In History: Retracing the Genesis of the Current South Sudanese Civil War

By Junior William Deng, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

SPLM/A Commander Majak Agot Atem, during the War of Liberation

April 26, 2017 (SSB) — In 2005, after the acrimonious death of our magnanimous freedom fighter and leader Dr. John Garang de Mabior in Uganda’s military helicopter, the shocks of his passing shoke and trembled all Sudanese particularly all marginalised people of the Sudan. In the build up to the succession, the SPLM/A leadership sat at Dr. Garang town of New Site and gave Gen. Salva Kiir a vote of confidence to take the mantle of leadership to follow the footsteps of the liberation struggle.

Gen. Kiir being the national deputy of the SPLM/A and having been loyal to the movement made him the first choice and undisputable successor. However, in the back of everyone’s mind Gen. Kiir has had a heck up with Dr. John in 2004 which almost broke the very foundation of the revolution and peace process in Naivasha, Kenya. Dr. Garang took it upon himself and provided leadership and nominate Dr. Riek Machar and other members of SPLM/A leadership to organize talks, conciliation and transformation of differences to build confidence and momentum to stop war and bring peace to the people of the Sudan, Southern Sudan, Korodufan, Abyei and Blue Nile.

An Open Letter to Salva Kiir, President of the Republic of South Sudan

Attention: H.E General Salva Kiir Mayardit, President, Chairman of SPLM and the Commander in Chief of the SPLA, State House, J1, Juba, South Sudan

 

Mr. President,

April 26, 2017 (SSB) — First, let me register that some of us who have never met you before and perhaps, will never meet you until you leave the presidency are very unfortunate and indeed regretting. We are even very unfortunate at this time when things are tough for all of us and we badly need to meet you in order to tell you what we think are wrong in and with the government so that you are able to change the method of governance for the better and to serve citizens of South Sudan better.

I need not to remind you by telling you that it is now going to four years while the war is still on. The last three years have never been easier for us citizens and I do not know whether you know that we are suffering. It was good when the war started but as we progress from one year to the other in the war, things are becoming tougher and tougher day and night as US dollars have staged a second front against the country and citizens.

Mama Rebecca Nyandeng should accept to join the National Dialogue Committee

By Samuel Reech Mayen, Juba, South Sudan

Mama Nyandeng Crying after the warring parties failed to sign the final peace accord

April 26, 2017 (SSB) — Sincerely speaking, there are good reasons why Honourable Nyandeng De Mabior can reject the presidential surprise decree appointing her into the National Dialogue Committee. One of the reasons is if she has not been consulted by H.E the President. However, there are heavier reasons as to why she should accept the unexpected appointment.

Firstly, it’s a noble indication of honouring, recognizing and trusting the positive influence she can play in reviving peace in the country. Already, the members of the National Dialogue committee are icons who have served this nation in one way or another. H.E Abel Alier, Joseph Laggu and the rests are people of high integrity who have only been resorted to rescue the dying trust amongst the citizens. Appointing Mama Nyandeng to join them in resuscitating hope is a good move in recognizing Garangs’ roles in the national building.

The Proxy war in South Sudan (Part 2)

By David Matiop Gai, Juba, South Sudan

South Sudan must be weaned off war

April 26, 2017 (SSB) — Is South Sudan conflict now a problem of the dead people or for the livings? Dinka says particularly Dinka Bor community that, “Kou gut wun Amok gɔɔl”, the thorn injure, hurt or inject the owner anus, which literally mean, whatever you do to others in secret turns against you in public. The poem became popular in Bor community, and they used to advise those who do wrong things that, “kou gut wun amok”, don’t plan things against others and also teach all members of the community to be more loving people.

As I want to discuss today proxy war in South Sudan part two, I want to explain what caused popular poem of kou gut wun amok as it becomes a storytelling in Dinka Bor community. Long time ago, few people used to build” Luak”, a local building used for keeping animals in Dinka, and Nuer communities. You keep your animals in Luak and it is a nice and cool place people stay in during hot season.

South Sudan’s Faltering Economy: The World Bank, IMF, should Declare Juba Bankrupt

By Hon. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, SPLM-IO Governor Imatong State  

 

April 26, 2017 (SSB) — To shoot down the economic crunch, which artillery to use? The situations in Juba is that of a swirling hurricane. Manga ten, Gurei, market are looted, Inflation has already hit over 1000%. The highest salary is that of the president valued at 150 USD per month. Over 80% of government employees earn less than 4 USD a month. An average poor person in the world lives on 1 USD a day, he should be able to earn 30 USD a month to be rated poor (World Bank scale).

80% of South Sudanese earns 4 USD a month (48 USD per annum) are not just poor but lives between absolute slavery and death. The 4 USD per month is not also paid on time as civil servants go for 3-4 months without pay. Since 2013 the government of South Sudan has borrowed heavily to prosecute the war of genocide and ethnic cleansing. The debt levels stand at 38.7% of GDP. Classified reports indicate that the government has already sold a large quantity of oil in advance sales and payments to multinational companies involved in oil business.

