SPLM: don’t betray your leader

By Isaiah Abraham

March 28, 2009 — It has been observed with disbelief that some senior party members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) have publicly gone against the Chairman of that party on the issue of the International Criminal Court (ICC) cruel move against the head of Sudan government. Chairman Salva has been open about his rejection of the ICC move against President Al Bashir. With perhaps differences with President Al Bashir, he sees no burning reason to remove him at this particular point in time- in the middle of the Peace Accord signed in Naivasha- Kenya. .

The gentleman (Gen. Kiir) again and again asked for restrain, but the euphoria for justice took some of his senior elements so strongly against sound judgment. While its uncharacteristic of many leaders to withstand such routine rude behaviours, the SPLM Chairman opted to overlooked those odd voices within his system. He further knows the characters that are pushing for change in the Sudan; people behind the ICC’s reckless move. The Chairman knows how tough its to start talking again. After all, President Al Bashir’s party has opened up opportunities that were otherwise thought impossible for a Christian or ‘pagans’. We have a Southerner just a breath away from power, while other hosts are in different key ministries in governments. The South has its “Kura An’gereeb” (Government of Southern Sudan), if to borrow Dr. Garang words. What is more or greater Dr. Al Turabi, Dr. Khalil, Mr. Al Noor shall offer Southern Sudan? Allow me to talke about Southern Sudan here. That is a million pound question, yeah?

Let’s remind ourself of what the SPLM Chairman had attempted to do for Darfuris. He tried fruitlessly to bring everyone face to face for talks, whether within the rebels movements or with other political forces; but only shock and only shock anytime. His voice in the Presidency for peaceful means was loud. He formed a task force for Darfur, so to bridge differences between the Government of National Unity (GoNU) and the Darfur rebels, unfortunately he got frustrated in the middle when the two principals leaders there (Al Noor and Al Khalil) refused to engage him in conversation let alone visiting his base in Juba.

Today, we are seeing the same leader not giving up by stating the obvious that the arrest warrant of President of the Sudan shall complicate things for everyone, first in Darfur and then to the whole country. Don’t ask him ‘how?’. But how dare is anyone to rattle a leader who controls fire? There is point for adult to live in apathy. SPLM Chairman has his eyes on the Self-Determination and Popular Consultation for the people of Southern Sudan and Two Areas of Nuba Mountains/Southern Kordofan and Ingessena Hills/Blue Nile respectively. This is huge responsibility he’s guarding against interference.

But for Pro ICC within his party they curved out an argument that life will go on with or without President Al Bashir. To them, the CPA is cast on stones, whether signatories of that agreement are alive, dead or arrested. They whispered the same to the powerful nations in the West and were baited. They have attempted to twisted the mind of the Chairman on what they called the ‘international community wrath’. There is nothing these days like that. These men has nagged the Chairman to stay out of Khartoum and even stop being in the Presidency. They say, since the fate of this “criminal” (Al Bashir) is sealed in Washington and London, there is no need to waste time defending him. Its just a matter of time and he will be nubbed they conclude. One of them on that dark Wednesday has called this author and exhuberantly shouted, “the nook is tighten on your man”. I hung up; not in protest but on colossal errors in his judgement and statement.

But who are they? What is their drives in the first place? What do they want done overnight in the Sudan given this country omplext situations? By sacrificing Al Bashir would that be enough healing for the nation? I don’t think so. Who do they represent in the larger picture of the Sudan or Southern Sudan? What’s the difference these men shall make if President Al Bashir is gone? They have been serving as ministers or heads of important units within the government and the party, what did they offer our people then that they will do it different this time around?

But alas, some of them are reported moving or should be in the States for an ‘official’ party visit; I don’t know what agenda in the implementation of the CPA is so pressing than the ICC’s intruding case at hand. I thought these men have learned a lesson or two about the need to go slow when its getting much clearer that the arrest of Al Bashir isn’t for Sudan interest and the region. He isn’t push over guy. Question: what agenda then are these men taking to the new US administration? I don’t know, but the word in the streets goes like this: these men are going back to the drawing board or start afresh from where they left it off last year when they agreed to urge Mr. Ocampo to arraign President Al Bashir. So to realized a ‘program for life’ known as New Sudan. Oh no! May the food these men will eat there hang in their throats; may the spirit of our departed leader keeps the cause of South Sudan afloat in the middle of an imposing crisis.

The concern here howover, isn’t about whether they are right or wrong, but about what does this mean to this party in relations to popular current among our people. When grave matters such as the ICC are left to juniors to speculate, then there must be something awry going on somewhere. It seems as if they thought President Kiir doesn’t know what’s is up, when he urges for refrain. Chairman Salva will deliver Southern Sudan to the promised land, I can assert with authority! They have repeatedly put words in his mouth and this is unfair and unbecoming. This is so because some people within that group are continuing to peddle lies that the Chairman had agreed with others in the party for President Al Bashir prosecution but only afraid to say it publicly. What a farce! His position has never changed behind the close doors or outside. He wanted peace first before accountability.

The justice these people are passionate about isn’t one. We have reason that line, haven’t we? Africans, it time to rise up and be you. The good lawyer after all has personalized the matter and had disqualified himself. No right minded person would go by Mr. Ocampo’s Google Earth so-called evidences. Serious as he claimed, can’t add up any facts on the ground given the way he has handled this particular case. Morality is an important ingredient of justice moreover. If the 300,000 killed in Darfur is a case what of more lives that might be lost if peace agreements collapsed suddently today; how many lives shall perish before another agreement is reached? Even a single live counts. In Darfur, there is deaths and instability true but there is exaggration and inflation of issues, another truth! There is need to look at compound matters in that region with an impartial ‘eyes’ and then tackle them on a case by case basis.

Chairman must be firm therefore and get tough this time about. His party needs to stand together with the NCP for the sake of the CPA. He has to look critically within his system and if the need be to weed it, so let him do so. He has to crack the whip for the sake of harmony within his party. Hon. Dr. Lam Akol should be given the Secretary General of that party if the SPLM party means business. A well, full of wealth. Hon. Tellar Deng and Aleu Ayieny are amissed. In Darfur, he should look at ways to address the humanitarian situations of the displaced persons in the camps. Keeping them there isn’t even wise idea. Efforts must get double to return people into their original homes. Darfur Rebels capitalize politically on the state of affairs of people in those camps. Oooop! Relief isn’t the best either.

Isaiah Abraham, is based in Juba; he can be reached at [email protected]