NCP media attacks against Sudan’s SPLM
A free press can, of course, be good or bad, but, most certainly without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad. Albert Camus
By Mariar Wuoi
September 24, 2007 — The Sudan People Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) is used to waging guerilla warfare, laying crippling siege to government garrisons, ambushing large number of enemy soldiers, using its knowledge of Southern terrain to increase odds in its favor, establishing foreign contacts to win international sympathy, and even negotiating tenaciously with the highly organized National Congress Party (NCP) to get an agreement that is considered a win for the SPLM. What the SPLM wasn’t prepared for is fighting a well-established NCP sanctioned media. So far, the NCP is winning in this new frontier and SPLM is finding itself cornered like a rat. A number of events have come to the attention of the author and it seems the SPLM hasn’t done a good job of extricating itself from this unpleasant position. One recent example is a rumor about the death of Lt. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, president of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS). The rumor was spread with help from Sudan’s Intelligence agencies so as to force President Kiir to come out and declare that he was in fact alive and breathing. According to sources in Khartoum, rumors of Kiir’s passing caused so much scare in Khartoum that the inhabitants of the capital kept their shops closed. There was unusually high level of security around Khartoum.
This is certainly not the first time the NCP’s media has launched a preemptive information warfare strike against the SPLM. SPLM Secretary General Honorable Pagan Amum was rumored to have died in a car accident. This sad media release came on the heel of Hon. Amum’s outspoken criticism of NCP’s foot-dragging in Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) implementation process; especially vis-à-vis Abyei experts recommendation. It is unclear whether the NCP intelligence establishment wanted to warn Hon. Pagan Amum to tone down his views and stop criticizing the NCP, but we can infer that this was the case. If this were the case, it seems the strategy failed to achieve its intended objective because Hon. Amum is still doing his job superbly.
These are just a few of examples of how the NCP media (especially Sudanese Media Center) is trying to undercut SPLM as a party and portray it to its sympathetic Northern mass that this party is a regional outfit that is bent on achieving separation. To the dismay of Southern mass, the SPLM is not responding as it should. Since it signed the CPA, it has not launched a party website and has not created effective media outlet in the north to counter NCP’s information warfare. You cannot win support of sympathetic northerners unless you espoused alternative views in a manner that you will reach a large number of people. The NCP is working hand in gloves with these media outlets to portray the SPLM as a disorganized and ineffective rebel movement with mentality unfit for modern Sudan. Obviously, this is not the case. SPLM is serious about real democratic transformation in Sudan where all Sudanese are free to choose their leaders, conduct political activities in an open environment free of harassment, arrests, torture, and genocidal counterinsurgency strategies being employed in Darfur. If the SPLM has its way, Sudan could become the country that every African nation wishes to emulate. Sadly, the NCP is led by power-hungry corrupt cabal that wants to maintain its stranglehold on power in order to survive and enrich themselves. With its unwillingness to implement the CPA, adopt real democratic principles, distribute wealth to all citizens regardless of ideology or regional affiliation, the NCP has made it clear to Southerners that the unity is going to made as ugly as possible so that the South parts ways with north. At least this is one of its most effective strategies so far because South is going to vote for secession.
The SPLM must counter this media warfare with its own well-established media structure. As a party, it must launch a functioning website and feed it with regular media release outlining its vision for Sudan. It must do all it can to demonstrate to sympathetic northerners that it is genuinely working for a better Sudan and not eventual secession. At the same time, secession is our ultimate fallback position should NCP continue with its intransigence. Every media release in Khartoum should not be taken seriously and if any, it must be regarded as a conscious effort by NCP to destroy the Movement. As such, the Movement must respond by portraying those release as unsubstantiated and lack credibility. It is not for our leaders to go on the national television and prove that indeed they are still breathing. That in itself is humiliating and only leaves the NCP strategists with the last laugh. In an age of internet, even a terrorist group holed up caves somewhere is able to exploit internet and reach its audience with relative ease. What would prevent a powerful Movement that waged a successful war against a government backed by powerful international sympathizers, to harness the power of media to win hearts and minds across the Sudan?
It is not the lack of resources but rather, the lack of clear strategic view about today’s Sudan. We must get out of our current position and do more. It is true that many Southerners, including those in influential positions in Government of National Unity (GoNU), believe that unity is a lost cause that should be give minimum weight. But we still have to give it a shot and reach out to northerners. The late Chairman Dr. John Garang de Mabior was given a warm reception by over 6 million people in Khartoum. These people had hope in SPLM’s ability to bring about a change in Sudan. Must we give up a good fight and declare their hopes as bankrupt? I hope this is not the case. We must drive a wedge between the NCP and people it claims to represent and present ourselves as an alternative to status quo. This can happen only if we take up the challenge and fight a good fight in media sphere. As 2009 election year nears, the SPLM must double its effort and demonstrate that it can win in regions traditionally considered NCP’s stronghold. To do this, it must have well-established means to preach its vision. Today’s war is remarkably different from what we faced in 80s and 90s. Media has become an indispensable tool of warfare and we are not catching up as fast. This is the only one area where the NCP has effectively dealt SPLM a severe blow. But it is not too late to bounce back and take the initiative. If SPLM is known for anything, it is its resiliency and ability to turn challenges into opportunities.
* The author is a Sudanese based in US. He can be reached at [email protected]