THE PROBLEM IS NOT USD DOLLAR BUT US, SOUTH SUDAN, AND OUR GOVERNMENT

By Dr Isaac Ayii Ayii (PhD), Juba, South Sudan

April 26, 2017 (SSB) —- When we choose the path of corruption looting public funds like no man business was it USD dollar driving us? When we choose war the most expensive business in expenses of lucrative business of peace which is less costly did USD dollar signed us that deal

It wasn’t USD Dollar preventing us to cultivate our fertile land in order to get the produce but instead we were playing cards, Dominos and gossiping only waiting for food and drinks from where we did not sweat. It wasn’t USD dollar that prevents us /our leaders in services delivery like hospitals, schools, roads, water and electricity when there was enough of from 2005 up to 2013 before December crises.

Let’s Avoid using the President as Scapegoat for our own Problems

By David Deng Chapath, Kampala, Uganda

The swearing in ceremony of Gen. Taban Deng Ghai as the First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan, photo by Maal Maker Thiong on July 26th, 2016, J-1, Juba

April 26, 2017 (SSB) —- In the society where people are confused and do not know what they are doing, they always point fingers at other people and keep on blaming others for their faults. In such a situation, it is hard to get a solution and because of that people can easily lose confidence or trust in the system based on hearsay.

Where people live on hearsay, it is hard to maintain trust or confidence. The most important thing is trust and where there is no trust, the system is broken or will be broken by lies.

For that reason, it is important to say something small about trust.  In a social context, trust has several connotations.  According to Wikipedia, trust typically refers to a situation characterized by the following aspects:

One party (trustor) is willing to rely on the actions of another party (trustee); the situation is directed to the future. In addition, the trustor (voluntarily or forcedly) abandons control over the actions performed by the trustee.

THE IRONY OF A BIG FISH CONSUMING A SMALL FISH

‘Power doesn’t corrupt people, people corrupt power’. – William Gaddis

By Ajang Alaak Atem, Bor, South Sudan

The battle over the SPLM-IO leadership

April 26, 2017 (SSB) — “Corruption, the biggest reason for the downfall of most empires and civilization. Some group of people can tolerate corruption as long as their leader champions their religion, some will tolerate bribery as long as they champion their own race. I’ve lived long enough to see most of my friends that shouted anti-corruption slogan against the government have no problem bribing a police officer and vote for a leader of their choice as long as these leaders championed their own race” ~ Gecko & Fly

Based on past observations from Sudan government, and after South Sudan gained her independence from the decayed Khartoum regime, we assumed that the fresh leaders who took over the government of South Sudan could be benevolent not as predatory as they have become a threat to the development of their own state (South Sudan) in recent days after attaining their self-determination.

The Exacerbation of the Hyperinflation is an opportunity for Peace in South Sudan

“When you change the way, you look at things, the things you look at change.” (Max Planck)

By Ocholamero Otir Bure OROTO, Queensland, Australia

Ocholamero Otir Bure OROTO, Queensland, Australia

Dear South Sudanese,

April 26, 2017 (SSB) — It is vital to try seeing things from various angles!  Peace lovers and concerned South Sudanese within and outside South Sudan plus their friends have been suggesting political dialogues as the surest means to resolves South Sudan’s issues long time ago, but, the call felled in deaf ears of those steering the country.

There are several reasons for concerned people to say no to war. How could people prefer war to peace when the atrocities are on our face! Let the leaders and the ordinary people see the consequences for supporting war in one way or another. For examples; a place like Western Equatoria State that used to be one of the finest bread basket is no longer producing due to war, it is rendered unproductive in terms of its known agricultural activities, similar thing can be said of other states or regions in South Sudan. The result of the leadership-made war is now self-evidenced. Famine is now real, none of the leaders can rhetorically sweep this reality under the carpet anymore.

Remarks by the US Ambassador, Nikki Haley, to the UN on South Sudan

Remarks at a Security Council Briefing on South Sudan

Ambassador Nikki Haley

U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations

U.S. Mission to the United Nations

New York City

April 25, 2017

Prof Majok Kelei of Dr. John Garang University stands next to UNMISS chief at Council of ministers in Bor, picture by Mach Samuel

AS DELIVERED

April 26, 2017 (SSB) — I want to thank Mr. Shearer for his briefings. I’d like to thank the leadership of Ambassador Seck and the briefings of Ambassador Ciss that you gave us today.

The BBC recently ran a report with a headline that asked the question, “Why are there still famines?” It’s a good question. The United Nations has declared that we are facing the biggest humanitarian crisis since World War II due to famine in Africa and Yemen. Twenty million people are at risk for starvation. In South Sudan, five and a half million face life-threatening hunger if nothing changes soon. That’s fully half the population of this young and troubled country. How can so many people be facing starvation given the technological and humanitarian capabilities we have today?

JMEC Chairman Mogae: “We Now Face a Crisis within a Crisis” in South Sudan

Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) Chairperson Festus Mogae visits Malakal.

 April 26, 2017 (SSB) — JMEC Chairman, H.E. Festus Mogae, opened the April JMEC Plenary, in Juba, with a warning that South Sudan now faces a crisis of hunger that is undermining all efforts to make peace.

The Chairman said, “There can be no doubt that we now face a crisis within a crisis. Security is the foundation stone upon which we build economic and social confidence. This foundation stone no longer exists, confidence has evaporated, commerce is seizing up, prices are escalating and as a result we now face a crisis of hunger that is undermining all our efforts to make peace.