The exhausted war veterans over-rewarded themselves, then invoked a quagmire!

By Sunday de John, New Delhi, India

Awet Akot, Wani Igga, President Kiir, Kuol Manyang and Ajonga Mawut, the exhausted veterans of the SPLM/A war of liberation

May 31, 2017 (SSB) — Have you ever been part of a war as exhausting as a guerrilla warfare? Our veterans have been the central cogs of such exhausting warfare. Dr. John Garang de Mabior, Kerubino Kuanyin Bol, William Nyuon Bany, Arok Thon Arok and of course, Salva Kiir Mayardit, James Wani Igga, Kuol Manyang Juuk and Daniel Awet Akot among others were the central cogs. Too, their other senior colleagues, rank and file, have been integral.

The war raged on for over two decades, veterans dragged on persistently with a lot of hurdles to overcome. They fought willingly despite pervasive perseverance they had to go through.

As witnesses of dismal atrocities committed against their loved ones, kin and kiths by the ruthless successive Khartoum regimes, the then bewildered youngsters now turned veterans accepted to fight for the liberty of the oppressed despite lack of pay. They were volunteers who sacrificed to fight for the freedom of their maimed fellow countrymen and countrywomen. In short they were fighting for liberty. Liberty of South Sudanese and other marginalised Sudanese.

Defending our Interest at the Expense of a Nation: A response to Media Liaison Officer-Nile Pet

By Daniel Deng Mario, Juba, South Sudan

Kiir, Ajongo, Kuol, Wani, Awet, Malual Ayom

May 31, 2017 (SSB)— In response to Media Liaison Officer-Nile Pet who responded to my article I wrote against the Managing Director of the Nile Pet, I would like to state categorically onset of this response that whatever I wrote in that article still remains correct as it is and it is not considered rebutted whatsoever.

In opening of this response and in respect to the Media Liaison Officer whatsoever his or her gender is, has made unfounded and baseless response to my article just to defend supra interest embedded in the management of Nile Pet.  Since I am not sure of the gender of the said officer, I will in this response use the pronoun “he” in order to make it easier for my readers to follow my response to him in this article.

I must also add that as I will be discussing the points raised by the Media Liaison Officer in defense to my article I will be responding to each point in rebuttal so that time is saved for my readers.

The Most Reverend Opportunities Missed

By Atilieu Diing Akol, Kigali, Rwanda

They were moving too fast

Taking advantage of the disaster

Hurrying to fill their endless pockets

Looting, proud and with no regret

Intimidation to control loyalty

Feeding us lies and half truths

Filing class action suits to blind

Their delight in exposing theft unmatched

Keenly alert to any gazing opportunity

Opportunist or did you seize the opportunity?

An Open Letter to His Worship, the Lord Mayor of Juba Municipality

By Pal Chol Nyan, Juba, South Sudan

Juba, South Sudan

May 31, 2017 (SSB) — Dear Your Worship, I am a South Sudanese who believes in objective realities and facts of life. I believe in the true patriotism and nationalism. I am not affiliated to any political party. This belief has no strings attached; like flattering leaders for a political job. I live my own life as a South Sudanese.

I managed to resist the path of tribalism and when I am asked, which tribe do I belong? My answer is and has always been categorically that I am a patriotic citizen of South Sudan. Having chosen these principles, it has made me to live below poverty line. Convinced of this, I will be the last man in this country to betray my God-given rights for cheap means.

The reason for writing to you is that this country is ours. Generations will come and go but the land will remain. The current war situation has put this country at a crossroad. The beneficiaries are the protagonists of the ongoing senseless war who pray day and night for the war to continue. They are actually exploiting us. Some war beneficiaries are the bodaboda riders.

Sensing the collapse of the State as Judges and Justices went on an Open Strike

By Tong Kot Kuocnin, University of Nairobi, Kenya

May 30, 2017 (SSB) — In my previous article titled ‘Economic and Political uprising are civil means to end Unproductive Governments – published by Juba Monitor Daily Newspaper Vol. 6, Issue No. 651 at p 7, I succinctly explored in depth the economic hardships that befell on Tunisian to that befalling on South Sudanese.

