MEGA ROAD CONSTRUCTION LAUNCHES IN THE BAHR EL GHAZAL REGION

A MEGA-PROJECT OF MILLIONS DOLLARS FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN THE GREATER BHAR EL GAZAL REGION

By Emmanuel Malual Makuac, Rumbek, Lakes state

 

The people of Greater Bahr el Ghazal states have received great news of major interstate highways being funded and constructed by the Chinese in collaboration with the government of the republic of South Sudan.

The mega road will pass through Yirol and Rumbek and will connect Lakes state to Warrap and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states.

The road construction will be announced tomorrow morning and will commence soon after few bureaucratic procedures are cleared. It will be the second tarmac road in the country after the Nimule-Juba Highway.

The chiefs and the community leaders are very appreciative of the government for fulfilling the dream of Dr. John Garang, our late leader, freedom fighter and the founder of our nation, who once said that “we will take towns to the people, not people to the towns.”

The taking of towns to the people initiative by the government has been greeted with great celebrations across the region.

The people of Greater Yirol have expressed their utmost happiness after hearing the news because they often suffer a lot during the rainy seasons when all the roads are inaccessible.

One paramount chief has declared that the arrival of good road networks would be one more step towards fighting insecurity that has engulfed lakes state since it would be easy for the government to react and track down those who are causing troubles in the states.

The local people from the region believe that it is also good to promote their business opportunities, to market their farm produce and to find market for their livestock. It is also jobs creation opportunity to the youth because many investors will come to the region when there is good road system and communication and security for all the people.

The government will work hard to provide security in an effort to assuage the economic dependence on tax revenue from Nimule, which has cause considerable amount of friction between the government in Juba and the local people in Nimule town who complain of being pushed out of their ancestral land.

Above all, the mega road project will help in connecting the states in the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region that has never seen a tarmacked road since the creation of the Sudan and the present independent South Sudan.

Congratulations to SPLM G-10

By President Salva Kiir Mayardit

I congratulate the SPLM G-10 for articulating their interest and charting the way forward on how the political crisis in our beloved country would be peacefully settled in their document known as the Power Sharing Agreement . It is a reconciliatory and goodwill position

Ladies and Gentlemen , in the spirit of true reconciliation , people should speak out sincerely and openly their mind  about what pain them the most  , I did not have any animosity or ill-feeling of any kind  with the group which later became , known as the  SPLM G-10 , I detained them not because they attempted  the coup , it is Dr Riek Machar , Taban Deng and Alfred Lado who attempted the failed coup on December 15 , 2013 but I detained them because of the following reasons

• Calling for the war upon the country

These 10 men called and evoked the war upon the country on December 6 , 2013 , How can you pray for war to befall your country ,  if you are patriotic and peace- loving citizen ? This was the first class treason

• The blame Game

These 10 men were playing blame politics  before  the  war , everywhere they go in 10 states of  South Sudan , they spread  lies when  electorate ( people who elected them in 2010)  asked them   ‘’ why is there no development in our constituency ? ‘’, these 10 men would reply ‘’ there is no road , no school, no hospital  in your constituency  because Salva Kiir  has become a lion over money in Juba and he roared to people if you ask him money for development .  Were they justified in this claim? How was  4 billion dollars  released  from  the central bank  ended up in the pocket of 75 men if I were actually lion in front of money as they  put it ?. I had been approving the money for development to the band of robbers in the name of ministers

• Insult ,

These 10 men have been tarnishing my image  by their insults , wherever they go whenever they go  , they insult  me , Salva Kiir is ‘’ tribalist , corrupted , failed dictator , we shall chase him like a dog, a cow which does produce  milk he  should be slaughtered , we shall turn Warrap ,which  means a sea of sorghum into sea of faeces  or latrine,  he recruited 15 , 000 tribal militias  and so forth ’’ . These insults are lies , Anyway, I will not talk much; let me leave it there for the sake of peace.

