SPLM has to keep its allies intact

By Roba Gibia

December 25, 2008 – Since the initiation of the SPLM/A movement in May 1983, its principal cause was fighting for the liberation of the marginalized people of Sudan from the oppression, inequality, uneven distribution of wealth, developmental projects and its concentration in Khartoum. Therefore, in my view the SPLM movement belongs solely to the marginalized people of Sudan, because their hope and aspiration rest on the SPLM vision to satisfy their thirstiness and lift them from the pit of desolation. And that was evident, because the first people started congregating to SPLA/M, were from the desperate and oppressed people of Sudan from the different walks of life. Thus, the SPLM/A gained its potency because for its call for liberty, and because of the marginalized people of Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile, west, east and northern Sudan. Dr. John Garang believed that the marginalized people of Sudan needed tutor and enlightenment to open their eyes to see what they could not see, and they lacked leader to show them the path of liberty and unify their front. And that was exactly what Garang did in uniting the marginalized people of Sudan under the emblem of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army to realize their dream of New Sudan, where everyone pays undoubtedly allegiance to Sudanism but not Africanism and Christianity or Arabism and Islam which was the corner stone of movement’s struggle.

Dr. John Garang with its wise and charismatic leadership, personal saturation and believe in the movement’s philosophy, which he (Garang) initiated managed to make SPLA/M a converging haven and center for marginalized people and freedom fighters. John Garang toured and visited all parts of Sudan in south, east, west, and far north to explain the purpose of his mission in dreadful and hazardous times. And whenever he travels in those areas, he places himself into those peoples’ shoes, listens to them, eats with them and behaves like them and that was why he was liked by marginalized Sudanese from west to east and from south to north. During the SPLM/A movement there was SPLA military training center in Kauda, Nuba Mountains and it was one of the strategic and significant movement’s training and headquarters in Southern Kordofan. Beside that the movement has got sound presence in eastern Sudan, Kurmuk and Hameshgoreb which indeed tightened the screw on Khartoum. This was the purposely unity required from the marginalized people of Sudan, which has to be maintained under any circumstances as far as the struggle continues. And indeed when John Garang died in plane crash on July 30, 2005, his casket was taken first to his home in New Site, then around in his footsteps in Yei, Rumbek, Kauda, Kurmuk, Bor and finally to his resting place in Juba. This has got tremendous and significant impact at the midst of his supporters and fellow comrades in those areas. And even though SPLM/A supporters were in grieve but were happy to say farewell to their leader, which consolidates and fortifies the spirit of struggle among the marginalized people of Sudan, and at least to remind them that despite the fact that their leader have gone in everlasting sleep, but has not forgotten them and that the SPLM/A unity will continue to uphold after his death under the new leadership.

As we have witnessed during the Naivasha negotiations, Abyei, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile issues were discussed and incorporated in the agreement, and were permitted to have a democratically say to determine their future. This has been done because of the marginalization and strong bond between south and those areas, and because they are comrades and SPLA/M allies. Hence, Garang asserted in several occasions that after peace agreement, their principal objective will be concentrated on building movement across Sudan as whole. But is that happening now after demise of Garang, and after four years from concluding Naivasha agreement? I do not want to speculate around because the reality on the ground is self-explanatory, but would like to stress that building SPLM as political party across Sudan as whole doesn’t constitute merely by opening SPLM party’s offices, but through mobilization, enlightenment and consolidation of SPLM on the actual ground and at the midst of marginalized people of Sudan, because they are the dynamic force and strength of the movement. SPLM has to make its presence in every locality of Sudan, and has to reach to the remote and rural areas to see and experience the actual predicament of the populace. But as we talk today, SPLM offices or secretariats in the ten southern states, Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains are inactive and has got no activities due to lack of fund, as claimed by some SPLM officials but there is enough fund for SPLM leadership to spent on air tickets and hotels, because they are moving up and down and have got no time to sit down and concentrate on building, mobilizing and transforming the movement into real political party with systems and strategies in place, and above all, as how to formulate its short and long term policies and as how to face the upcoming general elections in 2009! Therefore, SPLM has got enormous responsibilities to shoulder and to not ever detach and ignore its people and comrades whether being in Blue Nile, Nuba Mountains, west and east but has to keep them intact in order to preserve the movement’s unity, continuity and capacity to confront the enemy.

But it seems that SPLM leadership has been unilaterally occupied with the issues in South Sudan, but not as during the war and has almost abandoned its comrades in the struggle, in eastern Sudan, Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains. As at this juncture, the people of Nuba Mountains are wondering, what has peace brought to them? Nothing, except agony and suffering and that the Nuba Mountains’ torment has tripled under the Naivasha peace agreement. Currently there is total anxiety among the Nuba Mountains’ SPLM/A members that the SPLM/A leadership in Juba and government of national unity in Khartoum has sold their case, as since signing Naivasha agreement in 2005 to this date, Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of SPLM-led GoSS never visited Nuba Mountains, and this is a clear indication that their sacrifice went with wind! Beside that the closing down of Kauda SPLA training center in Nuba Mountains and redeployment of its weaponry, convinced Nuba people beyond doubt that they are deserted by SPLM/A after peace. Thus, now there is call within Nuba Mountains’s population and SPLM/A members to detach and distant themselves from the SPLM and commence their struggle unilaterally against the mistreatment and humiliation of the NCP which is taking place currently in Southern Kordofan. In my view, if SPLM/A doesn’t desist from its current policies towards its allies, there is high probability that things will fall apart, and the SPLM/A will shrink, disintegrate and be confined in localities and South Sudan or on tribal grounds, and once that happens, its consequence will be grave and its price will be paid evenly by poor marginalized people of Sudan, but after confining each group in its own area and dealt with in absolute detachment.

Roba Gibia, is a Sudan Tribune journalist. He is also the author of John Garang and the Vision of NEW SUDAN . He can be reached at [email protected]