Riek Machar and Taban Deng Ghai Fighting over the Position of “Prime Minister”

Gurtong.org: Prime Minister’s Position Being Contested In Pangak

By “Nation Mirrow”

Taban Deng Gai, the rebels’ lead negotiator is eying the position of the Prime Minister to be created by Peace Agreement between the government of South Sudan the SPLM/A IO, led by Riek Machar Teny. A Source in Gambella told The Nation Mirror that Taban told Riek Machar that the Position of Prime Minister should be occupied by a person other than him (Riek Machar). “Taban has come up with new proposal to rebels’ generals in Pagak, which seems to detach Riek Machar from the position of Prime Minister. He is telling the generals that if a peace deal is to be accepted, Riek Machar should not be the Prime Minister”, he said.Adding, “It is fair for Riek Machar to just wait for general elections”, source revealed.

Taban Deng Gai reportedly argued that the government of South Sudan refused to let go of the position of Vice President of the Republic, which is mostly likely to be occupied by James Wani Igga who, according to source, was the deputy to Riek Machar in the Party when he was the Deputy Chairperson of SPLM, and a Vice President of the Republic.”He justifies his argument by saying since the Position of the Prime Minister is lower than the position of the Vice President it is not graceful for Riek to be under James Wani Igga who was his junior in the Party”, anonymous source revealed. Taban Deng has maintained contact with the rebels’ generals from the very onset of the raw over peace deal signed by Riek and President Kiir.

A source close to generals said that Taban is agitating to raise a motion in the meeting to resolve that Riek should not be the Prime Minister. “Taban is agitating Rebels’ commanders to raise a motion urging Riek not to take part in the Government of National Unity when the meeting commences”, he said. Adding, “Taban knows that he is popular among the rebel commanders and that gives him automatic ascension to premier post”, he said. Taban has been using Nuer being the most affected by the current violence conflict in South Sudan as a card to dislodge Alfred Lado Gore who, according to Taban Deng does not command support from Equatoria region. It has come to surface lately that both Taban Deng and Alfred Lado Gore are courting the position of Prime Minister created by peace accord yet to be concluded in Addis Ababa. 

Taban Deng Gai proposed the issue of Riek not taking part in the Government of National Unity, but Riek and Lado Gore reportedly opposed the idea. 

A member of the rebels’ leadership accuses Taban Deng of being behind the raw over peace deal arguing that Taban wants to be the Prime Minister. “Taban Deng knows that when Riek is convinced not to take part he would be the preferable to Rebel Generals”, he observed.

The political wing of the rebel movement is seemingly getting divided with Taban and most rebels’ generals on one side and Riek, Dhieu Mathok, and Alfred Lado Gore and some commanders on the other side.

Alfred Lado Gore warned Taban to stop imagining being the Prime Minister if Riek Machar chooses to abstain from the Government of National Unity. A source close to rebels said Gore warned Taban Deng against playing divisive game against the movement. “Taban should not play such dangerous game. If at all Riek Machar is not taking part in this Government of National Unity his Deputy should assume the position designated for Chairman”, Gore reportedly warned. Conversely Taban has mobilized the commanders to argue in favor of him. Stressing that the war is fought by Nuer and not Gore who does not have soldiers following him.

A reliable source revealed to The Nation Mirror that the plane carrying Taban Deng Gai and Amb. Ezekiel Gatkuoth landed yesterday at 4:30pm Gambella Airport. Taban is said to have headed towards Pagak yesterday where rebels commanders were waiting for him. Riek, Lado Gore, and Dhieu Mathok will be part of Riek entourage, which will arrive in Gambella tomorrow. 

Go to Bilpam Headquarters on Monday to interview Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka in Person.

Gen. Thomas Cirilo Did Not Disappear

For Immediate Release

I would like to alert the public that the news report of Sudan Tribune alleging that Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka disappeared in Juba is a total lie. Gen. Thomas Cirilo went for a mission outside the country last Wednesday and returned to Juba today on December, the 7th.

I would like to inform the people of South Sudan to disregard the false report of Sudan Tribune. It is very unfortunate that certain journalists turned Sudan Tribune into a website of inciting violence in South Sudan. The management of Sudan Tribune needs to hire journalists who don’t have links to the rebels of Riek Machar so that the website maintains its credibility.

The journalists who want to ascertain the truth should go to Bilpam Headquarters on Monday to interview Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka in person. Doing so would quickly dispute the false allegations of Sudan Tribune designed to create panic and chaos in Juba.

Mr. Gordon Buay
Juba, South Sudan

The Haters of Jieng Council of Elders will have hard time like Abyei of Deng Majok

By David Aoloch Bion

Jieng Council of Elders is the primordial being. It is infinite past. It is infinite future .It is infinity then and now. It was not formed for political objectives. It was not formed for the current crisis in South Sudan, it exists before the war.  It is not a political party,  it is not affiliated to the SPLM in one way or another,  it is purely Jieng . It is a cultural organization like any other cultural organization around the world. It is an outsider observer of South Sudan politic  like any civil society but  It has ultimate right to comment in any issue like any organization .

