Posthumous message from Dr. John Garang De Mabior

Not even death shall do us part: a posthumous message from Dr. John Garang De Mabior on the occasion of 24th Anniversary of the SPLA/M

By Sudan Today*

1- Salutations

Fellow countrymen,

I’m writing to congratulate you on the 24th anniversary of the SPLA/M. Today, the 16th of May, is a special day. It marks the genesis of our protracted struggle for freedom and justice, and which eventually culminated in the signing of a just and honorable peace agreement in Nairobi in January 9th, 2005.

I therefore take this opportunity to congratulate all officers, NCOs, and cadres of the SPLA.

I also extend my congratulations to the Sudanese people from Nimule to Halfa, and from Geneina to Kassala.

This day is a great day; but it is also a different day. It is different because it is the second anniversary that you are celebrating in the cities and towns of the New and Old Sudan.

It is also different because it is the second anniversary that the SPLA is marking as a paid regular army, notwithstanding the fact that you have not been paid for fourth months!

Moreover, it is the second anniversary that the SPLA is marking without my physical presence.

Comrades, I have missed you, and I think you have missed me too. And I bet, even my enemies who hated me and eventually took my life, have missed me in their own peculiar way – ala mode my killers!

Compatriots,

I have been asked by the SPLA martyrs to join you as you commemorate this historic day to share with you a few thoughts about our movement – the SPLM and our great army, the SPLA.

We are joining you because our destiny is inextricably bound. Not even death shall do us part!

But before I begin, it is fitting to say a few words about the circumstances surrounding the helicopter crash that killed the seven of us. On this historic occasion, I would like to confirm to the Sudanese people and the world at large that what happened in the evening of July 30th, 2005 was a vast conspiracy aimed at the CPA. It was an assassination plot masterminded by an unholy trinity alliance of interest groups:

One, a tiny group of Southerners who thought they would come to power by eliminating me.

Two, a bunch of assassins from the North, who felt threatened by me, and who believed they could easily destroy the CPA if I’m killed.

Third,a tiny group of foreigners purely motivated by pecuniary interests.

Of all these three groups, the most unfortunate was the role of Southerners. The assassins from the North could not have succeeded without the role of Southerners. Before I went to Khartoum, I knew that many assassination plots had been incubating for some time. But my calculation was that they would succeed at some point after three to four years. However, the Southern factor, coupled with the historic turn out by over five million people in Khartoum to receive me on July 7th, 2005, combined to expedite the assassination plan.

Now, let me comment on the mixed feelings that ensued in the aftermath of the July 30th events. As the news of my death was confirmed, mixed feelings were exhibited by two distinct camps.

One was a camp comprising genuine patriots from Southern Sudan, Nuba Mountains, the Blue Nile, in addition to New Sudanists , democrats, nationalists and friends of the SPLA/M in Northern Sudan. This camp was utterly devastated as they felt a terrible sense of loss and bereavement. They shed genuine tears.

The second camp consisted of my enemies; political adversaries of the SPLM and of course my assassins who were stunned by their own success to have killed me in such a dramatic manner. This camp naturally rejoiced and held celebrations.

And as I mentioned earlier, they included Southerners. One of them even commented saying “I really feel like having been released from Robin Island”.

Coming back to my main message, I have two messages for both camps:

To the first camp, I say: Mourn me not; for I’m just one person out of more than three million people who died for our freedom since 1955 until 2005. So there is no reason to mourn my passing. I did my part by achieving the CPA, as I said in Rumbek on May 16th, 2005. Therefore, the best way to mourn me is to stick to the CPA. My enemies did not hate me as a person. If there was one thing they hated in me, it was my consistency. They knew there was no way I could compromise our rights, especially when it came to implementation of the CPA. So the enemy’s tactic was to remove me so that the CPA is destroyed slowly and systematically. I therefore sincerely advise you to defend the CPA successfully because if you do, then John Garang is not dead. But if you re-negotiate every single issue that I had already negotiated, finished and signed with Ali Osman in the presence of the whole world, then I should really begin to die. And by the way, here in Heaven, all the SPLA martyrs are treated as saints who defended the rights of their oppressed people. So the good news is that we are all going to Paradise. Contrary to what the enemy was preaching, we are not in Hell. The only tribulation that we are going through now is the tribulation of seeing the CPA being destroyed by the enemy, and with the help of some comrades. So please stand up in defence of the CPA. This is my message to you.

