Sule rebellion: Some must come clean

By Isaiah Abraham

November 14, 2011 — Politicians in the Republic of South Sudan have no intention yet to detach themselves from military activities against their own brothers and sisters on the other side of political divide. This is the case in point about our big brother and elder Mulana Peter Abdulrahman Sule of the United Democratic Front, one of the numerous Southern registered political parties. Brother Sule was caught in military attire, observing training of youths for a rebellion against the state in Munduri East County of Western Equatoria State. His men opened fire and there were deaths on both sides, an unfortunate thing indeed to believe in this point when we have already crossed to the very ‘Promised Land.’

The incident had shocked so many people in the land except in Khartoum and those who have been wishing the South to fail; our own brothers and sisters whose loyalty is stretch between their heads and stomachs. Mulana Sule has no military taste since he was young, and people started to scratch their heads in disbelief whether the report is real or imaginary. The old man is now under detention along with a few others, and the big question that comes is, whether the old man was alone or under a larger picture we must eagerly wait to see. The latter hypothesis is what this piece is all about: whether Mulana Sule was indeed acting unilaterally or from a stand point view of others, probably groups that boycotted the Transitional Conference debate earlier this year.

Role of Security Operatives

But before we discuss further, I have an issue with the security system in our country; the very people we rely on to protect the Southern interests from spoilers outside and inside the country. The system of security has come under serious challenge, something the authorities concerned must look into before something unthinkable or terrible occurs to our democratic nascent system. Either informers or their bosses know little about what it takes to avert a damage or danger or the group itself is full of saboteurs that want the elected government of the people of Southern Sudan to fall.

Security experiences of last year show that there was a great lapse in the security operations. We had an incident where several officers were massacre by renegade George Athor in Dolieb Hill Military Barrack. The deaths could have been avoided had the security people were for their jobs. Gen. Athor intention became much crystal when he moved his headquarters to his home place of Korfulus. No proper proactive actions were taken to contain him and attempts later after the incidents didn’t help the situation. In few words, the entire security operation is in serious credibility problems.

Rebels have their backers elsewhere

Allow me to move a notch higher to implicate some quarters (probably later deviate heavily on one perennial problematic character) related to brother Sule military activities in the Munduri land. How could someone come to a busy place like Eastern Munduri and stayed for four good weeks without the conviction of the host authorities or the knowledge of the security? How did that happen before the watchful eyes of the entire State Authorities and its Legislative Organ in Yambio? What of the Commissioner of the County in question with its administrators as well as the MP, aren’t they not part of the plot to overthrow the government in Juba and if not how do you leave them out in this scenario? I look forward for more queries on the side of the people around Western Equatoria State in general and people around Munduri in particular! Someone or group of people are on the know, about Sule treason activities and the law shouldn’t spare anyone.

The place where Sule and his men were doing training (military camp for Sule rebels) and the County headquarters is a few kilometers apiece, and you wondered what did the people think shouldn’t have been asked about that happening. To be exact, the authorities and the people there need more explanation about episode leading the presence of military camp before the nose of the authorities.

What of the MP for that area (Munduri East) is he innocent, and if yes, what was his effort through his people to denounce and disown the presence of Sule Military activities there. We all know that the very MP is estranged member of the SPLM who has been in and out of the party from time to time, and had all along he has been trying to go with a wind that conspire against his party the SPLM. Dr. Richard K. Mulla and the Commissioner of that County to my view are to be quizzed. The Commissioner is a close ally of Mr. Mulla and the two have connived this time around in a big way.

Is Dr. Lam’s presence in Juba a factor in the Mr. Sule rebellion?

Sule yes, could now be behind bars (according to impeccable sources, says the head of state), but others are still at large something the security should pursue with the vigor it deserves. Is Dr. Lam Akol presence in Juba a factor in this development? The two men (Sule and Lam) have are birds of the same feathers; the two had a shared conspiracy tendency from their Nasir rebellion in the 1990s when the former was co-opted from his Imatong Liberation whatever. They left together for SPLM-United accompanied briefly by late Arok Thon Arok, after Lam broke rank with Dr. Riek Machar in 1994.

During referendum time, the two men made inflammatory releases suggesting that the referendum should be held back until leadership issue in Juba is sort out. They called Juba administration a Dinka thing and must be replaced. How could someone do just that? The sickness that Dinka are always bad guys must be used to undermine their place in our society. Let this old and tired policy finger pointing be refused at whatever cost.

