Salva Kiir’s Presidency in Danger

Abstract

May 25/2006 — This document will examine how South Sudanese elite have been betraying the cause of peoples’ struggle from Anya nya-1 to commencement of SPLM/A. Our major emphasis in this paper will focus on current political developments in our country. Specifically, Mr. Martin Majut Yak’s recent visit to Canada and threats he has made against SPLM members in Diaspora. In a series of articles, we will elaborate on how Mr. Yak, the Director for Presidential affairs of the Government of South Sudan, intends to undermine the leadership of President Salva Kiir Mayardit in particular, and the well being of SPLM party in general.

Introduction

Members of the New Sudan have immensely suffered a great deal for several decades. Except for 11 years of a relative peace (1972-1983), our country has undergone through a period of self-destruction during which time millions of lives have been senselessly terminated, while millions others indiscriminately uprooted.

Successive regimes in Khartoum spearheaded the war of unimaginable destruction against the marginalized peoples of the Sudan. In this tragic vicious cycle of war, displacement and subjugation, Southern elites continue to aide and abate the enemy. Thus exacerbating and perpetuating the war. Examples to this effect abound. However, a few are of paramount importance.

First, the notorious Kokora (poison in Bari Language) helped former Jaafer Numeri to chop South into three weak, toothless administrative regions of Bahr el Ghazal, Equatoria, and Upper Nile. Each independently implemented Numeri’s agenda. This period was foreshadowed by grievances from a handful of Equatorians and quickly gathered speed and intensity that eventually culminated in Kokora era-a bleeding wound that has been hunting the southern Sudanese for decades.

Had administrators and South Sudan nationalists seriously took up the case with a view of finding solutions as we now believe, Southerners would have stood together hence denying and clamping Numeri’s evil, divisive plans and policies.

Second, deadly internal wars that ensued before and after the formation of SPLM/A were direct by-products of misunderstandings amongst Southerners themselves. For instance, Anya-Nya II period had arrested anticipated gains against the enemy. Some wounds inflicted in those conflicts are still being nursed and permanent scares are visible for all to see.

Like Kokoara, Southern opposition groups of SPLM/A helped Khartoum regime in killing and displacing millions. Sadly, family-like disagreements were allowed to shatter lives and destroy livelihoods in entire South Sudan.

Third, the split that almost crippled the Movement in 1991, during which the citizens of entire marginalized areas had betted their hopes and aspirations upon, was one of the unfortunate doomed scenarios in the history of our country, Sudan. The unnecessary wars that were fought amongst sons and daughters of South Sudan claimed more lives than those martyrs whose lives were lost in the line of duty in pursuit of the objectives of SPLM/A.

Furthermore, our natural resources, including oil, were looted and are still being looted in a broad daylight. And proceeds of which activities were and are shamelessly being used to annihilate the entire population of South Sudan, Nuba Mountains, Southern Blue Nile, Eastern Sudan, and now Western Sudan.

Despite the lack of legal authorization to exploit oil in South Sudan, the government of NIF/NCP under the leadership of Field Marshal Omar Hassan al-Bashir continues to loot our resources with impunity through elite consumerists who care less than their own bellies families.

If one studies the above examples in detail, one would definitely find by name (s) a few masterminds. It’s incredible how we seem to forget so quickly.

A case in point is what transpired in months leading to signing of Comprehensive peace Agreement (CPA). During that time some Southerners were encouraging and deepening misunderstandings between late Dr. John Garang de Mabior and current Chairman and C-in-C of SPLM/A, Lt.General Salva Kiir Mayardit. Thanks God, and to credit of our top two leaders, a peaceful solution was reached in a famous Rumbek meeting of December 2005 which eased tensions and brought harmony and unity within SPLM/A. Indeed, Rumbek resolutions were welcome and celebrated by SPLM/A members and supporters worldwide.

Unfortunately, few opportunists, lunatics, and megalomaniacs were unhappy about the positive, unifying stance. One of those opportunists is Mr. Martin Majut Yak, the Director for Presidential Affairs of GOSS.

In part II of this article (Martin Yak Controversial Visit to Canada), we will share with you (our readers) what Mr. Martin Majut Yak is doing to make sure that SPLM under Kiir’s Presidency collapses in the shortest time possible. We will reveal shocking tract records of a man who has now become a top aide of our president. Subsequent episodes will address Martin’s records in Sudan, Egypt, and Canada (1995-2005).

Please stay tuned for the next episodes.

“South Sudan Presidency has come to us people of Gogrial and Aweil, we will not let it go anywhere by all means and costs”—Martin Majut Yak, Calgary, April 2006.