My message to the second camp is this: To my assassins, I say: I did not expect you to spare my life. We have been enemies and I knew that not even the signing of peace would change your plots. As a revolutionary by nature, I took up arms to challenge your supremacy, knowing fully well that it was a cause that would cost my life one day. For over 20 years, we showed you that we had the logic and the muscle to back it up. And you could not defeat us except by resorting to cowardly acts like assassinations. I have therefore nothing to regret by singing peace with you. On the contrary, I died a proud, dignified, happy man. In other words, I died at the height of my popularity and accomplishment. But I must assure you that you will never win. You may destroy the SPLM by buying off a few elements here and there. You can even break it up into many factions. But believe me; you will never ever defeat the SPLA, and I need not remind you about the Malakal lesson which the SPLA taught you in November 27th, 2006.

I could read your mind like a book. That was why I wouldn’t allow you to absorb the SPLA.

As for the Southern Sudanese who were cheering and celebrating my death, I say you have nothing to celebrate. Here are my dialectics:

There is a common notion among you that John Garang and his vision of New Sudan have been the problem. I hear many of you say that now John Garang is gone, we should abandon the so-called New Sudan, sit idly by and wait for Self-determination! My friends, this is an assumption that you will live to regret. If you want to solve any problem, you must define it correctly. As I said in my public rally in Rumbek on May 16th, 2005, we reached the CPA because we had a clear vision. And it was on the basis of this vision that we defined our objectives. And I said that our objectives have been (a) New Sudan and (b) The Right of Self-Determination. Now, how do you achieve these objectives?. I have said many times that a fish rots from its head, not from its tail. What I mean by this is that the big fish called the Sudan is rotten from its head.
Therefore, you must begin by fixing problems from the head, not from the tail. In the context of the CPA, these problems can be fixed by transforming the NIF Sudan into a democratic New Sudan. This means that the SPLM must fully engage on issues of democratic transformation, elections, human rights, the status of Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile etc. Other problems that need fixing from the head also include issues directly related to the Right of Self-determination. They include the North-South Boarders, oil rich areas etc. More importantly, they include the problem of Abyei. The problem with you now is that you are neither strategizing to achieve Self-Determination – ala mode your self- determination, nor allowing others to achieve it as originally envisioned by the SPLM. You must be seen to be pushing vigorously for transformation of Sudan. And when it becomes clear that the NIF is too deformed to be reformed, then the rotten Sudan should be broken up peacefully. And as it breaks, you can then get away with your self-determination. As I said in my public rally in Rumbek on May 16th, 2005: “the challenge for Sudan now is to make unity attractive for Southerners so that they vote for it during the referendum. If Sudan does not sufficiently and fundamentally change, why should anybody vote to become a servant instead of being a master in his/her own independent house?…why would any Southerner vote himself or herself into second class citizenship?”. Now, for goodness sake, can you tell me what’s wrong with this vision?

Comrades, the assumption that you can just procrastinate and expect the NCP to give you the Right to Self- Determination in a golden plate is a figment of imagination. Time will prove it.

I have noticed that you began your journey to Self-determination by giving massive concessions to the National Congress Party. This is a wrong beginning in terms of strategy and tactic. The problems that the SPLM is facing now in Khartoum began right from the first day when the Ministry of Energy was surrendered. That surrender was the root cause of the current woes. It was a tragic violation and departure from the CPA. Having got what they wanted easily, the enemy was emboldened to go to the next violation by throwing away the Abyei Border Committee (ABC) report. Then, they moved on to Oil Commission and imposed their policies on the entire oil industry without the SPLM’s participation. So far, Awad Al Jazz has signed four major contracts without the Government of Southern Sudan being involved. On the rights of non-Muslims in the Capital, Christians continued to be beaten up in their own churches. The National Security Law remained unchanged along with other laws enacted by the NIF before the CPA. The Police are still aggressive and exercising judicial and punitive powers- all in all violation of the CPA. In one striking example, they beat up SPLA General Elias Waya. What a new era? An SPLA General being beaten up in Khartoum!. And the list of violations is so long. When I think of these violations, I turn several times in my grave! I wonder what this is all leading up to. Are you back to the no-peace-no-war period? What is clear to me now is that you are back thousands of miles from where I left you. In my address in Rumbek, I mentioned Four Phases of the Struggle. These were:
1-Phase1:1983-1991: Golden years of the revolution.