• Own goal issue , In football if your team lose because , one of your  team members  scored the own goal  , it is you the whole team which is beaten , it is not the player who score the own goal,  therefore , the SPLM party scored the own goal because it failed to deliver services to people since 2005 not me alone

Once more , I congratulate SPLM G-10  for recognizing me as the elected,  legitimate President. I will work on your recommendations,  I will change the mode of voting to secret ballot not the showing of hands . I will amend the 5% of  appointments of  delegates clause in the party constitution. I will reinstate the unconstitutionally fired members of SPLM into their positions and so forth.

Peace upon South Sudan

God bless South Sudan .

Copyright David Aoloch Bion

South Sudan literature Series

Juba

South Sudan

South Sudan: Our Worst Ever Fuel Crisis in 2014

By Malith Alier, Juba

This is neither the first worst fuel shortage year nor shall it be the last. It happened before in 2012 and 2013 and the event of this year is just a recurrence. An interesting part of it is that nobody seems to take responsibility for the shortages. The authorities responsible always look further away to apportion blame on far countries and the invisible forces unrelated to them.

The government units directly responsible for energy include Ministry of Petroleum and Mining, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Petroleum and Gas Commission and to some extend the Central Bank of South Sudan (BSS). If any out there wants to apportioned blame, then he/she should look no further than these institutions.

The shortage of fuel and US Dollar usually go hand in hand. Talk of shortage of fuel and you will be reminded of the scarcity of Dollars or some called it shortage of “hard Currency.” The fuel and Dollar scarcity shared another trait; they both caused long queues in Dollar stations and fuel stations. At the time of apparent or perceived scarcity of these two important items, something called hoarding occurs. Those who handle them divert them to the so-called “black markets.” Black market is a parallel market were one alternatively finds both in abundance to satisfy needs albeit at a higher cost.

The major media outlets in form of BBC and Aljezeera reported about the indifference of South Sudanese in the face of suffering like during fuel crises. The people on the Dollar and fuel queues expressed no emotions which is the real expression of what people in the part of this planet had gone through; suffering after another.

The time is at hand to make this unnecessary suffering history. This means that the people responsible must be made to account for their failures. The failure to act must be directly traced to responsible institutions of government and therefore, the responsible individuals should be forced out of office. Heads must start rolling!

The Fate of Nuer Politicians in President Kiir’s Government

Nuer Politicians in Kirr’s Government are caught up between Self-destruction and Dirty Political Loose-end

By Chuol C. Puoch

It was in October when Nuer politicians in Salva Kiir’s government convened a meeting with the president to seek assurance and define their fates before signing of any final agreements with the SPLM-IO.The meeting was called upon by the Nuer politicians and lasted for more than four hours because everyone was allowed to express his/her feeling and interest

Their concern was that the upcoming TGoNU would be a disaster to them since it will be regionally and ethnically represented and they will find themselves not only as people without region but also rootless and baseless as most of them are already disowned by their communities

In addition, Riek Machar in accordance with the peace agreement would become the Prime Minister who will run the government and eliminate those who acted against his cause during this conflict and especially the Nuer supporters of Kirr Mayardit.

Knowing this, they thought wise enough that it was the right time to decide their fate; they threatened President Salva Kirr that they would join the rebellion under Riek Machar since their communities are all there and would welcome them, which would eventually open for them a window of opportunity to participate in the upcoming TGoNU if he doesn’t assure them of their “political safety”

In the meeting, President Salva Kirr easily responded that he would protect their interest. “Your interest will never be affected; I will ensure all of you remain in your current position and add also more portfolios to what you currently have,” Kirr assured them

The long meeting ended with a proposal that the Nuer politicians, with help of President Salva Kiir, will form a “mini-parallel government” from within to protect their interests and encounter Dr. Machar’s group in the next governments.

Dinka Politicians reacted on the meeting outcomes

Few days after the meeting was concluded, some senior government officials including the information minister, Michael Makuey Lueth, Petroleum Minister, Stephen Dhieu Dau and Kuol Manyang Juuk of defense with attendance of some highly trusted MPs all from Dinka of Greater Upper Nile region convened a secret meeting to analysis the meeting outcome between the Nuer politicians with the President.

