Hababek Ashara ya Bashir

By Isaiah Abraham

December 17, 2009 — Dear Mr. President, it takes no easy job to anyone to manage crisis in such a fashion (unprecedented) as you do in our land. Your wise leadership has indeed delivered the country from the jaw of possible chaos and unthinkable. The North and the South are smiling to each other again, something the enemies of peace and the Sudan had wished it didn’t happen. The clearance of Referendum Bill is yet another sign of you being man of conviction. It has been a relief and we give you our utmost commendation for the job well done! Courage is what leadership calls for, and at this moment there is no turning back. It is a gift for this holy season (Christmas) and the Year 2010. Surely, can anyone doubt our resolve that we can customize our own solutions to our own problems? Do we really need an outsider into our own problems like what the US stooge from Argentine is trying to make us believe?

Sudan is a nation with huge history, what is it that we can’t do that will attract a ‘tufele’ to jump in, crashing the gate, and think he could fix our affairs. This country isn’t a failed one, we have His Excellency the President in charged, the First Vice President and the man behind the wheel His Excellency Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhorgun. The triumvirate can do more on many other future potential issues in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). But before that night of Referendum Bill agreement between you and your Deputy, issues were real; the momentum must now be maintained and sustained. No turning back; if the CPA had wronged anyone, then its course must not appease him/her either. Sir, you have proven to prophets of doom that Sudanese can and are able to settle their own internal differences. We are great nation, only if we stick to what defines us. I love your smile that night and that of the First Vice President His Excellency Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit. Our country must move and go on to do more to shame drummers of destruction on our internal crisis.

Mr. President, an independent minded person (single mindedness person) can make a big difference. In September 1969, a junior officer in Libya tested then Libyan murky politics by staging a coup. His script of politics from day one never changes and it has since paid off a million dividends to the Libyan people. If President Maummar Al Ghadafi leaves power today, he would go home with his head high. Dr. John Garang was one rare that match, who would have dared the world, had it not the cold hands of death (he was maliciously killed anyway). Sir, you have done so much for this country than the combined efforts of others before you, right from Ishmael Al Azhari in1956. On matters of development, the North we knew many years ago, has been transformed extraordinary to something else. To be specific, we are talking here of tangible things such as infrastructure and facilities for services. With economic policies in place, Sudan emerged from war with its economic digits on the sky. Peace that has eluded many- others before you had actually muffed it deliberately- was realized in your Excellency time. I know it was an uphill task to build a coalition of like minded people, and manage diverse religious opinions of Islamic circles within your Excellency party. But you have made it. That is where a horse and donkey leadership separates. Sudanese are proud of you sir!

Having said thus above, sir, its high time to acknowledge that we wanna go! This is not any secret anymore, unless pretenders go it otherwise. Reign on your lieutenants to stop entertaining obsolete schemes of rocking the boat in the middle of the river. Things are just different now. Let them not stand between us and the ballot box/time in 2011; that is people’s right and it has to go that way. Nations come together on convenience and do the other opposite by the same token. It was a gentlemen agreement in 2005 (peculiar one instead) and real men ought to respect it, whether its actual price hurts. The North and the South will have nothing to lose however once the result goes East African (EAC). It is a choice, just that simple and dry. This is a red herring line, your men must keep off, until a miracle happens on their favor in January 2011. Allow those who fidget often with facts about possibilities of unity go ahead and do it elsewhere in the name of another region, not in the Republic of Imatong (South Sudan) under His Excellency Comrade Salva Kiir Mayardit. Am saying it plain and direct, because you are true to us; Al Mahdi and Co. aren’t.

Mr. President, the agreement you have reached with the President of our government is a pointer for others. Dialogue is the way to go. Demonstrations/Protests by throwing stones can’t bring the desired results at our current political environment. Enemies of this country would love the anarchy to reign for their selfish personal gains. Our beloved Vice President who diffused Trojan Horse called an ‘intifadha’ on Thursday last week knew that there is always life at the end of the tunnel (talking/dialogue). Militants were planning to stage another demonstration- something President Kiir denounces- on the behest of Imam Sadiq Al Mahdi, Dr. Abdullah Al Turabi and Dr. Khalil Ahmed Ibrahim. I doubt whether they (leaders in the protest) would have come out- release from detention the second time- with no lice hanging over their belts. Sir, allow the Presidency good team to finish off little other issues, namely South-North Border Demarcation, resettlement of Darfur refugees (with compensation) and expedient justice in Darfur on perpetrators of crimes there. Put life back into Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) in term of content; you got to make enough ground for your Advisor, Mr. Arco Al Minnawi to work. Mr. Arco is a gentleman! Oh, have I become an advisor to the President? Long live CPA. Izza Le Sudan! Happy Christmas and Prosperous Election Year!

The author lives in Juba; he is on [email protected]