SPLM Convention deserves a space
By Isaiah Abraham
February 9, 2008 — The SPLM has gone public to appoint a contingent of members to map out plans for the upcoming National Convention for the Party that is slated for May 2008. We don’t know yet whether the said team is at work or about to start working at this point; what we do know however is the idea itself whose time is right. If that is the case then why is the Convention not been given its political, publicity (media) and economic backing or support to make it an event that shall make it way in to our hearts, minds and books for the good of Southern Sudan and the other Marginalized people of the Sudan? This so because we might not gamble or undo our past as to truth but we could surely gamble with our future through forums such as these for the good of the party in question and people they purported to represent.
So, what if this convention come and passed? In another word, what impact shall it make in our political spectrum of our country? Will this Convention really come up with resolutions and recommendations that might push this party to another level of recognition or could it just be another Yei SPLM Conference resolution that took several months to see the light. Clearly in white and black, any political gimmick anywhere is not welcome as we have hangovers from our bush life we got shed if we really mean business. But looking back again what is this Convention all about? Any legal references in our books (Constitutions) that shall binds it and accommodate its findings? Is James Wani Igga a right man or good planner/political surveyor (tactician) to avoid blunders of the first Convention of the 1994 in Chukudum? Is that period of three months good enough to meet the required ground breaking activities for the success of the Convention?
I don’t have time to impose another question as to why is the committee formed to prepare the eventual event short of party heavy weights members such as Nhial Deng Nhial, Pagan Amum Oketch and Dr. Samson Kwaje? This is another controversial analysis on its own and could take another page to dig into the underlines and political games coming out from the answer. However, there are arguments that are deduced from all of the above where you and I could figure out clearly the outcome of the meeting before it’s commence.
I have four kinds of arguments to make it in this case. One is the simple repeat of the query as to why is this historical event kept out of our political life and left to leaders to clandestinely make stuff out of their schemes to get away with our psyche without being challenged. The black out we are experiencing as to this event is not coincidence or omission but clear attempt to rig me and you out from this an important exercise for the good our beautiful land. In 1994 in Chukudum, the Military Commanders maneuvered their interests into that meeting where representatives making up the meeting were selectively hand pick right from the military. We could sympathize with that circumstance however but not again at this very Convention. The Officers and their affiliates makes up two third of the delegates then. Their contribution at that meetings was largely influenced by their military leaning other than true sense of objective reasoning and pros pondering on serious national issues that require unbiased and impartial inputs/contributions.
The second argument is the focus itself; what does the SPLM want to achieve from there? What issues at the table the party want to discuss other than the CPA related adjustment plans for the party? Is that party really ready to chart out crucial issues in regards to governance and the forth upcoming election for the whole country and Southern Sudan in particular? As you know better than me and as our leaders also know, there is an urged need to look at democratization of the SPLM in the context of the new political dispensation. There are members who weren’t SPLM members from the original bush life, but who want to be part of the party but are yet to see vividly the party cardinal principles/issues that are poise for political markets. Democratization within the party is an overriding feeling that should top all others in the discussion. That bluntly means all office holders from 1994 to 2008 ought to renew their mandate in a fair and a transparent process.
SPLM from 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Bloc cruised into spiral of voices that call for its overhaul; some of the then Political-Military High Command approach Dr. Garang in Addis Ababa to press for the change. The response aided an already grown up Itang created crisis of the August 1991 mutiny of the rebel leaders in Nasir. Unfortunately, we are still bad students of history! Everything escapes our memory and we are arrogantly pushing our heads into another crisis assuming that everything is just fine so long as Khartoum question remain a bigger picture to worry everyone.
