SPLM-DC: The long awaited move

By James Akot

June 17, 2009 — On the 6th June Dr. Lam Akol announced the formation of a new party the SPLM-DC, a move that has been anticipated by majority of the people of southern Sudan after the continued failure of the SPLM under the leadership of comrade Salva Kiir for a period of four years to deliver the essential basic services to the people of southern Sudan. In order to comprehend the need for a change in the SPLM or out of the SPLM, we need first to closely examine and diagnose the infectious virus that is slowly killing it. The failure of the SPLM as a party and government of Southern Sudan are anchored in two crucial issues. First the lack of clear political organization both internally and externally within the party and secondly, on its poor performance as a government. MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN SPLM days of corruption and misrule has been numbered, it has been weight and it has been found wanting!

Political organization:

During its inception in 1983 the SPLM/SPLA was born in a sea of political contradictions. Some of its founders like late Akout Atem and Joseph Oduho wanted a movement that will fight for the total liberation of Southern Sudan and free it from the york of arabization and islamization; while on the other hand, those like Dr. John Garang and Kerubino Kuanyin wanted a united Sudan founded on strict interpretation of classic Marxism; but which is inclusive of all Sudanese both Arabs and Africans. The camp of Mr. Akout Atem had correctly diagnosed and analyzed the situation in southern Sudan in particular and Sudan in general. The majority of their fighters where angry southern Sudanese young men who were frustrated and disappointed by the Government of southern Sudan (hokuma Matot) in Juba and by the dictator Ja’afar Nimeiry. This camp knew very well the aspirations and hopes of their people and also they have realized through many years in the Sudanese political arena that the only viable solution to the question of Southern problem was nothing short or more than the independent. Yet the camp of Dr. John Garang won the day not based on the democratic wishes of the people of the southern Sudan, but by pure military victory over the old veteran politicians and the rest is history. Indeed the birth of the SPLM/SPLA was a caesarian one and costly especially to the people of southern Sudan in terms of human lives lost during the inter fighting among southern Sudanese, yet people strongly believed that as this child grows it will one day remember that the people of South Sudan deserves their right of an independent home land. Ironically the Sudan People Liberation movement continued in its wrong path still yelling and calling for a new Sudan until the signing of the CPA.

The signing of the CPA was welcome by the majority of Sudanese people mainly for two reasons. First, the CPA has brought to an end and stopped the bloodshed in south and secondly, it was viewed as vehicle on which the Sudanese people will fulfill their aspirations of justice, equality and democracy through the SPLM as the new kid on the block and the welcoming reception of the SPLM leadership to Khartoum by the Sudanese masses was a referendum on its popularity. It is also worth noting that, at the time of signing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement SPLM/SPLA was yarning for internal changes and serious political reforms. In search for internal organization and political reforms, comrade Salva Kiir was the undisputed ring leader of these reforms which resulted in what was known as the famous Rumbek meeting. Lets stop the clock of history for a moment and read what was said in the Rumbek Meeting. I will start by quoting what comrade Salva said regarding the state of affairs in the movement: ‘’ If we are National Leaders, which I don’t believe we are because we have no cohesion within our leadership structure, let us be sincere with ourselves. After meetings are concluded, we run to foreign countries. There is no code of conduct to guide the Movement’s structures. When the Chairman leaves for abroad, no directives are left and no one is left to act on his behalf. I don’t know with whom the Movement is left with; or does he carry it in his own brief case?

The Chairman killed the national Executive Council (NEC) by creating the leadership Council. But there is no provision in the Convention for a ‘Leadership Council’. Does he want to revive the Political Military High Command? The Leadership Council creates a situation where all are directly reporting to the Chairman – including SPLM County Secretaries. When I mentioned these facts, they should not be construed to be my personal or family problems. Those around the Chairman don’t tell him the opinion of the public. The Chairman is everything, from a finance officer to one at the lowest level.

Corruption, as a result of the lack of structures, has created a lack of accountability which has reached a proportion that will be difficult to eradicate.

