Sudan’s fist uncle, is behind Upper Nile tribal conflicts
By Luke Kuth Dak
January 31, 2009 — Loathe him or love him, the Sudan’s first uncle, and the owner/ editor – in- chief of the right-wing hateful ( al-Intibaha) Arabic daily newspaper, al-Tayeb Mustafa has proven that he means what he says, and backs it up with actions by putting his money where his mouth is.
His divide and rule policy ( fitna) is terrifically working and achieving its objectives in South Sudan. With his unlimited resources(blood money), he not only able to spread the message of bigotry and hatred, but also managed to buy hearts and minds of some of the wickets in our society, to fight against one another, instead of fighting together.
The latest acts of violence in Upper Nile State, the land crisis in Equatoria and more, are all a living evidence of how deeply the NCP has penetrated in the Southern affairs. The blood money is beautiful paying off it dividends in dividing South on tribal lines(hit the slave with a slave). It’s very clear, even to the blinds among us… that the latest deplorable and tragic conflicts in Makal and elsewhere are being engineered and financed by the National Congress Party(NCP), through it’s trustee, President al-Basher’s uncle, al-tayeb Mustafa.
It’s very difficult to comprehend… that for seven consecutive days, ( al-Intibaha) disgustingly decorated its pages with the images of the dead bodies of the victims of the tragic incident, and did so with unbelievable joy and jubilation, as if those were not human beings, who deserve the least amount of respect.
However, the saddest part of it all, is the unexplainable despecable silence by the Sudan People Liberation Movement(SPLM). Let alone a denunciation, it took well over three weeks for a high ranking official to visit the bleeding state, in Ustaz Pagan Amum, the Secretary General and a native son. His demanding of investigation into the conflict is a great step in the right direction. However, most, if not all, of the SPLM’s investigations never end in conviction . This one will not be an exception either, I am afraid. In deed, if that happened in a country where the government is for the people, by the people, Chairman Mayardit and Secretary Amum, would looking for jobs somewhere else, today.
More than likely, those of us we watch CNN have heard anchorman Lou Dobbs as saying: “ Does anyone deserves a government that works?” Apparently, GOSS and the SPLM, respectively have given up this great state to the National Islamic Front(INF). The price is being paid- handsomely- by the vulnerable citizens, with their lives. The question ought to be: Who really needs a dysfunctional government like the one we have? Strategically, it was deadly mistake to leave this beloved state in the hands of NCPs in Southern Fur.
Upper Nile is looking forward to a peaceful co-existence among its people. The government must live up to its obligations. It’s the government job to protect the citizens and provide them with opportunities. Nothing should be more important for any government, than to lift it’s citizens from despair to hope. Disappointedly, however, the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement is in such a bad shape organizationally, that it doesn’t look like the party of late Dr. John Garang de Mabior. Therefore, it must go back to the basics that made it to be the great party it once was.
We can do better than That.
The author is a former anchorman with Juba Radio, and a Sudan Tribune contributor.He can be reached at: [email protected]