Jieng council of Elders is hated  by many people , one of these haters is Mabior Garang de Mabior , Mabior writes every day in the social media condemning Jieng Council  of Elders . He says Jieng Council of Elders ignited the war in the name of defending Kiir or Jieng Presidency. This is not true. This is a lie.

When Dr Riek rebelled against Dr John Garang  in 1991 , Was there any Jieng Council of Elders ? No , there was no Jieng Council of Elders .

When President Kiir was elected by SPLM in 2005 to succeeded Dr.  John Garang . Was there any Jieng Council of Elders in New Site?  No, there  was no Jieng Council , therefore  Mr.  Kiir became the President without Jieng Council of Elders and he  will rule South Sudan without  the council in question.

The haters of Jieng Council of Elders will have hard time in future like Abyei of Deng Majok . During British colonial time in Sudan ,  Jieng Council of Chiefs  called a conference in Tonj . The conference was to write the constitution that Jieng will rule itself. All chiefs of Jieng in Bar el gazal  were invited. Chief Deng Kuol Arop a k a Deng Majok of Abyei came and refused to sign the Wathalel Constitution.

One of the chiefs  asked why he refused to sign the Wathalel Conststution , Deng Majok  replied ‘’ I don’t like Chief Chier Rian and Chief Gier Thiek , I hate behaviours of Rek and Twic ‘’

‘’How will you rule your chiefdom?’’  asked again the chief

‘’ I have my constitution with Babo Nimir , the Arab Missirya chief’’ Deng Majok replied

By then in the ceremony, all chiefdoms were represented with stick (let) . They asked ‘’ Are you not part of us? Are you  not signing the constitution, so we remove your stick among our constituency ( wuar ) ? ‘’  Deng Majok said yes ‘’ remove my stick ‘’ . His stick (let) was pulled out and given to him.

Before he left with his stick to his Arab friend Babo Nimir , Chief Giir Thiik told him , ‘’Deng , what you did will let children go to meet us in our grave with wound on their skins ‘’ . And Deng left .  This is when Abyei was removed  from the map of South Sudan and included in the map of South Kordufan  . This is the origin  of  how Abyei became North Sudan and left out when South Sudan seceded in 2011.

Deng Majok hated Giir and Chier so he took Abyei to North Sudan that was his personal interest at the time . And time came in 2005 when the personal interest of Deng Majok was no longer there and whole Abyei  people wanted  to be part of South Sudan but they were left because of Deng interest map . Now people of Abyei have hard time because of Deng’s interest. Deng Majok did not want to be dominated by Rek chiefs then ..

Mabior Garang  hates  Salva Kiir therefore he hates Jieng Council of Elders . However , time will come  when the war ends . Time will come when Salva Kiir  will end too . And time will come for other issues like the time of Chier Rian and Giir Thiek whom Deng Majok hated ended and time came for other issues  like  separation of South Sudan . What will Mabior do?  So  Mabior plays  politic but keep away from Jieng Council of Elders because  your enmity toward it  will affect you in future in one way or another, I don’t know how it will affect but it must affect you . Deng Majok did not know how  his alliance with Babo Nimir, the Missirya chief  would affect his children as it is affecting Dinka Ngok in Abyei  now.

Power-sharing Agreement between President Kiir and the Former Political Detainees

AGREEMENT FOR RECONCILIATION AND UNIFICATION OF THE SPLM AND ENDING OF THE WAR

Preamble:

We the SPLM Leaders, representing two principle leadership groups of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement , one led by H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, Chairman of the SPLM and President of the Republic of South Sudan; and the other group of the SPLM Leaders (Former Political Detainees) led by Cde Pagan Amum Okiech, having met on the invitation of H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Chairman of NRM and President of the Republic of Uganda, on 16th November, 2014 at State House, Entebbe, Uganda, to discuss reconciliation and reunification of the divided SPLM;

Acknowledging that differences within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Leadership over issues of reforms and internal governance have led to the current national crisis in the country;

Mindful that the division in the Party cannot be permitted to linger on definitely thereby delaying resolution of the internal crisis and the efforts to bring the ongoing civil war to an end;

Cognizant that the leadership crisis in the Party and the national crisis in South Sudan must be resolved expeditiously to return the SPLM to its vision and core values, and end the war in order to restore peace and stability in the country;

Convinced that reconciliation and unity of SPLM Leadership will speedily usher in reconciliation and unity of the people of South Sudan;

Having previously met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia under the auspices and facilitation of the EPRDF, the African National Congress (ANC), and in Arusha, Tanzania under the auspices and facilitation of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM);

Appreciating the initiative of H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in bringing the two parties together to dialogue among themselves in candid and frank manner over the crisis afflicting South Sudan;

