SPLA: Cease the fire, talk to Gen. Athor

By Isaiah Abraham

May 13, 2010 — It is not any military secret anymore; the SPLA and renegade General (Gen. George Athor) forces have more than once clashed on what the two sides called ‘reconnaissance clash’. Details are sketchy but surely Southerners are again at it- doing the dirty job for Jalaba, if you may allow me to start from my utmost lamentation. This is pathetic and a pity to our crop of leaders who are coming up these days. Jongeli (sick ‘man’ of South Sudan), what do you want? Any time when our people move closer to unity, you scatter it and make fun of our coexistence. Ooh! How I wish this state should learn from others, that life is precious and that we can’t all be leaders at once. In Jonglei, death is nothing, where are we heading as a nation under the threats of those who are outside our established laws. What is wrong in Jonglei state that should keep the whole nation prisoner.

May be that generalization is unnecessarily but somehow it is unbearable to others when one region dominate news, for bad reasons. Even under glaring facts, Jonglei man would still go on to cough an explanation to justify a wrong. Gen. George Athor has nothing concrete to justify his cold blood attacks against innocent state security officers. I thought I have said this before and some colleagues somewhere have mentioned it elsewhere. If he has a problem with the Commander In Chief (C in C) of our armed forces, why pass that anger to our men in uniform who are there to protect our gains? The President is an individual, why sacrifice a nation in his behalf. Please comrade George Athor, don’t kill your own brothers for no reason (s). You are still dear to many and people want you to come back to your senses and stop fighting the war with bad cause. Elections shall again be there, but our future. I know exactly where you heart lies, but for the sake of referendum ahead of us, you need to think again sir; kindly swallow your bitterness and allow us to focus on Khartoum alone!

On a positive note, Comrade Athor,has behaved decently by avoiding civilians areas, and only engaged his new ‘foes’ outside civilians settlements. This is good and commended from our brother George Athor. I believe Gen. Boll Kong is doing the same. Our people are to be allowed to freely go on their business in their farms as the seasons for agriculture has started. Keep your ‘reconnissance clash’ outside our babies, and elderly generals. Our people have seen everything that was and this is their time to break and enjoy whatever that remains of their lives. We sincerely beseech you!

Let’s turn to the topic at hand. Last week we had suggested that the Government in Juba shouldn’t rely on talking alone. We were driven by the events coming down from there, as the renegade general was already busy doing the necessary preparations to attack key instillations on the behest of Southern enemies. That is per the lay man information on the ground. We may have been wrong or right, who cares. Fortunately, our leaders in the military were much ahead of us. They managed to go round the General and the general on his side wanted a breathing space, so he started to ‘pinch’ Gen. Boll from behind. The two know their strategic and tactical strengthens and weaknesses, the thing that could be a plus or negative to either side. But last week event clearly shows that Southerners have died for no clear cut cause- a few at least than what the media has projected.

This brings us to this question: should Gen. Athor be listened to and if yes, where do we begin? Some observers who are against his choice are saying but look the general has given tall orders such as the cancellation of the just concluded election; that the Jonglei State Governor elect should step down; that there has to be an amnesty given to his men and prayers done over the dead bodies of over our comrades- forgiven done without any precondition. I don’t know either whether the said condition can any sense to decision makers. They (observers) continue to say that Gen. Athor has earlier warned the State capital city Bor to brace itself for possible attack. General Athor at the same time insisted that he had a problem with the Commander in Chief of our armed forces, Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, they charged. One thing though is certain: no one knows whether the general had actually issued them or enemies of peace have done it on his behalf. On one of the medias however we have heard Gen. Athor quoted on his aborted arrest by the C in C as the cause of the crisis.

Generally, military option should be reserved for self defense, and if that could be pursue then there is this question: who will win at the end? Say if Gen. George defeated Gen. Boll (God’s forbids) will the Government stop there and reinstate Gen. Athor as governor? I doubt whether that idea has crossed the mind one of our leaders in Juba. If on the other hand, Gen. Boll overpowered Gen. George; are we going to celebrate the defeat of Gen. George? Absolutely not! In all, there is a need to think about the consequences of going for an out war against Gen. George Athor Deng.

I stand to be criticized, but if it pleases the leadership, let them try out whatever we are hearing from Gen. George Athor (at least if internet is the authoritative source of this information) in the issue of Uncle Lual Ding, Uncle James Wani Igga, Uncle Benjamin Majak Dau, Uncle Gatjang Awol mediation. Uncle Lualdit is a good man and can diffuse the situation peacefully. He is old enough to do what an African man can do. I applauded brother George for asking for mediation and open contact to our President. That is the best way to go and hope the momentum must not be lost. The UNMIS mediation might work if we give it a try. Church leaders should go down to their knees for prayers; this is a serious thing and God should intervene.

Our beloved Vice President should pick up this case- oversee the problem of Athor. He is a man who doesn’t joke about life. Hard liners within the army are tough about going for nothing less than capturing Gen. George. To me Gen. Athor needs two things: one he wants to be reinstated into the army and the second the future of men under him is his headach. Let’s bend that army law, already we have done about Kiir. If there is a way to make us of Uncle Lualdit towards achieving this goal (peaceful resolution of the problem) let’s try it. Arabs in Khartoum are laughing their shits out because of our blunders; let’s prove them wrong.

On the field, there is an urged need to disengage the two forces and start to talk. However, we must not sacrificing security on the altar of peaceful resolutions. This is critical. Do you got what I mean? By this time I know we are sharpened to discern the danger before its too late. Our nation is born out of crisis and by God grace we will come out all victorious. This is a challenge and indeed a crisis, yet there is a voice that calls for wisdom to approach this matter at hand. Therefore the leadership in Juba under our dear President and the big Vice President should do whatever is possible in their disposal to arrest the situation before hand/to bring the situation under control. I love the way they have kept out of the media or going public about what/how they intend to put to an end to this problem at Jonglei.

In this note, I must tell enemies of peace to shut up their mouths. We will win whether we fight one another or not. But as things stand, our leadership in Juba and Comrade George are opening up to each other. It is encouraging they stick to this! The South shall surely see the fruits of a difficult struggle by next year (inshalla). Jonglei incident is just a drop of among other crisis we have been facing for the past sixty years. We will not stop dreaming of going Eastern African. Our future lies there, not in Khartoum or in the Arab world. Distractions are facts of life, but we will overcome in Jesus name!

Personal note: I find my personal box each morning filled up with frogs, cats and dogs messages from members of one tribe. All about everything including lines on faeces- reference to this author. I have no problem with anyone right to argue- in fact am used and only turn to bless each one of them each moment when I come across these stuff. Yet it is advice that we shouldn’t carry a motive into opinions, even to assign different names I haven’t written under my work? Names are important and are personalities. YOU MIGHT FIND IT A WRONG! That means you are free to write to him but don’t be carried away by shouting too much on nobody called Isaiah, he is nothing and have nothing to show. 16 May Oyee! Be blessed!

Isaiah Abraham lives in Juba; he can be reached at [email protected]