About Lam, the man never voted during referendum and so did his supporters. If anyone didn’tt vote in the referendum, what stake does such a Southerner has about the South really? Should Lam be left alone to go on mobilizing as this is his wish and that of some quarters, then we must be prepared for another shocker! Dr. Lam wants power, power and only power and unless this is done, the people of the South will not find rest they badly desired.

Dr. Lam strut our streets, the very place he had wanted annexed to the North for fifty more years, and I wonder why allow him to do so. Mr. Kiir sees nothing with that! The president has been played into Lam dirty tricks once more, just to believe a lie that nothing is wrong for him campaigning in the capital city. The old man isn’t about cooperation with the government of the day on matters of ‘national interest’ but planning a back door stage scene. I failed to see this man changed! I don’t care whether there is a deal the two leaders had actually struck behind everyone knowledge, but the truth is that Dr. Lam presence in Juba is a threat to our national security; our people will pay a cost once more, and Sule incident is a case in point for more queries towards the man who thinks he knows everything and should be left to rule the people he once betrayed.

Now you may ask where I got this hunch about Lam factor here. History is a good teacher, his past political records are volumes of folders about a conspirator who isn’t yet tired of becoming quiet at his age. I sincerely doubt his two public appearances in Juba in less than two weeks. One in Nyakuron a week ago, and again on Friday the 11/11/2011; this makes me suspicious that the man is struggling to fight a guilt of something. He mentioned ‘no violence democratic change’ more than five times. His body language among other things then tell it that something was afoot, that must be denied and cleared. It is the same Lam who repeated happy to called Garang a ‘dictator’ and a charge that never struck. The man himself wasn’t better in his series of journeys from one party to another. Imagine he came late in 1986 and start immediately to call for change for a system he never participated in its formation, what a nosy man that was!

Old theories, same person

In Northern Upper Nile as Zonal Commander in 1988, he requested some powers which he used draconically to kill and lord over everything to coerce revolutionary members who were opposed to his dictatorial style of managing guerrilla affairs. Garang removed him elsewhere. When he found a new space as spokesperson of the Movement due largely to his sly and commands of crank and deign, he started to go over board about everything concerning others. In Addis Ababa and then in Itang at the end of the 1990s, Dr. Lam character became subject of discussion to some members after he chose to question anything done in the field and around there.

Just before Itang evacuation in June, 1991, the writing was already on the wall that something is going on, and everyone knows. In Nasir the coup was already known even to Garang weeks before the actual announcement. My Cadet colleague told me in July that year that Lam had talked to them about a plot. Funny, Nasir coup leaders didn’t know that everything was everywhere! In short and for the sake of our people Dr. Lam should be exiled. To bring him to the government won’t help, leaving him out either would be a disaster. Sule case has awaken patriots that there is a need to search souls about Dr. Lam presence in the capital city Juba.

But learning through Southern Sudan Television on that fateful evening about brother Sule when the army spokesperson Col. Philip Aguer Panyang, I felt more in-secured than when I was in the bush; it is unacceptable therefore to have someone plotting against the people’s government on the behest of Khartoum and foreign spoilers, and our leaders allow it to go unchecked. President Kiir and our beloved Vice President should carefully rethink their today’s business with the opposition groups.

Suggestions

These people have no regards for the welfare of the people of South Sudan but their stomachs. I hereby suggest the followings: the so-called Opposition parties are to be vetted and new law regulating the political parties enacted quickly. This means that there are some individuals that called themselves parties that are bankrolls by Khartoum to destabilize the South and these people activities are to be thoroughly and regularly monitored and if needs be muted it. If it means cracking down or closing down their activities in the South, so let it be!

Secondly (related to the above), our President must watch his back as to his relationship with the Democratic Change in particular and other so-called opposition groups. This man called Lam can’t contribute anything positive for the South. He is still the same character of many years ago. He has full presence in Khartoum as we speak, and in Malakal South of Renk. What does he wants? Without him, the South will move on. The country doesn’t need Dr. Lam; he is a bad politician! The Head of State should stop his endless reconciliation bids and go for the medicine Sule had wanted dosed on the people of South Sudan.

Third, I look for a country where citizens exercise discipline in pieces or in total. We have lost that element and someone must enforce it. Under Kiir things are getting out of hand so slowly but surely. He must burry his heads that things are rosy because the South has become an independence state. People aren’t anymore listening. The South has more collaborators than during the war, people who pledge allegiance in their lips when their hearts are elsewhere. Mr. Security, bring Sule sympathizers to book, and go against rebellions in Upper Nile. Governor Bangassi J. Bokosoro please sir form an inquiry against the Munduri East County Authorities and around the place of incident.

Isaiah Abraham lives in Juba; he is contactable on: [email protected]