Deng Ajak Jongkuch is a Health Care Administration major at San Jose State University, California and can reach by [email protected]