When Gen. Joseph Lagu left the Sudanese Army in 1963 and became its head in August 19688, he met our Southern Rebellion as a unit despite several changes in its ranks from the time of Saturino Ohuro. Gen. Lagu uses his skills to bring everyone on board and appointed key officers from other regions to represent his South Sudan Liberation Front (SSLF) at the top. After the agreement in March 1972 Southern Sudan stood together down to 1980 when Khartoum uses Abel Alier and others to undermine our people quest for freedom that came through the Addis Ababa Agreement. Within that period we were all united as just Southern Sudanese and work anywhere in our land. This has changed for the worse as in the near future some states in the South shall introduce passports and work permit to the so-called ‘from another state’. Imagine Madi or Dinka Bor (makes no real percentages to our 10 millions people) if each produced then a leader, why not try it again at our time to give our higher position (s) to anyone who deserves to be there? Am just afraid this won’t happen; it wasn’t in the bush and our leaders changed colors in their new offices in towns. As a nation to survive we got to get down and design our future much more carefully and the place to do it is at the Convention.
Third, Southern Sudan interest and success in the National Government depends mainly on its image that is about to be created through this Convention. There is little logic to preach democratic and transformation when the “log is still in our eyes”; who has time to listen to this hypocrite when there are others out there waiting to spoil for the same recognition? There are talks of alliances that might pit the National Congress and the SPLM to form a bloc and divide the cake between them on the expense of true shift enshrine in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). The ongoing political war of words among parties as to national laws and constituents quotas makes sense, as our main opposition parties read mischief in the positions of the SPLM and the NCP. Let the NCP go to the poll with their candidates at the national/local levels, if their member loses he/she loses and if he/she wins he wins. The SPLM must do the same.
The position of the SPLM Chairman should be subjected to competition and if non Leadership Council Member dares it, so be it. It shall draw radiance precedence for others after Gen. Kiir or Dr. Machar. The CPA though gives our current leader the tenure within the interim period and hence understandable that this chair should be reserved for our big man until his period expires. The problem however is what if he doesn’t live to the expectation of his job? In another word what if his government continues with its presence shape of no service a stop to looting of public money by its senior officials, could the party be quiet and indifference when the public is at unease?
Forth, the Sudanese and their country after all remain the same again. The voice of our late dear leader Dr. Garang that this country will change forever has gone again to the dogs. The country is back in its obvious shape and character. The business as usual as families and special political groups and tribe in the country join hands again to falter an opportunity to pull back this country from its path to prosperity and progress. We are not surprise when the beloved son of Sadiq El Mahdi joined the National Security under the NCP. His uncle already at the Presidency as an advisor to the President, what do you wait to hear and see coming out from Khartoum? Believe it or not we are not anywhere interested in making unity attractive when our brothers Arabs make no pretense of their long term plots against the black man in the land.
The theme of our argument then goes thus: if we care about everything then let’s stop dreaming and try our very best to help the marginalized man/woman from being finished politically, socially and economically. Through sound and durable laws like that of the other advanced countries we could do it. We have the opportunity to make things work better now and in the future. The agreement (CPA) before us is a remarkable achievement in our history where we should hinge our strategies for our own good. This Convention ought to drives it’s strength from there and allow our people to move forward with clear cut strategies. Chukudum managed to lay down that plan and it’s up to us to maximize our intention to make that dream come true.
Therefore it’s our duty to make an extra effort to bring forward leaders and ideals that are paramount to our own existence and survival against our own selfish and egocentrism. There are many ways to make things work for our own good. Our honest evaluation of our current state system of Government should be revisited and then budget allocation issues. Others related to laws governing land and politics as well as investment laws. Foreigners are getting away with our meager oil resources in the form of contracts when we should have devise mechanism to live and prosper within our own status/means.
The Government still largely too slow to strength its tax systems and revenue collection policy and even afraid to put forward plans to reduce risk of fund mismanagement by the Tax Unit junior staff. There are bad reports coming out from there. In as much as we needs support from private agencies, our system clearly never monitor what the agencies are offering to our people? Some of them are still putting up makeshift structures such as tents to oversee relief activities when they should have gone to capacity building and real development. Transfer of skills is not near the back of their minds. We could go on and on talking the same things but the reality of writing it negates not the idea of limitation we have as a nascent Government. Our Government is trying and they should be encouraged to do much more; am optimistic that through time our new Government shall picks itself out and do more to our people. Don’t ask me when, do you?
The author is a Sudanese living in Southern Sudan; he can be reached on [email protected]