Truly, the economic hardships we’re facing are not less than the economic hardships and situation which caused President Ben Ali of Tunisia to flee, President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen to leave office and fled and great President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt to resign and put under trial.

The causes and conditions of this so-called Arab Spring which almost swept through the Arab world are not less than the economic hardships we’re facing in South Sudan. Our economic situation is much worse than that of the Arab Spring World. Our unemployment rate is beyond hundred per cent level.

President-elect: Message of Appreciation for Twic East Community in Canada

Twic East Community in the USA

May 30, 2017 (SSB) — I would like to take this great moment of celebratory to register my vote of thanks and appreciations to Twic East Community in general and in particular my supporters for their hard works to secure a landslide victory in an election that took place on May 20, 2017, Calgary Canada.

It becomes clearer that “landslide victory” was decisive and inclusive trust given to me by the people of Twic East Community in Canada to lead their exceptional community full with unique values and strengths. Given the trust accorded to me, the ball is on my court to ensure that your trusts and confident are guarded and guided to the best of your expectations.

When you have to pick between young and old compatriots (Part 1)

By Abraham Majur Mading, Juba, South Sudan

R.I.P Gen. Tahir Bior Lueth Ajak, the Commander of Neiran Battallion, MOUR-MOUR DIVISION

May 30, 2017 (SSB) — The argument of you youth versus old has become a generational issue in South Sudan and experts agree that they both need each other. We have heard this all round experience versus blood, what is better?

I recently sat in the middle of the conservations while on my way to work place in Bilpam SPLA GHQs, the conservations was on a somber mood before sliding into the removal of SPLA former chief of general staff Gen. King Paul Malong Awan Anei, one of the oldest and highest ranking member of Sudan people’s Liberation Army’’ if it is’’

During the conversations one thing was clear that there are numbers of government agencies where people who have been working since the liberation/ independent wars are not about to go and seek to replace them because of a serious source of conflict while some argued that such people’s work methods and ideas are out dated. Many reminded them that it is on such people that agencies anchor their operations.

Trust is an asset: South Sudan’s public is losing trust in President Kiir Mayardit

By Maker Kuol Koryom, Melbourne, Australia

The newly appointed Governor of Ruweng state Hon. Them Machar Kuol

May 30, 2017 (SSB) — In leadership, trust is an asset. South Sudan’s public is losing trust in President Kiir Mayardit.

Let’s face it, people lost trust in President Kiir Mayardit. The evidence is in civil unrest seen all over the country. Major roads are dangerously infested with criminals, who practise heinous crime of killing innocent people. On these roads, travelers are being killed for no apparent reasons. It seems, every region has become a dangerous place to people of other regions.

As I am writing this piece, I heard of a car that was leaving Juba to Bor, which is destroyed by unknown criminals. A driver of the car was killed. Two days ago, on the same road, two vehicles were destroyed and two people were killed.

Lone mother of the helpless young orphan

By Awuol Gabriel Arok, Juba, South Sudan

 

Beautiful she is among her sisters,
Deafen by gun’s sounds;
Thinned by poverty;
Ignored by her sister, for her illiteracy,
Traumatized by frequent death of her children;
Forget mother!
And let’s push harder the slippery wall of survival.

President Kiir is making a mockery of a genuine national dialogue in South Sudan

By Daniel Juol Nhomngek, Kampala, Uganda

National Dialouge Steering Committee.jpg

May 30, 2017 (SSB) — The swearing in of a 94-member steering committee to head the national dialogue should not be a source of joy for all of us but rather we should be prepared for more crisis or even future war. It is the missed opportunity as the President has again failed this time to do what is required for the national dialogue to be successful and to bring a permanent peace in a country facing war like South Sudan.

It is sad to blatantly state that the current national dialogue of President Kiir is not national dialogue when test on common sense principle but rather, it is something which is like national dialogue.  This explains why many have reached the conclusion that the present “national dialogue” is not national dialogue but national monologue, which in my opinion is not even that but it is a mockery of national dialogue.

This Dialogue established by President Kiir is a recipe for future war in South Sudan.  This is because it will not bring permanent peace in the country. Though, the war may stop now, that does not mean that it is the current national dialogue that has brought peace but the war has just been postponed for future generation.