In fact, there are many outstanding administrative problems that require our attention. These include the infrequent converting of conferences at the leadership level, causing an absence in the SPLA/M chain of command and making others to directly communicate with the Chairman without following the right procedures. This should be corrected. If the responsibility of Governors goes directly to the Chairman, what will be the work of Cdr. Daniel Awet? I hope Cdr. Daniel Awet will address all those things. The Chairman should not make appointments of SPLM County Secretaries; it is the work of the Governors.

The other issue I would like Comrade Chairman to address is how the CANS structures are now operating, e.g., take the absence of the SPLM Regional Secretary for Bahr El Gazal from his area of responsibility while there has been sporadic tribal feuds within the region – and which has resulted into sectional conflict. The Chairman most of the time send Cdr. Deng Alor on foreign missions which were supposed to be the work of Cdr. Nhial Deng. I would also like to say something about rampant corruption in the Movement. At the moment some members of the Movement have formed private companies, bought houses and have huge bank accounts in foreign countries. I wonder what kind of system are we going to establish in South Sudan considering ourselves indulged in this respect.’’ (See the famous Rumbek Meeting, Sudan Tribune12 March 2008). Without venturing into detailed analysis of this statement I would just like to ask the reader some questions: what have comrade Salva Kiir done so far to address the issues he raised in the Rumbek meeting? He talked about unilateral decisions of Dr. John Garang and yet he dismisses members of the SPLM without proper consultations in the party and in direct contravention of the party rules and procedures. What about corruption which he attributed to the lack of structures, isn’t southern Sudan more corrupt today than before the Rumbek meeting? You can fool some people sometimes, but you can’t fool the people all the times!!!

On the democratic transformation in the Sudan during the interim period and the rights of forming parties, the late Dr. John Garang had this to say: ‘’ The SPLM will be reorganized democratically. There will be a multi-party system. There will be no need for coup d’etat anymore, so for example my friend Dr. Riek Machar will not need to make a coup because he can form his own party if he is discontented with SPLM.’’ If that was the spirit why is the leadership of the movement so angry by the formation of the SPLM-DC? Some even argued pathetically that Dr. Lam does not have the right to use the name of the SPLM. Yet in the rules governing formation of parties in the Sudan anybody is allot to use the same name of any party he chooses as long as they have different party’s logo. The Umma Party was split into five parties both carrying the same name with slight difference at the end of the party name and also the DUP party divided itself into four retaining the same name, so what is the fuss about the SPLM-DC? In my opinion SPLM can continue using its flag with the yellow star and SPLM-DC perhaps can use a red one and legally speaking there will be no conflict.

Coming back to the issue of reform, it was hoped that the SPLM second Convention will usher in a new dawn a dawn that will reflect the spirit of the famous Rumbek meeting in terms of really structural reforms within the movement. However, many were seriously disappointed by the so-called convention despite the slogan ‘’Salva Kiir for Change’’. During the 10 days of deliberations on who should go and who should stay there was no single party policy presented for discussion. It is worth mentioning that committees where formed in different areas such as economics, law, foreign affairs etc, but to disappointment of majority of comrades nothing of their papers where presented for discussions. In a nutshell SPLM infamous convention did not add anything of substance as to issues of reforms and policy formulation. However, it had limited success in issuing a manifesto and few worthy materials called internal procedures. The mass majority of the Sudanese people and southern Sudanese in particular wanted to see policy papers on the above mentioned issues. Students wanted free educational for all, free health system that will carter for the marginalized including widows and orphans of our war veterans and proper sound economic policies that will transform our oil and agricultural sectors for the good of the people, but all hopes and dreams where buried by the end of the convention. A party that is build on personality and cult worshiping and not on policies and real political discourse is bound to collapse and buried in the dustbin of history.