2-Phase2:1991-2004: years of darkness, serious struggle and negotiations.

3-Phase3:2005-2010: 6 years of interim period.

4-Phase4: Beyond 2011: Post Interim Period depends on the result RSD. My fear is that the SPLM is back to Phase Two. This is clear in the fact you are now back to the negations table, negotiating issues that we closed in Naivasha. The difference is that you are negotiating in Khartoum and not in Nairobi. But having said that, there is hope in the SPLA, which I hope will have a final say, come January 2011.

2- SPLA

My dear sons and daughters in the SPLA,

On this glorious day, I would like to reiterate how proud we are about you. Despite the difficulties that you are facing, you are doing a great job. We commend and salute you for two major achievements that you have made so far. These are: One, you have been able to maintain the unity of the SPLA. This is a great achievement. You must remain united and loyal to your leadership under comrade Salva Kiir Mayardit . Two, you have been able to maintain security throughout the areas under your control. When the enemy tested your strength in Malakal in November 2006, you gave them a bloody nose. That was a strong message and I cannot really describe how jubilant we were as we watched you rout the enemy from its headquarters in Malakal. In that day, comrades Nachigak Nachiluk , Martin Manyiel and many others spent a whole day whooping and cheering over your victory. Moments afterwards, we all shed tears of joy. It was really a fantastic victory!

But comrades, there are small things worrying us. All the martyrs are deeply concerned by the strange behavior of a few comrades among you. We are deeply disturbed that some of our officers are negating the principles and values for which the liberation war was fought. A creeping love for money is rearing its ugly head and this is deeply worrying us. I have seen one of our top officers who has long been a trusted comrade, a good fighter and first-rate nationalist, asking foreign contractors for huge commissions in return of his approval for contracts. This is a shame. I wholeheartedly beg you, my sons, to abandon this unbecoming behavior. You are heroes who have led your people to freedom. You have fought the longest war in Africa with dignity and without being paid. So please continue with that spirit because millions of people in the Sudan still pin their hopes on the SPLA. On this occasion, I would like to reiterate my words to the graduates of Batch III of the Institute of Strategic Studies in Yei on 18/03/2005.

In that speech, I told the officers:

“Wherever we go, we must remember of our martyrs with honour and with the same spirit of comradeship. Let us work together to commemorate their memory in words and deeds, and prepare ourselves to answer the legitimate needs of their wives and children”

Dear Comrades,

These words are still true today as they were two years ago. Whatever you are doing; wherever you are; you must focus on four important tasks.

1-Look after your families. They have suffered for so long and they deserve your attention.

2-Look after the orphans and widows of your martyrs. You should always be there to wipe out their tears. And when there is salary crisis as is now the case, make sure they get something before you even encash your salary.

3-Continue to train yourselves and upgrade your skills in various fields because you are the leaders of tomorrow.

4- Prepare yourselves for the next war with the enemy in 2010.

conclusion
Dear Comrades, compatriots, fellow new Sudanists,

I now end this message with a personal plea to my comrades and sons Abdul Aziz Adam El Hilu, Nhial Deng Nhial and Yassir Saeed Arman. This is my message to you.

I see in you many qualities of leadership. I have known you to be clean chaps with no tendency for material wealth. You can be leaders. But my humble advice to you is this: you must not quit. Leaders are not quitters. You can never be a successful leader if you are not resilient and persistent. Leaders must be pertinacious, daring and ready to chart uncharted territories. Remember; during our decades of struggle, there had never been a smooth sailing. We have had to go through rough seas, thorny plains and craggy mountains where my soul, along with other comrades eventually parted. Think about till my next address.

SPLM Oyee

SPLA Oyee

Victory to the people of New Sudan

Yours Sincerely

Dr. John Garang de Mabior

Former SPLM Chairman and C-in-C of the SPLA

* Sudan Today is a Dossier for Truth and Transparancy It is compiled by wachdogs in Juba and Khartoum. Names of the authors will be withheld for obvious reasons. Readers can send their comments to [email protected]