There are no clear details on how the meeting was conducted but a letter of grievances and rejection of the meeting outcomes between the president and the Nuer politicians was wrote and presented to the President with the title “We are all Dinka, we must be the protected inner and outer protector of Dinka interest”

“We are here by informing Your Excellency that we have categorically rejected the meeting outcomes you had few days ago with the Nuer politicians serving in this government” part of the letter read.

The basis on which the rejection came about was more concentrated to President’s promise to protect the interest of loyal Nuer in the upcoming TGoNU. Not only that, the politicians were not pleased by the fact that the Nuer loyal politicians be granted a chance to form a mini-parallel government within this government to work on “protecting their interest”.

That would clearly mean that even the loyal Nuer military generals in the field would automatically have their allegiance to the group directly and they will be directed toward protecting their interest instead of the nation’s interest

“It is more than obvious that we are succumbing to plant weeds ourselves in our own garden; granting those group a chance to form a mini-parallel government would automatically mean that even the loyal Nuer general in the field will have their allegiance to the groups and they will be directed toward achieving and protecting their interest on daily basis rather than the nation’s interest” part of the letter read

As a result, the president called the three ministers for a dinner in his residence at J1 8 days later after receiving the letter. The Chief of General Staffs Gen. Paul Malong Awan of the SPLA-Juba and the Minister in the office of the President Mr. Awan Gol Riak were also invited for the same dinner and participated in the discussion.

The dinning gathering was called upon by the president to listen to the three top politicians and to strategize ways and mechanism to “utilize the strength” of Nuer politicians in the government since they threatened a possible defection to the rebellion should their interest be blocked

The discussion was much more concentrating on how to utilize the political and military strength of the Nuer serving in the government. President Kirr assured the five fellow tribe-mate officials that his promise of protecting the interest of Nuer after the peace agreement was purely a political marketing.

“You know me very well since 2005, I did not even think that inu any of you would believe that I was frank to them” Said Kirr as all of them leaned back to their chairs smiling and laughing

The dinning discussion was concluded as follow:

• Kirr to call upon the Nuer ministers again and direct them toward the preconditions and tasks before “protecting and achieving their interest” and to explain to the ministers (Nuer) that it would be better for them to exert more efforts to crash the rebellion once and for all than to have peace that will bring back the Nuer politicians in the rebellion.

• A ministerial committee comprising mostly of Nuer politicians be formed and send abroad to lobby against the looming sanction targeting individual leaders and enlighten the world that the government is an inclusive government and should be recognize as a government of a sovereign state fighting some tribal politicians who are in need of power. The ministers should also be tasked to deny that Nuer were not killed as have been reported on the media and by some human right actors, to at least reduce the intensity of the looming sanction.
•  Nuer military generals and troops be deployed to the Nuer areas still under opposition control and crash the rebellion
• Renew their mobilization task to let those in UNMISS come out and mobilize Nuer youths from the region and the world to abandon their support to the SPLA/M-IO
• Some Nuer politicians should be send to their respective Counties (especially those under government) to mobilize the communities to support Salva Kirr and fight against the rebellion
• There will be no mini-parallel government formed within this government to protect their own interest

The meeting was finally concluded that should the Nuer politicians succeed in helping to crash the rebellion militarily, they will then have their share of the cake representing the remaining Nuer community. Or should there be a peace agreement signed, the issue of protecting some group’s interest should never be heard “like it was never discussed” and they will later define their direction.

Another secret meeting convened between Kirr and loyal Nuer politicians

Few days after the dinning discussion between President Kirr and his five tribe-mate ministers, Kirr called upon the key Nuer politicians individually and explained the tasks and preconditions toward protecting and achieving their political interest as explained above.

The meeting was brief and direct and lasted for less than 1 hour because the main speaker was Kirr himself while the Nuer politicians were listening.

John Kok Ruai spoke on behalf of the group and he strongly stressed that crashing the rebellion would be the only mean to lengthen the reign of Salva Kirr and for them to achieve their political objective of representing the Nuer community in the government.

“I strongly believe that crashing this rebellion of Riek Machar would be the best option to lengthen your reign in power your Excellency, and for us to also protect and achieve our political interest of representing our community in this government” said James Kok Ruai

Then, Kirr finally spoke and recommended that crashing the rebellion should be the priority as the dry season is just starting.