What Goes Around Comes Around: An Advice to President Salva Kiir Mayardit

By David Deng Chapath, Kampala, Uganda

What goes around comes around is the proverb which teaches us that the results of things that one has done will someday have an effect on the person who started the events. This was what happened between General Malong and President Kiir Mayardit.

Peace and reconciliation process between Paul Malong and Dau Aturjong, Aweil, Sept 2016

May 30, 2017 (SSB) — On May 09, 2017 South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit sacked the army chief of general staff Gen. Paul Malong Awan by a Republican Decree read out on SSBC but the decree, which did not cite any reasons for his removal. Then, Malong was replaced by his deputy Lt.Gen. James Ajongo Mawut, SPLA deputy chief of general staff for finance and administration. It should be noted that both Malong and Ajongo are both hailed from Aweil.

The President removed Malong thinking that he would be removed like any other generals as he has been doing. However, as soon as he was removed, Malong left the same night heading towards his home town. The fact that Malong left for his hometown did not go well with the President who thought that Malong had started the rebellion against him.

In fact, the president did not sleep well those nights until Malong returned. What troubled the President most was the fact that it would not be as simple as other generals have been doing it. The rebellion by Malong would have marked the end of his if not the government South Sudan.

South Sudan fighting isn’t a clash of tribes, but purely a war of state formation

Crises in Context: South Sudan with Alan Boswell

POSTED ON MAY 25, 2017

By Ariun Enkhsaikhan, Communications Associate

Alan Boswell is a journalist, writing on South Sudan, conflict and statebuilding. This interview was conducted as part of the “Crises in Context” educational awareness campaign at Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights.

The tragicomedy of the South Sudanese politics: SPLM-IG vs SPLM-IO

In what context and in which environment did you experience South Sudan?

I first came to South Sudan as a journalist in 2009, and then moved to South Sudan in early 2010 through the April 2010 elections and 2011 referendum and independence. I’ve traveled in and out of South Sudan and Sudan ever since doing journalism and conflict research.

How have your feelings towards the situation in South Sudan evolved over the past six years, since its independence?

Thanks to my travels around South Sudan and up-close exposure to South Sudan’s toxic politics, I never was bullish on South Sudan as a stable country or the [Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM)] as a ruling party, which is evident in the articles I wrote leading up to independence and soon after. Still, all of us who witnessed South Sudan’s birth as a country experienced the hope embodied in its independence. The collapse of South Sudan may not be a surprise but that has made the catastrophe no less depressing to watch.

As far as an evolution in my thinking on South Sudan: At first, as a journalist, I was very focused on America’s problematic and largely-deluded love affair with South Sudan’s ruling party, the SPLM. In the years since, I’ve come to view South Sudan’s challenges as far more rooted in its structural deficits as a political or security entity than in any particular shortfalls of its leaders and institutions. (This perspective is very much a minority one in the policy world, which instinctually adheres to the Great Man theory of history.) South Sudan was a radical political experiment in reverse-engineered statebuilding – a radical experiment really without precedent, undertaken without the depth of consideration or care that such an experiment demanded. The experiment failed and continues to fail at the cost of far too many lives and the destruction of whole societies. We didn’t care enough to know better. We still don’t. Thus far there has been very little attempt to even try and learn the lessons of what went wrong.

Why restorative justice is the key to peace and political stability in South Sudan

In Search for Justice: Why Restorative Justice the Only Means in Addressing Human Rights Violation in South Sudan

By Daniel Juol Nhomngek, Kampala, Uganda

one nation, one country, one people

May 28, 2017 (SSB) — In different communities where we come from, there is a notion of fairness. This is shown by the way we always demand that those who are solving our problems must be fair.  It is this notion of fairness that we term as justice. In legal understanding, justice is defined as the legal or philosophical theory by which fairness is administered (see; Definition of JUSTICE “in http://www.merriam-webster.com).

Justice, being a concept understood in accordance with the community as rooted in their deep understanding of fairness, it is therefore important to state that justice is a moral virtue and since it is the moral virtue, the way it is understood differs in every culture.

Indeed, in different cultures, there is a different way of understanding justice as it depends on the way the victim and the community in general understands the crime. This is because crime is a creation of the community. In this respect, what the community considers to be a crime is a conduct is contrary to its morals and because of that it is prohibited by moral force of the society.

