SPLM: Now is the time for retaliation!

“ Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others,” Plato, the Greek great philosopher.

By Luk Kuth Dak

Marchg 21, 2011 — It’ unfortunate, truly is, that even after more then two decades of warfare and marathon negotiations with the so-called National Congress Party (NCP), the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM) hasn’t really mustered the art of the NCP game plan, its mentality and the way of thinking.

In all truth, today, the party of the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior, that rightfully became the undisputed liberator of the people of South Sudan, is now in a very serious danger of losing the reputation that organization has built over the years, with the unexplained dire security “mess” underway in very many parts of the heartland of our nation, and with the renegade George Athor Deng increasingly becoming more and more comfortable in attacking the SPLM strongholds.

Subsequently, when the renegade, George Athor first defected, we were told by some SPLM leaders- names withheld- for now, that the whole thing was a hoax. “Athor has only a couple of hundreds of followers with him, and it’s only a matter of time before he was brought to justice, for the crime he committed against innocent civilians as well the SPLA soldiers, they said.”

Well, now what? Almost a year later? Today, George Athor Deng has only gotten stronger and certainly more aggressive by the day, and it seems he isn’t even fearful in facing it off with the mighty well-armed SPLA.

The question now becomes: Was the SPLM transparent with the people of South Sudan when it said what it said in the above- mentioned statement? And what excuses does it have for Athor’s unanswered aggression and continued cold-blooded murders of innocent children and women in Upper Nile, Jongolei and Unity states?

WE NEED SOME HONEST ANSWERS.

Underneath it all, the people of South Sudan are in a state of shock, that after battling the “ Jallaba” for over two decades, it’s apparent that the SPLM still has some leaning to do in order to better understand the obvious – which is the fact of the matter that the one and the only language the NCP/ NIF truly understand, is literally, the confrontational language, which they have mustered to the letter.

But, armed with the whole truth over the involvement and the continuation of the NCP and its Southern culprits in smearing our nation, one would think that this must be the time to put an end to the so-called “sugarcoating” and political correctness. Now, it isn’t only necessary, but also legitimate to confront this aggression by any means possible, in order to protect the interests of the people of South Sudan.

However, the title of this article doesn’t necessarily mean calling for a war, as much as it’s to persuade the SPLM to send a clear message to the North. That message should be pure and simple. If you (the North) continue to undermine our security, we, too, will undermine yours. Also, the SPLM should make it very clear to the NCP that it will officially and openly rallies its support and resources behind our comrades in Dafur, Angassana Hills, East and the Blue Nile, respectively.

The second phase should be for the SPLM to back its words with actions, and not just stick to the same old rhetoric of giving futile threats, but only to soften up a few days later.

Quite frankly, if the SPLM shows the NCP its true color, and what it’s inclined of, I can really and truly guarantee you that anything and everything will be running very smoothly, and for a host of good reasons: One of which, is the fact that the last thing the NCP “ Pit Bulls” bullies would ever wanted to do, is going into a warfare in all directions, which will ultimately lead to unprecedented defeat, and subsequently, the destruction of what they have looted from the people of Sudan ( both in the South and the North), for the last couple of decades and counting.

And by the same token, they won’t dare seeing some of their leaders – including al Basher, being fallen at the hands of the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Luis Moreno Ocampo.

There’s a saying in America that goes: “ If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.”

That being said, if the current SPLA commanders aren’t able to eliminate the renegade George Athor Deng, and bring about the much needed security and stability to the territory, then, may be someone else should pick up the baton.

Undoubtedly, the NCP and the NIF would welcome a government run by its allies in South Sudan, so that the life line (oil revenue) continues to pure in without any discrepancies. But make no mistake about, the people of South Sudan will not be fooled again this time around.

The author is the Vice President of the Sudanese Journalists Union in the USA, and a former anchorman at Juba Radio. He can be reach at: [email protected].