Part II

May 30, 2006 — Martin Majut Yak’s recent controversial visit to Canada
Pursuant to our article of May 25/2006, we promised our readers about the
second part of Mr. Martin’s controversial visit to Canada. Part II will
elaborate on how Mr. Yak, the Director for Presidential affairs of the
Government of South Sudan, intends to undermine the leadership of President
Salva Kiir Mayardit, and the well being of SPLM party by setting a stage for
a modern Kokora in Southern Sudan. Further, we will also quote for our
readers Mr. Martin divisive statements that he made during his public
briefings with the Sudanese in Calgary (including a telephone conversation
with his former deputy). We will then conclude this piece with Martin’s two
letters and challenges facing members of SPLM in Calgary. We feel it’s our
moral duties as SPLM members to alert those of you who didn’t get a chance
to hear the man speak so that you can make inform decision as to who Mr.
Majut Yak is. Setven Biko says: ôWe must remove from our vocabulary
completely the concept of fear. Truth must ultimately triumph over evil.

Let’s begin.

Rumbek Community’s Gathering

To credit of the organizers of Rumbek Community?s meeting, Martin was
given a chance to address the audiences as an elder and in his capacity as a
member of Government of South Sudan (GOSS). Alas! Instead of repeating the
constant refrain of GOSS officials to people in Diaspora, “come home and
help us in construction and reconstruction,” Martin surprised his listeners
with a different version, “Diasporas shouldn?t go home now,” due to
what he termed as “lack of resources and physical infrastructures.” He went
on and defamed our new born capital, Juba, as a city “full of human feces
and annoying street kids fathered by Arabs.”

While we are aware of the fact that resources and infrastructures in South
Sudan are non-existence or limited, we don’t think all the Diasporas would
like to go home when constructions and reconstructions are completed.
Otherwise, our brothers and sisters at home may equate our non-participatory
actions to parasitism. Therefore, people in Diaspora are eager to
participate now not tomorrow (a recent record of Diaspora?s influx to
New Sudan is our solid evidence). In this connection, Martin’s statement is
not only pathetic but also treachery, for it discourages skilled Diasporas
to discharge their nationalistic duties and obligations.

In about face, however, Martin Majut secretly courted his close friends
(mostly from his state) for whom he brought tickets to go to South Sudan.
Consequently, we urge Mr. Yak to explain his inconsistent, one-sided
strategy he deployed here in Canada. We are truly worried that his move is a
perfect recipe for corruption, nepotism, tribalism, clanism, and
regionalism.

Aweil Community’s Gathering

At Aweil Community gathering in Calgary, Martin was also one of the
attendees. Present in that meeting also was one of these authors. At the
outset of his speech, Majut asked his audiences, “Is there any outsider in
this room?” Citizens of Mading Aweil looked around for few seconds in an
effort to come up with a desired answer. After few moments, they unanimously
said, “No,” assuming that Mr. Martin meant people from other communities.

However, during the discussion, Martin didn?t speak only on issues of
two communities (Gogrial and Aweil) as he alluded to in his question.
Instead he explored and discussed at length on SPLM difficulties,
weaknesses, and inefficiencies. He then concluded his comments by declaring,
“South Sudan Presidency has come to us people of Gogrial and Aweil, we will
not let it go anywhere by all means and costs,” making innocent audiences
more suspicious and worried about his motives. We urgently appeal to Martin
to explain what he meant by “all means” and “cost,” in a supposedly
peaceful, democratic post-war South Sudan.

Regarding his used of the word “outsider,” we invite him also to explain his
point further whether the word was used to mean non-members of SPLM, Aweil &
Gogrial, or other categories in our society? Definitely, these questions are
crucial because SPLM is a political party; therefore, being a member of
Aweil, Gogrial, or any other section or tribe in South Sudan doesn?t
necessarily qualify one to be a member of SPLM. Currently, not all members
of Warrap and Aweil states are inclusively members of SPLM, a glaring fact
that Martin should have known.

Unification of two chapters in Calgary

When Mr. Martin left Calgary for South Sudan, members of Sudanese community
and members of SPLM in particular were pleased. Some saw it as a blessing in
disguise. True, the two chapters, which he worked hard to keep apart, were
peacefully dissolved in his absence and one unified chapter formed under the
two former chapter?s leaders. As usual, his recent visit has caused
unfortunate division and laid many visible and invisible traps within SPLM
members in Canada, particularly in the province of Alberta. For instance,
during the compiling of this document, those who were appointed or promised
positions by Martin were working day and night to spoil upcoming SPLM
Chapter elections in Calgary scheduled for Saturday, June 24, 2006. If SPLM
leadership does nothing to control potentially demanding situation between
now and elections day, we are sure that Martin?s army under his top
lieutenants will do everything in their disposal to make sure that SPLM
members in Calgary are unnecessarily divided for one more time.

Meeting with University students in Calgary

In this meeting, Martin said, among others:

Kiir office was not organized before I went to southern Sudan, but on my
arrival I have organized it by talking to NGOs in Juba who donated computers
to our president?s office. It is now well organized

Those people who will be working with SPLM office in Canada will be paid to
work. Peter Both will be chief consulate in Canada, therefore his
appointment is a political nomination from SPLM office and he does not need
to be nominated or elected by SPLM in Canada?

