SPLM Renaissance Conceptualism; should not be an Impending Party Fiasco.

By Dr. Peter Adwok Otto,

Associate Professor Upper Nile University.

From Philosophical point of view, that there is no reality independent of our conception of things, and that intellect is not a merely passive recipient of experience, but rather imposes structure on ideas, had not proven right always. Let us try to discuss the current situation the south and relate it to the  forth coming May in which the SPLM party aspires to become a full blown political institution seeking to adhere to civic politically transformed from the previous semi-military organization.

CPA is one of the rare peace documents signed in Africa and the world this century, and to protect it, is the responsibility of the Sudanese people with the help of the international community. And above all it should be the concern of the southern people before others in the Sudan. Because it is the fruit of the negotaition between the southern people as number one marginalized that suffered the injustice since 1820s. Therefore the partnership between the signatories (SPLM & NCP) is equated to partnership between the north and the south. It is also a known fact that the periphery of the Sudan did suffer marginalization with different degrees of severity. For example the life toll taken by the war was much in the south compared to others. With this reasoning, it is imperative that the south must be more careful to keep the CPA alive, because if the CPA should vanish, it is the south that will go back to square one. Thus Unity of the SPLM/A is sine qua non.

If the SPLM May convention is not a recipe for the unity which shall keep the SPLM stronger than now, it would be wise to abolish it. Though signs of discord have already surfaced in the form of ostracised important members of the party put in political penitentiary to quench the desire of some members working hard to sail the ship of the SPLM and the CPA over rough Sea in a short cut as a rationale for arbitrary destination.

Up to now, many challenges face the GOSS mainly manned by SPLM as the major party.

Many citizens had hoped that drastic tangible political, administrative, and anti-corruption measures should have been seriously addressed so as to go to the convention and open a new page there after. But now with all the southern states complaining from one or another problem, how is versioned that the conference will solve the issues? With insecurity in many parts of south Sudan one had wished that the Minister of SPLA affairs should have appeared in SSLA to explain the situation in Abyie, Kajo-Kaji, Kapoeta, Khorflous incidents, and of late attempted assassination of Cdr Dr. Lam Akol at outskirts of Malakal town.

The culture of assassinations which was known in the SPLM/A during the war the victims of which are Martin Majier, Bol Akok, Malaath and others should not be allowed during the peace weather the motives are political cattle rustling or any other reason. And if any thing, it depicts a negative litmus result of state security control mechanism over the south.

The minister of police and security should appear before the SSLA to explain the looting and killing of merchants in Juba, Bor Hospital shooting of patients, siege of the residence of the former commissioner in Kodok.

The minister of parliamentary affairs should be called to give his professional opinion about the epidemic systemic impeachment of speakers in Upper Nile, Northern Bahar El Ghazal and Eastern Equatoria and Unity states. Monitoring of affairs in the south by citizens is the single most sensitive and specific test for the conduct of the officials. Only that their mandate does not encroach the police and military affairs. The action by the people (mass justice) by removing representatives if only it should extend to the executive branch of the government.

The SPLM SG should explain apologise to the heads of south parties for having been not invited for the launching of the convention committee last month, in which all the leaders of the northern parties were invited.

SPLM deputy chairman (Agar) and SG should apologise to the SPLM masses before the conference for their controversial statements about confederation, separation south Blue Nile and annexing it to Ethiopia and renegotiation of the CPA to accommodate Darfur issue respectively. The chairman of SPLM should himself refute in public like he did in Egypt concerning the confederation. The SPLM supporters are very sensitive, concern and aware about random statements being uttered very high officials in the party which sometimes throw their thoughts in disarray.

The May SPLM convention should be a real renaissance for the reconstruction, reshaping and revitalization of the party organ gram and vigour. But only when it comes with spirit of humility and humbleness to serve the multitudes of the marginalized people of the south and Sudan at large. The lamentation will never stop until the house of SPLM is put together without repudiating others capable of delivering as they had before since the inception of the movement.

The chairman of SPLM and President of GOSS is the hope for the unity of the party and should mend the small rents in the body of the party. He should call all the people back before the convention. Nhial Deng, Tilar, Alei Manaoa Aligo rectify party ones. He should also make sure that the people coming for the convention are realistically representing their people because there is malpractice on the ground by some officials of the party and examples are many. The other southern parties are part and parcel of the south and should not be left in major decisions by SPLM pertaining to the fate of the southern people. If the SPLM can not preserve the peace with the partner the NCP till 2011 when the voluntary exercise of self-determination is brought a sensible conclusion, history will never forgive the main players in current political arena. Those seeking shortcuts to attain New Sudan conceptualized representationalism by undercutting self-determination shall not be forgiven by the southern masses now and forever.

Voluntary repatriation that  went underway shall be hampered by the news that vehicles are intercepted on the way, and so will the 5th census which already going to exclude so many southerners in the north and in Diaspora a fact which will reflect in power and wealth sharing in future. SSLA should have approved only the de-jure method of counting by which all southerners around the globe would have been enumerated against their homes, and not the defacto method that compels each and every southerner being at his home town or village. Initially, it was good to have people back home before the counting, but this proved to be practical as OSLODarfur war. GOSS should reject the census now though too late, is better than make it happen. SPLM should stick to the questioner with tribe religion and region, because this information will be needed in the referendum, especially the definition of a southerner who shall turnout to vote.