Having agreed to reconcile and unite our ranks in order to restore the unity of the Party and the country;

1. Objectives of the meeting:

a. Resolution of differences, achieving reconciliation and restoring harmony and unity within the SPLM leadership and rank and file;

b. Laying the ground for ending the war and promoting peace and stability in the country, in conformity with the IGAD mediation;

c. Restoring confidence and creating the environment for working together for the good, interests and unity of the people of South Sudan and the country;

2. Measures for immediate Action:

The two sides have agreed to take the following immediate measures to implement and facilitate reconciliation and unity of the SPLM:

a. Re-commitment to reconciliation and unity of the Party;

b. Commitment to cease all forms of hostilities, negative propaganda and character assassination against each other;

c. Revisit and review the contentious issues in the draft SPLM constitution before its presentation to the National Convention. These issues include the following:

i. Mode of voting: whether by show of hand or secret ballot;

ii. The provision allowing the SPLM Chairpersons at all levels to nominate five percent (5%) of the membership of the Congresses and the National Convention in which they are also potential candidates for the same positions;

iii. Process selection and election of Party leaders at all levels.

d. Revocation of decisions for dismissal of party cadres from party membership positions resulting from the internal conflict within the party including elected Governor.

e. Undertake urgent reorganization and transformation of the Party within a specified period of time.

f. Call off the ongoing process of holding Party congresses and the proposed National Convention till the ongoing war is ended and the process of reconciliation and reunification of the Party is completed, so that all members are able to participate effectively and freely. However, an extraordinary Convention may be called for the sole purpose of passing the basic documents of the party to facilitate its registration in accordance with the provisions of the Political Party Act, 2012.

g. In order to keep away ethnic and other sectarian influences on the party decision-making processes on important Party and National issues, procedures to ensure collective decision-making shall be agreed and put in place. Accordingly, the political Bureau (PB) shall be restructured in a manner that guarantees its leading role in collective decision-making on important issues.

h. There shall be established a national committee to vet and scrutinize members of the party vying for positions of leadership in the Party or Government, preferably, a Standing Committee of the PB whose sole decisions would be subject to approval by the whole membership of the PB in official meetings.

i. The composition of the PB shall reflect equitable representation of the states:

3. Ending the war:

Without prejudice to the ongoing IGAD mediation process, the two sides agree that:

a. The warring parties should fully re-commit to observe the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoH).

b. The warring parties should commit themselves to end the war through the IGAD mediated process by finding solutions to the outstanding issues.

c. All stakeholders commit to support the process of Justice and accountability for those individuals or groups to account for atrocities committed during the conflict that erupted since December, 2013.

d. We stand together for an inclusive power sharing arrangement in the establishment of the transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), with fair representation of all the stakeholders to ensure sustainability of the peace agreement and consolidation of national unity.

e. The warring parties should choose the option of peace for the benefit of the people of South Sudan and to recognize that there is no military solution to the ongoing war.

4. Establishment and Composition of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU):

(I) In accordance with the 9 May 2014 Agreement, the parties have agreed to expedite the establishment of the Transitional Government of National Unity which shall include in its composition, members of the current Government of South Sudan, SPLM/A (IO), SPLM Leaders (FPD) and the political parties. The stakeholders shall share the top positions as follows:

i. President (the incumbent);

ii. Vice President (the current VP);

iii. Prime Minister (SPLM/IO) who shares executive powers with the President as shall be agreed in the Peace Agreement;

iv. Two Deputies to the Prime Minister : one for SPLM Leaders (FPD) and the second for other political parties;

v. The Council of Ministers which shall be shared among stakeholders and chaired by the President;

vi. The Vice President acts when the President is absent from his duties due to illness, temporary disability or out of the country for more than twenty-four hours;

vii. In case of death, resignation or permanent incapacitation or disability of the President, the Speaker of the National Legislative Assembly shall assume the functions of the President until the National Legislative Assembly elects a new President to complete the remaining period of the transitional period. The acting President (Speaker) shall not be eligible to contest for the position of President.

(II) The respective percentages of the participation in the Transitional Government of National Unity for the stakeholders shall be agreed upon in the Peace Agreement under IGAD mediation.

(III) The following measures shall be implemented immediately by the government to restore confidence and normalize the situation that from the events of December 2013:

i. Absorption and reintegration into the civil service of employees who were terminated or who left jobs because of threats to their lives following the insecurity that gripped the country after the tragic events of 15th December, 2013; a committee shall be established to carry out this task.

ii. Revocation of decisions of the National Legislative Assembly and Council of States regarding termination of membership of some legislators who were absent from their duties because of insecurity or threats to their lives occasioned by the events of December 15th, 2013.

5. Immediate security measures to be implemented:

i. Commitment of the Government to ensure security protection and safety;

ii. Security sector reforms in the medium and long term shall be addressed in the Peace Agreement.

6. Implementation of the Agreement:

The two sides agree to implement this agreement in good faith and within reasonable timelines.