SPLM backs south Sudan’s president against reprisal attack
By Ngor Arol Garang
November 26, 2010 (ABYEI) – Senior officials from the south Sudan’s governing party the SPLM, on Friday, commended the decision by General Salva Kiir Mayardit; President of the semi autonomous regional government to not retaliate against an air attack the south says was carried out by the northern army on Wednesday.
The southern army – the SPLA – says that six people were injured in Kiir Adem, a village in South Sudan, approximately 45 km north of Gokmachar, administrative headquarters for Aweil North county in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.
On Thursday, Kiir, who is the commander in chief of the SPLA forces rejected calls for a reprisal attack asking the southern military command council not to be driven by emotions. He said that SPLM – south Sudan’s ruling party – was committed not be responsible for returning the country back to war.
But the spokesperson of the Sudan Armed Forces, Al-Sawarmi Khaled denied the attack took place and renewed accusations that the SPLA are supporting Darfur rebel group the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). He further said that harboring Darfur rebels is a clear violation to the security arrangements agreed in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
Until the 2005 peace deal the south has been at war with Khartoum governments for most of Sudan’s independence. As part of the agreement the south will hold a referendum in January, which most observers expect will see the region vote to secede.
According to a senior official who did not want to be named Kiir made the statement in an emergence security meeting of the southern army’s military command council involving SPLA chief of General Staff, General James Hoth Mai and minister of SPLA affairs, Nhial Deng Nhial and other top military personnel at his residence in Juba on Thursday.
On Friday Dhieu Mathok Diing Wol, a senior member of the SPLM told Sudan Tribune from the regional capital of Juba, that he backed Kiir’s position.
Mathok said the current situation in the Sudan with the south approaching a referendum in January on possible independence required people to be focused on efforts encouraging peace initiatives.
There are just over seven weeks until the vote, which will likely see the south secede. Mathok said that holding a credible referendum was essential for peace.
“The remaining days should be properly made used of in settling the outstanding issues peacefully and avoid adopting reprisal attempts which would not be in the interest of our people. Our people have suffered a lot in similar manner and are tired of war. They need peace. This is what we should support not war,” said Mathok
The official asked those interested in war to use ballots describing it as one of the best and cheapest ways to the fight the war with an enemy. “I know [the] majority of our people do not like attacks without retaliations. Majority would support voices calling for retaliations but I do not think it would do us anything good than simply accepting becoming part of the plans and programs of those who created these situations. The best thing we should do is to retaliate through ballot papers come the 9th January 2011 and avoid behaving like them now,” said Mathok.
He said supported position taken by the president Salva Kiir Mayardit describing it as the best way to handle what he described as a “complex situation”.
“I agree with the president because this situation needs such position. It does not need emotions. It needs our people to control their tempers and follow all steps being taken by the SPLM leaderships under our president General Salva Kiir Mayardit. He knows what we are after, the everlasting peace,” he said.
Bol Makueng, head of the SPLM secretariat for information, culture and communications in the southern sector, also told Sudan Tribune that his party has taken clear position.
“The position of the SPLM leadership under General Salva Kiir Mayardit is clear and we have never minced our words again nor we intend do any either. We have not changed. Our position remains commitment to peaceful implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement without resorting to any other violence means which would lead to conflict because we do not want to be the first to take the country back to war. We have said this time and again in number of occasions,” said Makueng.
Makueng also claimed that their partner, the National Congress Party is looking for ways to abrogate the CPA.
“If you have been following current political developments in Khartoum you will definitely find that our partner, the National Congress Party is looking for means to abrogate comprehensive peace agreement like they have done to the other agreements such as the Fashoda and Khartoum peace agreements which they signed with some southern political leaders in the past. The reason being that they know they are going to lose greatly when South leaves. So, it’s not wise following them,” he said.
He said that those advocating a military response may not know what war is like.
“We know advantage and disadvantage of war. This is why we appear reluctant because we put interest of our people as first priority because we know the 9th of January about few weeks away. So we must all put collective efforts to seeing this day becomes and answer to what our people need. Therefore, he said, we must try to avoid anything that would trigger return to war because it is obvious that national congress party and those who would wish the south to constantly remain in the northern bondage wants a retaliatory attack to light the flames of another prolonged war”, Makueng said.
However, Awach Anei Wal, an intellectual from Northern Bahr el Ghazal blamed the south Sudan government for not releasing a statement on the incident.
“The fact that government of south [Sudan] did not release a statement or anything official condemning this incident is quite alarming. It seems that the leadership does not even care about its people, the people of Mading Aweil,” Wal said.
(ST)