“Let’s destroy the rebel militarily and politically; let’s get rid of the white army with our maximum powers within and from the region, lets clear all the remaining areas from rebellion and that must be spearheaded by you. Let that be our priority from now. If we sign a final peace with the rebel, you must know that inu we are in poverty forever because I will not have these powers that I have now to protect your interest” Kirr said to the group

Few days later after the Juba conference of the SPLM-Juba, A ministerial meeting was convened to disclose the plans and appoint the team (mostly Nuer ministers) to lobby against the looming sanction on Kirr himself and his government.

Caught up between Self-destruction and dirty political loose-end

The group is caught up between unrealistic success of destroying their very own community and unpredictable political stability at the end of their game. The only window of opportunity for them would only be when the dream of crashing the rebellion, the SPLA/M-IO is realized. When the entire Nuer community is devastated and no sound minded person is living in it is what they are up to.

The question is, would the government be able to crash the rebellion in this dry season, and will these so called loyal Nuer politicians realize their dream of representing the Nuer community in the government?

In a nutshell, anybody in this world who thinks that this resistance movement call SPLM/A in Opposition would be crashed by Salva Kirr and his allies is a mad dog having some day dreaming

The moment survived the last dry season’s serious fight when men were in the front with sticks and spears waiting for guns from the SPLA-Juba who would runs away and leave behind the guns for them. They survived and they took over a number of Tanks with AK-47 from Juba forces in all the three states of Upper Nile. They would go to battle with 3 – 5 bullets in their guns, yet the Juba troops have always been on run.

Who is that sound minded person to think that crashing this rebellion is like chewing some cooked beans? The moment is now stronger and stronger like it never been before, men are well trained and are given all the military supplies and equipment.

Moreover, should their dream of crashing this rebellion fail (in fact is unrealistic); I guess they must know by now what they will becomes like. Yes! That is how a traitor ends up always.

The TGoNU will be ethnically and regionally represented. If your head has some brain and nerves for thinking, come to think of it; you are currently holding four ministerial positions apart from the deputies and the other portfolios. You know very well the SPLM in Opposition is more than 80% dominated by Nuer and they will get more than 40% share in the TGoNU. Be sure that the upcoming TGoNU will not be a Nuer dominated government where you will have a chance in that side while others are in this side holding the key position in the government. H.E Gen. Salva Kirr is using you as the outer protector of the Dinka interest and his personal interest of remain in power for life.

In conclusion:

All of us must be alert that a traitors can apply all means of achieving his/her goal. They are human being with objectives and goals but not vision and direction. They are like cars and boats; the moment they are filled with what they want, they can move to any direction that they are directed to by their drivers and at maximums speed they require to reach their destination in a short time possible.

They can be militant, they can be politicians and they can be everything we may not expect them to be. The moment they move an inch toward us, let’s move ten inch toward them. They are the real enemy.

“This Country may survive discrimination, hunger, humiliation, epidemics, etc. but I afraid we can’t survive a traitor”

Chuol C. Puoch, the author of this piece can be reached via email: chuolchotson@gmail.com or on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chuolcpuoch and on Twitter @chuolchot

Dear PaanLuel Wël

By Alpha kabaka

Dear PaanLuel Wël ,

I honestly don’t know where you get your information from but whoever wrote the article “Betrayal of the highest order” is full of propaganda and its a mere speculations not facts.

I always respect peoples opinions as a fellow south Sudanese but what you have demonstrated here is pure ignorance and childishness based on cheap popularity and the desire to be recognized.

you cant even pronounce or spell the names of those you base your propaganda on correctly, how can you claim to know what is happening when we in the Equatorian region, who are based on the ground have not seen it?

whosoever wrote this nonsense has the aim of trying to tarnish peoples characters without any regard to dignity, to divide the people of equatorian and create enemity, I know you don’t even hail from the equatorian region, you want the same thing that happened between Nuer and Dinka to happen in our land, but I promise you all shall be well with us,

your propaganda, lies, speculation and stupidity will not divide us, we are learned and are able to differentiate between what is right and wrong.

