Raila Odinga’s delicate task in mediating peace amongst South Sudanese rivals

By Deng Vanang, Juba, South Sudan

The monster in charge “I nearly kill that dude so that I can rule forever” The monster on the run “that dude nearly kill me and must step down so that I can rule” The big brother monster “you must talk or else sanctions” and Poor people of South Sudan! via Garang Bol FB

Monday, June 04, 2018 (PW) — South Sudanese publics having been divided over the questionable role of mediating party and subsequent mistrust the division has caused; the regional bloc IGAD that is the mediating party has evidently lost the confidence it needs to bring about meaningful peace deal to the war-torn country.

Principal cause of mistrust in the IGAD mediation is Western backed Uganda and Kenya which previously took a militant stand favoring Kiir’s regime, while other member states recoiled under their sweeping influence.

The unwarranted influence led to IGAD’s premeditated and self-inflicted failure that resultantly ropes Raila Odinga into near impossible task to bring down the Jericho-like walls of mistrust setting the belligerent factions apart.

The herculean task eminently awaiting is without denying former Honorable Prime Minister’s natural gift of tact, optimism and patience forming the bane of any successful diplomacy.

Obituary: Tributes to the Fearless Politician, Hon. Daniel Wuor Joak

Tribute to a fearless politician and prolific orator, Hon. Daniel Wuor Joak

By Deng Vanang, Dares Salaam, Tanzania

April 23, 2018 (SSB) — Every man has a friend to count on whether at good or hard times as there is a foe to equally content with.

In this reality of life Daniel Wuor Joak is no different among five already passed away friends to whom I happened to be closer while living in Kenya in early 1990s and 2000s.

First among them to fall under the hellish spell of grim reaper in 2006 is a renowned Professor of history, Gabriel Giet Jal.

Who admired my unwavering pursuit of education to the point of confiding in me to major in history as I entered Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi in September, 1997.

Not knowing what to do with history rather than teaching, I silently turned down his request and instead majored in philosophy and political sciences.

Among the Nuer, Machar’s succession politics is a divisive affair to debate

By Deng Vanang, Dares Salaam, Tanzania

Riek Machar and Emma McCunne

April 8, 2018 (SSB) —- With government deprived of lethal weapons and petrodollars to revamp its war chest, thanks to recently slapped American oil sanctions, South Sudan Opposition Alliance, SSOA walking up from slumber to reality of bounding together in the face of biased mediating IGAD in favor of the regime and SPLM/A-IO’s mortal fear for SSOA to steal what it dubbed spoils of its own instigated popular revolution, the war games are changing pretty faster.

All informed with the fact that government is no longer militarily bullish as it previously was. Reasons for it recoiling into its protective shelf are three-pronged. An avalanche of American sanctions effectively denied it the resources and goodwill to further its degenerating war efforts.

While diminishing regional allies is the painful straw to break its camel-like hunch back. With Kenya and Uganda already and sternly warned to keep off meddling in South Sudanese conflict, Ethiopia is now preoccupied with putting her messy house in order as she stands guard against Egyptian possible invasion over controversial renaissance dam, allegedly on the back of South Sudanese government.

Neither Arop Madut nor Mabior Garang has fully explained the December 2013 Crisis

In neither Madut nor Mabior Lies an Elusive Solution to the 2013 Conflict

By Deng Vanang, Dares Salaam, Tanzania

 

Gen Paul Malong Awan and Dr Majak Agot Atem warmly embraces each other in Nairobi Kenya, during the funeral rite of Gen Andrew Makur Thou

 

March 25, 2018 (SSB) —- The said story with its full content to be divulged into as narrated by two personalities from different political divide demands a third person to clear the air of pollution it created.

These two Honorable personalities however, need not be extremely admonished too for some deliberate misrepresentation of facts that are yet to be explained.

Since after all they are politicians and each wants his side to be safe and secure in the annals of history and not necessarily ignorant of history or political realities of the day in our country.

Particularly, Honorable Arop Madut Arop is the respected writer and politician known to many for being old enough to be Uncle to most readers of this esteemed website.

He is moreover an up to date academic who has been through torturous journey this beloved country has travelled more than seventy years ago.

While the man, Honorable Mabior Garang de Mabior who is rebutting Madut’s side of story of conflict is equally exemplary in the way he put forward his counterargument.

High Time AU and UN Stop Pampering Warmongers, Heed the Cry of Civilians

By Deng Vanang – Dares Salaam, Tanzania

four vice presidents of south sudan

February 18, 2018 (SSB) — Before going straight to the column, I have to relate one moral and still important story to the readers within the string of events which happened in Africa within the span of 24 hours of Wednesday to Thursday, 14^th – 15^th February 2018.