Martin’s Telephone Conversation with Simon Chuol April 25, 2006

Simon attended a meeting in which Mr. Martin was going to address the Media;
however, upon learning that his former SPLM chapter deputy was going to be
in the meeting he (Martin) informed the Media not to come but continued with
the meeting to brief the people about his trip to the south. In the same
meeting, Simon Chuol informed the gathering about good news of unification
of two SPLM chapters in Calgary. In that evening Mr. Martin called Simon and
left a message in his answering machine saying ôSimon I want to talk to you
before I leave for southern Sudan.?

On his part, Simon swiftly and positively responded and called him and left
several messages, where he eventually succeeded to reach Martin on the
phone.

Below is what Mr. Martin told Mr. Simon: ôSimon, don?t merge with
those groups, I was working with you, keep a way from these people until we
settle things down. I have seen your name in the paper you have distributed
this evening. You had wanted to jeopardize my meeting this morning but you
failed?

Simon: ôI did not fail. Our message was a message of good hope to our masses
and to all peace loving people that we have put down our differences and
merged as one SPLM body?

Martin: Those people that you are already trying to work with have been put
in black lists [in South Sudan], and will not come to southern Sudan, so if
you want to be put in that black list is up to you, you will die with them.

Simon: I am a former SPLM solider, I had been in the Bush so long, I was the
commanding officer mobilizing new recruitsàin 1992, and I was the commander
that was commanding the second battalion in that area. Your empty threats
will do me no harm. I can?t work with you and your divisive policies.
I completely disagree with the message you are bringing from the south
appointing your friend to divide our people in Calgary, destroying the unity
we have been pursuing which you have opposed for a long time.

Martin: you will regret by insisting to work with this group because they
will be the losers.

Simon: let me refresh your memory. It was the other group you talked about
that was serious about unity. You personally were not interested in peace. I
knew this while I was serving as your SPLM chapter deputy. I said unity must
go ahead, but you chose to sideline me. You have overlooked me and never
seemed to care about your executive members opinions. This became more
obvious when you got that position in the south. You have avoided even
consulting with your office; instead you chose to work with people outside
your office till you left for the south. When you came back, we received you
and thought you would brief your office instead you declared in a meeting,
which you presented us with a letter stating the dissolution of two
chapters. It seems that you were avoiding our people coming together by
rejecting the unity they have been working hard to build by appointing Peter
Both and bringing more disunity among the Nuer and Sudanese SPLM supporters.
You are unpopular among the Sudanese people and will never get their vote to
represent them.” The end.

When Martin knew Simon was firm in his unity principle he chose not to
communicate with him any more until he left for the South Sudan.

Letter of Appointment and its Dissimilar Copy

The letter, which Martin brought to Canada and attributed its authorship to
Mr. Pagan Amum, the secretary General of SPLM, is questionable in many
aspects. To make the matter worst, Martin reposted the same document on May
21, 2006 (on ssnet) entitled “The letter of Appointment.” The second letter
is a modification of the first. Perhaps, it was done so simply to make
people less suspicious, but in actual fact it has generated many questions
than answers. To date, majority of SPLM members in Canada are more confused
and bewildered than they were a month or so ago.

For example, both letters have different subject and are copied to different
officials (one being a Canadian and another being a Sudanese). Second there
are lots of omissions in the document; see the two copies attached (above)
and critically evaluate, compare and contrast them; you will precisely find
what we are talking about!

As committed, ardent members of SPLM, we deserve accurate and timely
information under which circumstance the two contradicting letters were
written. Specifically, we need explanations and clarifications from Martin
and Pagan Amum, the Secretary General of SPLM.

We must remind Martin that we are not bunch of spectators as he would like
us to be, but are equal partners and stakeholders within the SPLM. Yes, we
are not holding any positions in SPLM leadership, GONU, GOSS, or state
governments at this time; but this obvious reality must not be used against
us ordinary members.

If such inaccuracies and inconsistencies which are direct threat to
principal objectives, policies, strategies, teachings, and vision of SPLM
are allowed unchecked in the system, we will be forced to request our
President’s intervention.

We say no to Martin?s divisive, manipulative and unprincipled
activities in the SPLM!

In the next article, part III, “Martin Majut Yak is abusing trust of the
Presidency,” we will share with you what he publicly said about Vice
President Riek Machar, SSLA speaker Wani Igga, and Geneal Paulino Matip, the
deputy C-In-C of SPLA.

signed by,

Dr. Mawien Mawien Akot, [email protected]

Mr. Kuac Akecak Jok Aleu, [email protected]

Mr. Acuoth Makuac Riak, [email protected]

Mr. Deng Akol Leng, [email protected]

Mr. Sabrino Majok Majok, [email protected]

Mr. William Koang, [email protected]

Mr. Bona Rizig, [email protected]

Mr. Albino Ogot, [email protected]

Mr. Akol Apath

Mr. Simon Chuol, [email protected]

Mr. Simon Mayiik Nyok, [email protected]