It’s common knowledge that you
are one of the most divisive figures in South Sudan’s political life whether
you intended it or not. And that will go down in history as part of your
leadership and political legacy. It doesn’t matter who’s to blame for all the
historical mishaps you’ve been involved in; history will always remember you in
a manner that’s outside your perception of yourself. And it’s a personality tragedy
you seem to brush aside as you continue to bargain and fight for your political
life.
Tribalism
More than 90 % of your camp [military
and political] is made up of your tribesmen. Your supporters can blame
circumstances surrounding December 15, 2013 mutiny in Juba and subsequent
incidences thereafter. My judgement tells me that you didn’t start the problems
that brought us to the current crisis; however, you contributed to the crisis
in many ways than one. Corruption flourished while you were still the Vice
President, your office employees, like those of many other ministers, were from
your tribe and you wanted to shut down SPLM-DC. Besides, you criticized your
own boss [Kiir] while you were still VP. Those factors don’t belong in a resume
of a democrat, who sees himself as a genuine reformer.
And what is even more
appalling is how you see yourself as a national leader when you rely
exclusively on your fellow Nuer. The few non-Nuer in your camp joined you not
out of your exemplary leadership but for the mere convergence of your
grievances against the government. With no doubt, these folks had bones to pick
with the government. What gives you some semblance of credence isn’t what you
offer but what the government of President Kiir isn’t doing.
·
You are as tribalist just as Kiir Mayardit is.
·
You are bargaining for political power and that’s
what Kiir is doing.
·
Your camp is mostly Nuer and Kiir’s camp is mostly
Jieeng.
·
Both of your camps have committed atrocities.
·
And more importantly, none of you seems to
strike a tone that promises the advent of peace in South Sudan.
·
President Kiir has a tribal militia and so do
you.
·
Your deputy is from Central Equatoria, your
army chief and your spokesperson are from your Tribe. That’s the same thing
Kiir has done.
I don’t see how you could
claim to be any better than Kiir. If you are, then you’re still to show us.
War
Atrocities
You were once asked by a
journalist to apologize to South Sudanese regarding the atrocities committed by
your forces. Against all required logic and democratic sense of nationalism,
you asked the journalist who you should apologize to; arguing that you are a victim. Not only did that burry any
shred of leadership decency and nationalism, you portrayed yourself as a
selfish megalomaniac.
So many South Sudanese people
died in this war. As someone who considers himself a national leader, you owe
it to them to comfort them whether you are to blame or not. And the apology
being asked isn’t meant for President Kiir, who’s equally required to apologize
for his camp’s atrocities, but for the affected South Sudanese.
The likes of Mabior Garang De
Mabior and James Gatdet Dak, including yourself, believe you have nothing to
hide when it comes to war crimes. You even recently asked for the release of
African Union commission report. We know the Human Right Watch report blamed
all the warring parties for atrocities committed. AU preliminary report also
blamed both sides in the conflict. It’s bizarre how you think you’d wish the
content of these reports away.
It could have been a great
justice to South Sudanese citizens if you’d called a press conference to
apologize. That’s what good leaders do. But no, you want someone to apologize
to you! I hope you don’t want the dead to apologize.
You think Kiir lost legitimacy
because of the massacres of Nuer in Juba, but you remain mute on what the
massacres in Bor, Bentiu and Malakal mean to you as a leader. Can we just
forget about those lives because they are mere causal narratives of December 16
-18 Massacre of Nuer in Juba?
Peace
Talks
These have actually become
job-sharing conferences of either-or
conditions. Peace is the only way in which this conflict can be ended. Neither
you nor President Kiir would win this war militarily. Both of you know that a
total defeat of any side wouldn’t bring peace to South Sudan. It’d only lead to
perpetual insecurity in South Sudan. Unfortunately, none of you seems to care
what this crisis would continue to engender as long as you negotiate yourself
back into the government and Kiir renegotiate himself back into presidency.
When you rebelled in 1991 and
came back in 2002, it was the current VP James Wani Igga, who humbled himself
and gave way to you. This humility was once shown by Gordon Muortat Mayen when
Joseph Lagu took over both the political and military wings of Anya Nya war
prior to 1972 Addis Ababa agreement. Remember Wani Igga is a human being with
feelings. He’s one weak, comical politician but he symbolizes something greater
than himself; and that is, the political position of the three Southern States
of the country relative, bizarrely, to Jieeng and Naath people.
Why can’t you, for once,
compromise for the sake of peace and tell your camp that part of being a great
statesmen is not simply being a top leader. In all essence, establishing a
legacy that has both long lasting and positive impact would go a long way in
establishing yourself as a true democrat and reformer.
Negotiating yourself into
power is not only selfish, it shows your lack of political muscles. IGAD peace
initiative seems like your backdoor plan B. Give South Sudanese peace and they’ll
reward you for it. Bring peace and campaign with a positive vibe.
IGAD’s leadership has proved
itself a total failure by being peace
imposers rather than peace negotiators.
President Kiir and you should therefore show some nationalistic care and
attitudinal change for the good of the country. If the two of you don’t care,
who will?
Kuir ë
Garang is the author of ‘South Sudan Ideologically’. For contact, visit www.kuirthiy.info
