Sudanese Nuer in Ethiopia accuse GoSS envoy of promoting tribal confrontations

To. His Excellency Lt. General Salva Kirr Mayardir, The First Vice-President of the Republic of the Sudan and President of Government of South Sudan.

We are very anxious and troubled at this moment and hereby confirm our determination to preserve the fundamental factors in order to guarantee peace, stability and development of our country, and to contribute toward efforts for the establishment of a just, a lasting peace, political stability and of active cooperation in the region.

We also endeavor to strengthen the close ties that unite us with our neighbor Ethiopia for which we are bonded by mutual interests and fruitful cooperation. In this spirit, our people mindful of its rich cultural heritage and devoted to its convictions and its orientations, hopes that it can join the countries of region at the time of the 2011 for the complete independent of South Sudan. . It is time to join together without exception to build Southern Sudan into a community of peace, stability and prosperity. The Nuer community in Ethiopia, believes that today there is no more obstacle to its admission into this regional organization.

Dear Mr. President,

It is our pleasure today to reiterate our high appreciation to the active role that the GoSS has played in settling the problem of peace, security and the development in the South, and to pay homage to His Excellency Dr. Riek Machar Teny, the Vice-President of GoSS for his noble and tireless activities to bring peace to Uganda, even though he has been confronted with serious difficulties. We, the Nuer community in Ethiopia, will support your leadership and your government activities with tenacity, generosity and talent in order to offer to South and its people all good fortune to regain peace and stability, within an indispensable national reconciliation. While we are only at the beginning of the rehabilitation and the development process. In this sense, our community has decided to issue the statement to condemn Mr. Arop Deng Arop, whose mandate is to assist the Government of South Sudan to improve all conditions connected with respect of Ethiopia , in the interest of economic and social development.

Firstly, we would like to give thanks to all the Ethiopians who call us brothers and sisters and willingly welcome us home, their kindness, compassion, warm and sympathy expressed in those calls and comforted us and gave us a strength that we carry on with us today. Unfortunately as a community we are disappointed by the activities of Mr. Arop Deng Arop, who is working here only representing what could be seen a divide the entire community along the tribal line for his personal interest. Mr.Arop might have forgotten that he was posted to Ethiopia to work for the betterment of the Southern Sudanese people there and to strengthens the relationship of the two governments, however, this is has been unfortunate truth that will never be realized with the posting of Mr.Arop. We are deeply concerned that if things go uncertified at this time, enormous damages in our communities tied will be highly strained and that will obviously lead to unbearable consequences to us. We would like to bring forth the following points which we deeply regret that has have been caused by Mr.Arop. We would like to draw them to the attention of our esteemed leadership for them to take necessary steps before it is too late. Here they are summarized;

1. Mr. Arop Deng Arop has been blackmailing the Ethiopian Authorities that Nuer are all Ethiopians and could not know the differences between the Ethiopians Nuer and the Sudanese Nuer, therefore, the government of Southern Sudan cannot help facilitate the return of the Southern Sudanese refugees who are willing to come back home..

2. Mr.Arop claimed that the Nuer community in Ethiopia cannot organize the SPLM chapters because Ethiopian Authority will not recognize it based on falsify understanding that all the Nuer in Ethiopian are citizens of Ethiopian and therefore the subsequent SPLM formed will not be respected by the Ethiopian government. This is totally unacceptable because not all Nuer in the Ethiopian today are citizen, but most are just refugees just like in Nairobi, Uganda and other neighboring countries. He further claimed that he should be the only one organizing this Chapter since he is a Dinka which seemed to have no any affiliation to Ethiopia. This is not acceptable and we would like the government of Southern Sudan to understand this contradiction and confusion being caused by Mr.Arop..

3. Mr. Arop Deng told us openly that he cannot waste his time in supporting the initiated borders peace activities because he does not know who are in the border between the Sudan and Ethiopia. This act of discrimination is a violation to our right as Southern Sudanese communities who inhabited the border with our Ethiopians brothers.

4. Mr. Arop Deng Arop has no any good relations with the government of Gambella region and they have openly showed to him how he is not capable enough and cooperative to work with them. Series of complaints from the officials have been heard and leveled against him who according to us is true. He has been totally oblivious and ignorant of the firm relationship between the Gambela and Southern Sudan. We therefore the Southern Sudanese communities in Ethiopian condemn that act with impunity and would like the government to take action immediately.

5. We call upon his excellence President Mayarrdit and Dr. Marial Benjamin to replaced Mr. Arop Deng Arop immediately as a representative of GoSS in Ethiopia, because his unacceptable behavior in the way he conduct the official businesses and his tribal discriminations will seriously damage the relationship between the people of Southern Sudan, Goss and Ethiopian government.

6. Mr.Arop has showed a general sign of no trust by organizing a celebration for removal of Mr. Lam Akol then foreign affairs Minster after confirming that his brother Alor kuol was made the Foreign Affairs minister by saying that they have controlled the government and have no fear even in his malicious acts, he will never be removed from the office.

Finally, Mr. President, allow us once again to address our very cordial thanks to your leadership, and for your preponderant part taken in the process to lead Southern Sudanese to recover stability.
Thank you for your attention,
The Nuer Community in Ethiopia and Southern Sudan Students Association in Ethiopia

Cc:Dr. Riek Machar Teny, Vice- President of GoSS,
: Dr. Marial Benjiman Bill Lual, the Minister of Regional Cooperation ( GoSS)
: Dr. Cirino Heiteng Ofuho, Deputy Minister of Regional Cooperation ( DMRC)
: Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Addis Ababa) South Sudan Desk Affairs