Call it a miracle for the believers, while a mystery for nonbelievers. This wonder only God’s chosen few acknowledged, but never dared share it lest they are verbally lynched in public.

It was spiritually coded message sent to our leaders in both government and the opposition on the one hand and Igad mediators on the other by none other than Almighty God through His usually unseen Angelic emissaries.

But all have been so deaf and blind to comprehend the message, except glaring glory of power and allure of ever tempting United States Dollars till this day.

Books’ Review: Unto the Nation of South Sudan, a Writer is Born

By Deng Vanang, Juba, South Sudan

The Customary Laws of the Greater Bor Dinka Community: Legal and Basic Rules for Self-Administration, 2017 Paperback – 28 Jul 2017, edited by Makwei Mabioor Deng (Editor), available on Amazon

 

February 6, 2018 (SSB) — In the middle of 2010 one prolific journalist, author, and political analyst, went underground on a daring mission that took him a grueling 7 years’ period. Who like proverbial hunter returns home with gum Arabic for anxiously waiting for children, failure to secure an antelope from the bush. That is according to Professor Taban Lolyiong in his famous Last word novel.

However, unlike the failed hunter, the inaugural writer eventually surfaced in 2018 with the real mission accomplished, no matter how challenging it turned out to be than previously thought. Thereby diving long and so enduringly below the depth of troubled history of 50 years’ liberation struggle and lifting the lid off dirty ethnic, rudderless and at times bloody politics of the newest independent state on earth.

Such findings have been unearthed and neatly packaged into more thrilling and memorably worthy read two books of history and one on global governance. Capped with a resolute message: reminding those already in the know and informing both present and future generations of leaders to pay utmost attention to the importance of referring back to history whenever making easier and equally difficult decisions.

South Sudan warring factions no longer at ease as details of power-sharing emerge

Why South Sudan armed factions no longer at ease as hidden details of revitalization forum slowly emerge in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

By Deng Vanang, Juba, South Sudan

IGAD plus President Kiir, 25 July 2017

January 28, 2018 (SSB) — When plunging into the crisis since the last four solid years, South Sudan’s government was from the onset hoped would have an immediate upper hand against its armed opposition. All thanks to the resources, strategic regional backers and 63 tribes, but one rebellious Nuer it pulled behind its war chest.

The opposite became true instead and hence, the need to head the armed opposition to negotiating table on time before the government crumbled. The talks were never in good faith as they were meant to buy time for the beleaguered regime to subsist and eventually prevail against stiff opposition.

2015 Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS) provided such rare opportunity to head home grudging and still isolated armed opposition. But even still, with an underlying conspiracy to be outwitted midway into submission militarily by its rival side.

The Trampling Trump: The Shithole in the White House

By Deng Vanang, Juba, South Sudan

US President Donald Trump

January 21, 2018 (SSB) — Last week or so son of Donald, Trump treated humanity to the global drama. More of a dramatist than President of world superpower United States, any direction to which he turns his foul mouth swung open, swords and machetes are drawn before the regarded filth actually drop off.

Trump is what he is and not what people think he should be. Real, not fake. The modern-day Socrates the world of Greeks had condemned to poisoning for speaking his mind and truth of the matter, not innuendos several centuries that went by. Of course, than wonder aloud, do you know why the world is wrong and Trump is right?

Trump teaches exactly people about what God’s creation is all about. Those people never have the same color, look, height and size whether in a family, tribe and race. Being the same is an illusion, except being identical twins. This is the Almighty’s great mystery.

What next for South Sudan and its struggling peace process in 2018?

By Deng Vanang, Juba, South Sudan

 

January 18, 2018 (SSB) — The current crisis may still drag on for a long haul than to end anytime soon, at least for the pessimists no matter hardcore or moderate they may be in thinking. Series violations within days the cessation of hostilities was declared is the clearest evidence yet, with each side accusing the other of responsibility.

Also of common concern is the fact that warring parties still muster the combined will, zeal and resources to rumble on with the illicit trade despite the war-weary, suffering and dying civil population in urgent need of peace and valuable property already laid to waste.

With compromised peace mediators and monitors no longer being seen as the honest arbiters to bring about much desire amicable and sustainable solution to the five-year-old crisis in the eyes of South Sudanese pawns of war on all sides. Since some IGAD member states doubling as mediators still view opposition – armed and unarmed – as the threat to their largesse in the war-ravaged country than part of the much required solution.