South Sudan is bigger than few economic egotists, and political brokers

By Sunday de John, New Delhi, India

Yau Yau, Lul Koang Ruai and Akot Lual

May 28, 2017 (SSB) — There is nothing wrong with my country. The land is fertile, rains are frequent, vegetation is tremendous. There is nothing wrong with South Sudanese. They are a diverse happy society. The land is vast and has been accommodating them for time immemorial and with huge reserves of land not in use.

We have about four huge forests. Our fuanda and Flora are flourishing as sources of tourists attraction. Beneath our soil is our oil, of course in abundance. Our diverse minerals aren’t minor source of wealth. Our domestic and wild animals are fabulous.

The longest River in the continent winds within the huge landscape of our country. We are tall and handsome people born of successful beautiful mothers and of course, our sisters are the envy of the world. The black beauty.

That is the South Sudan in summary.

The Position Statement of Greater Mading Aweil Diaspora Communities on the Sacking of Gen. Paul Malong Awan

Date: Monday, May 22^nd, 2017

To: H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit,

President of the Republic of South Sudan and

Commander in Chief of Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA)

CC: Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA)

CC: Transitional Legislative Assemblies of Aweil, Aweil East, and Lol States

Ref: The Position Statement of Greater Mading Aweil Diaspora Communities, USA, Canada & Australia on the Sacking of General Paul Malong Awan

ENCOURAGED by the conviction and resilience of our community in the face of uncertain future in this trying times in our beloved country,

RECALLING the contribution of our community throughout the liberation history to usher in South Sudan’s statehood on 9^th July, 2011,

MINDFUL of the solemn obligation to making sure South Sudan’s statehood is protected and upheld,

COGNIZANT of the shared and selfless contributions for the birth of South Sudan among all ethnic groups, large and small, rich or poor and the diversity we must cherish,

BELIEVING in the shared desire to crave for fair treatment of people irrespective of their social, economic and political weights across the country,

PROUD of our community’s important place in collective construction of a nation united in the spirit of hard work, collaboration and shared vision,

HUMBLED by the opportunity accorded to members of our community in helping defend and protect the territorial integrity of the Republic of South Sudan with undivided loyalty to the leadership and the party,

PLEASED with the achievements and commitments of our cadres such as General Paul Malong Awan and his comrades in rising to the occasion for the cause they can do best: fight for the rights of all,

AWARE of President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s constitutional prerogative to appoint and relieve any competent citizen to and from national office,

THANKFUL for the show of leadership by the Western and Eastern Lakes Governments and communities in containing the unfortunate situation,

WE, the Greater Mading Aweil Diaspora Communities in USA, Canada and Australia, hereby make the following statement in relations to the above stated issue:

The Perils of Kleptocracy in South Sudan

By Malual Garang Jangdit, Juba, South Sudan

May 28, 2017 (SSB) — The aim of this article is to explore the consequences of kleptocracy, a government or state in which those in power exploit national resources whereas monocracy is a form of government in which one person alone rules the nation at his behest and peril. In essence, it is undeniable that South Sudan is a monocratic and kleptocratic state according to the current waves of the political tension, rampant corruption and Kiir’s Presidential Decree to relieve whoever disagreed with him and appointed his cronies rather than following the constitutional procedure of appointing the government officials.

Thus, I argue that Kiir’s political move of dismissing his opponents and appointing his hounds to coerce people to support Kiir Mayardit despite his weakness and political flaw is a clear setback for peace and reconciliation. On top of that, such coercion and intimidation are the main cause of ethnic division and tribal conflict. For example, the case of King Paul dismissal and appointment of Ajongo Mawut including Michael Makuei Lueth current disagreement with Kiir Mayardit showed us a way in which President Kiir imposes his will on people.

Can anybody win war without peace in regard to South Sudan conflict?

By David Matiop Gai, Juba, South Sudan

National Dialogue Steering Committee.jpg

May 28, 2017 (SSB) — National dialogue which is now rejected by oppositions is the only solution in South Sudan conflict. I have putted clear in many articles that even if rebels win war and come in power, the national dialogue is still a way to iron out burning issues, but as rebels couldn’t manage to win war against government, and government against rebels while lives are losing everyday on both sides, it is better to see this narrow gate of national dialogue as a way to bring back the country to normalcy.

