Salva Kiir’s stand on Darfur

Editorial, The Sudan Tribune

September 21, 2006 — As Sudanese we should be proud of the position taken by the First Vice President in favour of the deployment of the international forces in the war-torn Darfur region. It was a very crucial and determinant matter for the ideal of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, for the New Sudan.

For many marginalized people in the one million-kilometre state of Sudan, such stance count for the future of the country. Because, if the SPLM has no clear position, it would be decisive for political future of the party as national movement. The ruling National Congress Party wanted always to create troubles for the SPLM in the south and to keep it away from the national arena. Being so, it would be seen as a regional movement no more.

Darfur people standed always besides the Southern Sudanese in their struggle for justice and equality. Allow us to remind that such stand will honour freedom fighters like Bolad and many other Darfurians who paid the blood price for the cause of the New Sudan.

Slava Kiir stand is an important act in the modern history of the Sudan. An important step in the building of the national cohesion in the country. Some times, one can say the difficult test, the nightmare that Sudanese are living since the Islamist coup d’Etat of the National Islamic Front, Sudanese are now aware of the of the full meaning of radicalism, totalitarianism and dictatorship. A necessary test in the history of nations to appreciate, freedom, democracy and tolerance.

The SPLM should understand that they are the avant-garde of the Sudanese democratic forces, a burden that some may not want to assume. Nevertheless, often in the live we face such fatal responsibilities. The value of the human being is rightly measured by our capacity to resist the adversity and to bring the victory.

Darfur is a national test for all the Sudanese; because with Darfur atrocities Sudanese have the sentiment of déjà vu. They understand very well the true nature of a leadership that imposed itself and every day since 30 June 1989 leading the country from a crisis to another. Now it is the moment of the truth and we have to take position.

You cannot commit the dirty deeds and come blaming the others. If you had nothing wrong no one would came and pretends to protect your people. It was important to point this evidence and this is what Salva Kiir did.