GOSS POOR PERFORMANCE:

Although the government of southern Sudan is formed from different amalgamation of parties, SPLM has 70% of its share in other words SPLM is the governing party of Southern Sudan. However, from onset the government was not formed on equitable geographically representation as the logic requires given the sensitivity of ethnicity in southern Sudan. One tribe and one region became the dominant component of the government and yet there are not ashamed to call it Government of southern Sudan rather than………….. Government!! This act was contrary to the spirit of the Rumbek meeting as the meeting wanted a government formed and based on regional representation. I quote the statement made by our late leader Dr. John Garang he state that, ‘’as for the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS), there will be representation based on the states, fairness and justice. Similarly at the Central Government, there will be State representation. All Governments, whether GOSS or State Governments will be based on modern standardized structures.’’ The question to ask is why is one state being overwhelmingly represented in the GOSS? This is not based on fairness or justice but pure regionalism and tribalism that can’t be accepted anymore regardless of their pathetic contentions. But do we need to be surprised? Lets read what comrade Oyai said to Salva in the Rumbek Meeting and I quote: ‘’ Cdr. Oyai Deng. I want to add my voice of being happy to participate in this meeting. When the movement started, you were seven (7) and now you are only two (2) remaining. Some said that you conspired against those who died and now you are conspiring against yourselves. I am shocked to hear Cdr. Salva talk here only about Bahr El Ghazal and not the South in general given he is a leader for all. I strongly agree with Cdr. Salva that when the Chairman goes away, he locks the South in his bag. This is wrong. Cdr. Salva has the right to question anything wrong. There is a problem that must be solved by taking the right decisions.’’

The GOSS and the SPLM as the governing party failed to stamp out corruption practices because some of its official are involved and are deep to their necks in the ocean of corruption. The establishment of the Anti-corruption Commission was in the right direction however, for the last four years its has been urging the southern parliament to enact the anti-corruption Act. The time was wasted partially due to the luck of comprehension of this important act by majority of appointed members of the parliament. As the results of this delays in enacting the anti-corruption act allot of big fish where left off the hook and are now leaving happily in their illegal acquired mansions and villas in different parts of the world, and yet some political juveniles are asking as to why the formation of SPLM-DC. These political cronies reminded me of a famous phrase Dr. John Garang used to say, that is ‘’Junuben dayreen sheno’’. This question was one of the questions northern Sudanese used to ask southerners as to why they were fighting. They did not see anything wrong with the system in Khartoum they eat well, they slept in peace, the run businesses and therefore they did not see any reason that warrants war. Presently in the south and in Sudan some high officials of the SPLM are millionaires some even went ahead and name shopping malls after their daughters rather naming them in honour of our fallen heroes and yet they are viewed as true SPLM (what a joke). SPLM has been receiving financial aid from friends and sympathizers for the course of marginalized however, there is no accountability or minimum accounting transparency. In the light of this sad state of affairs some lost sheep are asking why the need for the revolution or wind of change against the master and his petty burgesses. The master and his petty burgesses are trying to duplicate the scenarios in the George Orwell famous book (The Animal Farm) where some animals are more equal than others, well south Sudan is not the Animal Farm and neither will we be silent by the voices of hypocrites and parasites. Jesus said seek the truth and the truth shall set you free.

The GoSS equally has failed to provide security to the citizens of southern Sudan. The amount of human causalities is beyond believes yet our government in Juba is not doing anything effective to eradicate this dangerous matter. Tribes are fighting tribes’ clans against clans yet the minister of interior seems always busy and having good times in Juba as if everything is alright. Thank God that the minister of Interior has been removed in the recent reshuffle he should have been sacked, held accountable to the insecurity in whole parts of southern Sudan and not to be rewarded with another ministerial appointment, but again we are talking about southern Sudan where rewards are not based on performance but rather on tribal affiliations. GoSS must come out clearly with a comprehensive policy of how it will handle the increasing insecurity in southern Sudan the people have rights to know what their government is planning to do to guarantee their safety as there is no peace without security.

In conclusion the SPLM as a party and as government in the form of GoSS has failed to become a relevant political party and good government. We hope that the formation of SPLM-DC will provide the people of southern Sudan and Sudanese in general with real alternative in the coming general election. The coming political discourse in the Sudan and in the South should now be on policies, good governance and not on personalities and tribalism. The dice has been cast the monopoly of one tribe one party system is nay.

James Akot is a freelance researcher on South Sudan and can be reached at [email protected]