Dr. Lam Akol: You won’t be missed!!
By Luk Kuth Dak
June 18, 2009 — The conspirator’s smile I saw on the face of Dr. Lam Akol at his notorious press conference, in the capital of Sudan, Khartoum, marking his fifth defection from the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM), the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, in the so-called Government of National Unity (GONU) planted a smile that I could only compare to the traitor’s smile I saw on the face of the Pharmacist Riek Gai Kok, as he introduces the guest of honor, Lt. Gen. Selah Abdullah Gosh, the notorious Intelligence Chief, to a group of some Southern Sudanese traitors, who were celebrating his promotion, to the rank of Lt.Gen; some three months ago.
Mr. Kok, dressed in full Islamic traditional white robe, told the congregation that President Omar Hassan Ahmad al- Basher should be nominated for Noble Peace prize, for bringing peace to Sudan. “ we will cut any finger that points at the symbol of our sovereignty” he went on to say.
Previously, I authored an article titled: The Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement is bigger than Dr. Lam Akol, or any other person, for that matter. In the article, I, too, mentioned that switching political parties is considered a normal practice even in Western democracies, giving an example of a US senior Senator Allen Specter, who has been a Republican for nearly three decades, but who then surprised everyone, by announcing that he was moving to the Democratic Party, because his former party no longer represents his political beliefs and values!!
In the same manner, Dr. Lam Akol, has right to form his political party, and name it as he sees fit. However, the irony is what seems like a complete loss of control in the outrageous amount of his defections and returns, not only with the (SPLM), but with all the other political parties that he has been a part of; therefore, putting his reputation, trustworthiness and credibility on the line, and making his every move all the more suspicious.
And to be quite honest, I had no desire to write about Lam’s defection, because it’s no longer a subject that interests me. Plus, I saw it coming since he was ousted from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But, my e-mail was overwhelmed with requests – from the readers- urging me to weight in on their behalf. The time to expose those who are undermining out unity, is now. The SPLM can no longer afford to be a baby-sitter, for the likes of Dr. Lam Akol. And so, am extremely excited about this fight. Hopefully, the Southern Sudanese people will ultimately be able to know who their enemies really are.
Needless to go back to Dr. Lam’s history of defections and deceptions- which are well known to the majority of the Southern Sudanese, I could only repeat that what they say in American baseball and criminal systems “ three strikes and you are out.”
Certainly, Dr. Lam Akol has been given the benefit of doubt, to amend his preposterous behavior, time and time again, to no avail.
It’s just that time to say enough is enough.
The author is a Sudanese journalist, and former anchorman with Juba Radio. I can be reached at: [email protected].