Rebel groups are calling national dialogue as Kiir’s dialogue, and ceasefire as Kiir’s unilateral ceasefire and they are rejecting national dialogue to participate especially those who called themselves group of former vice president Dr. Riek Machar, political detainees, Dr. Lam Akol group, Gen. Cirilo group, former governor of Western Equatoria: Bengasi Gakasoro group, Johnson Olony group, and many other opposition groups in the country.

The National Dialogue is an amicable solution to South Sudan’s conflict!

By Kocrup Makuach, Nairobi, Kenya

National Dialogue Steering Committee.jpg

May 28, 2017 (SSB) — Let’s take a walk down memory lane. In December 2013, violence erupted in Juba as a result of a political disagreement within the ruling party, SPLM. That is between President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his former Vice President Riek Machar. As the war raged, the two warring parties were summoned to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for peace talks under the auspices of Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

Several deals were reached to end the fighting, but they did not hold. Fighting continued and quickly deteriorated into an all- out ethnic violence pitting Dinka, Nuer and other communities against each other. A parallel process was started by Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), a Tanzanian political party, under the leadership of former President Jakaya Kikwete. The primary aim was to reunify and rejuvenate the splintered SPLM.  The reformed SPLM would then undertake key political and economic reforms in the country.

The three SPLM factions, having signed up to several agreements negotiated on both the Arusha and IGAD processes, proceeded to implement them and bring the war to an end.  Thus in 2015, the former political detainees returned to the country and their key member, former SPLM Secretary General, Mr. Pagan Amum, was reinstated in his position.

A Review of Hon. Makeer Lual Kuol’s Book, “Personalities with Positive Indelible Finger Prints in the History of South Sudan”

Appraisal: My appreciation on Hon. Makeer’s authenticity in his 54-page book, “Personalities with Positive Indelible Finger Prints in the History of South Sudan.”

By Kur Wël Kur, Adelaide, Australia

Personalities with Positive Indelible Finger Prints in the History of South Sudan

May 27, 2017 (SSB) — Are you hungry for the history? Not just for any history like that corrupted history, but the right history of our heroes. If you do, then check out this elder’s writings. I settled to follow Hon. Makeer Lual Kuol, to read what he writes in its entirety when I read his tribute (The Martyrs’ Day: Martin Majier Ghai Ayuel) to Late Martin Majier Gai in 2012.

Why?

Because he’s trustworthy. He never shies away from mentioning the bruises of the civil war, atrocities the South Sudanese had committed among themselves in the course of waging the liberation war. And he does it in the lifetimes of those who facilitated those atrocities or in the faces of the bystanders of such atrocities. Elders like him, those who don’t get shooed away by the consequences of telling or writing the truth, possess every inch of authenticity to write the political chronicles of South Sudan.

Because his writings,  his dictions and his storytelling techniques, his tactics of pulling readers, promising and luring them into reading his writings by giving them (readers) nuggets of curiosity, make him someone worth following.

The imperative of an inclusive national dialogue for a peaceful South Sudan

Why it is imperative that all the stakeholders to the current conflict in South Sudan should be allowed to participate in the national dialogue

By Dr. Philip Anyak, Juba, South Sudan

National Dialouge Steering Committee.jpg

May 27, 2017 (SSB) — A dialogue by definition is simply a process by which two or more stakeholders are engaged in a discourse to exchange their ideas or opinions on the pressing issues, particularly with an aim of reaching an amicable settlement by the parties involved. With that understanding, it is crucial that all the relevant parties to the ongoing conflict in South Sudan are provided space at the discussion table to allow them express their views or concerns freely.

Hence, I argue President Kiir to reconsider his recent pronouncement in which he publicly declared exclusion of the SPLA-IO Chairman Dr. Riek Machar from the national dialogue. In my opinion, the success of the national dialogue depends on two things, inclusivity and favorability of the environment on which the parties are to operation.

First, what is inclusivity? It is a policy or an intention to engage all the relevant stakeholders who have interest in the topic being discussed. So this bring us to the next question of who are the key parties that the national dialogue seeks to engage with regard to the current conflict in South Sudan.