——-

NOTE from the Editor,

Dear Alpha kabaka,

The ““Betrayal of the highest order” piece is from Pastor Andrew Woja Henry, a South Sudanese pastor from the USA. The fact that the piece was published without his name was an editorial omission, not an intentional act to deceive and mislead the public.Thank for your participation in the debate about the fate of our beloved nation.

Dr Riek must stop beating around the bush but should say ‘’ I want reinstate as Vice President directly ‘’

By David Aoloch Bion

Dr Riek Machar want reinstatement as the Vice President without  mentioning it . In his speech at Pagak Conference he admitted that President Kiir will remain the President in the interim period. Also, he accepted to be the Prime Minister, he rejected the position of the Vice President; he rejected the position of the two Deputies to  the Prime Minister.

Is he justified in his rejection of the Vice President and two deputies of the Prime Minister? Sometime back IGAD convened the conference of the stakeholders in South Sudan in Addis Abba, the main stakeholders were identified as the SPLM in Government, SPLM/A IO , SPLM G- 10 and other political parties led by SPLM-DC ,  in the communique it was stated that there is need for peaceful resolution of the civil war ,  that would  culminate in the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGNU)

Through the interest aggregation of stakeholders, IGAD drafted the roadmap for peaceful conflict resolution  , the roadmap  created the position of the Prime Minister to accommodate the SPLM/A IO led by Dr Riek  in TGNU , it created   two deputies of the Prime Minister to accommodate the SPLM G-10 and other political parties  TGNU .

Therefore if  Dr Riek reject the Vice President and rwo deputies to PM  , he is realigning himself into dictatorship tendencies he accused President Kiir of . it is also another  concentrations of  power  between Kiir and him only . And he (RIEK) says over and over the root cause of the conflict is the concentration of  powers  in the hand of Mr Kiir only .For  Riek  to call for President and Prime Minster only in TNGU, and  no vice president  , no deputies for  Prime Minister is dictatorship  by itself .

If the Vice President is abolished now. Does it means South Sudan will not have the position of  Vice President forever?  Or will it be reinstated after the interim period ?

There is  a short man call James Wani Igga , who is the Vice President now , if he is removed from the position , will there be no conflict ?

Absolutely, there will be conflict because the history tell us  if you are fired as the Vice President in South Sudan , you declare a civil war , disorders , chaos

Dr  Riek Machar was removed as the Vice President , he declared the war , IGAD intervened and mediates  the peace  , therefore if James Wani is fired as the Vice President , he will declare war , and IGAD will intervene and mediate the peace .

Dr Riek Machar should not beat around the bush, but should say clearly that he want to be reinstated as the Vice President instead of calling for the President without Vice. Where in the world is the President without Vice President?. It was Hosni Mubarak, who ruled Egypt for 32 years without the Vice President, we all know, who is Mubarak ?  Mubarak was a dictator.  if you (Riek) your friend Kiir want to be Dictators , tell us , don’t fear .

Let see issues in widest perspective not in the egocentric perspective. ,  not in driver thinking , for example , that you are best driver , despite the six tickets you have received for reckless driving

IGAD should not resolve one conflict by creating another conflict.  Abolishing the position of the vice president or suspending the position of the vice president because vice president will be senior than the prime minster in hierarchy is irrational and ridiculous., it is the solving of one problem by creating another .

The firing of Riek Machar created rebellion in Greater Upper Nile , it took Salva Kiir to Addis Abba here it is called Addis Abba  One  therefore the firing of James Wani as the vice president because  he  will be superior to Riek in status will  cause  another  rebellion in Greater Equatoria  . It will take Salva Kiir to Addis Abba, whicn will be Addis Abba Two.

The constitution of South Sudan should not be rewritten   or suspended because Wani will be above Riek.

My people, let solve our problems and the problems of next generation .

Wise men see when sitting what foolish men see while on top of a tree.

Foolish men resolve their  problem  only but wise men resolve their  problem and problem of next generation that  is what the founding fathers of the United State of America did .