INTERNAL MEMO - Appeal For Unity And Renewal Within The SPLM/A-IO

(© 2022 Samir Bol/AFP via Getty Images)

(Pachodo.org) - Revolutionary Comrade Leaders and Cadres of the SPLM/A-IO; With a heavy but hopeful heart, I write to say: the time has come for us, both military and political cadres, to be honest with ourselves and faithful to our people’s cause.

We must acknowledge that our movement, the SPLM/A-IO, faces deep challenges and stands at a decisive moment. Yet I believe in our ability to overcome them together.

In our Military, misunderstandings have led to the unprecedented situation of having more than one Acting Chiefs of General Staff. This has never occurred in military history. We now have two competing forums where officers trade insults instead of sharing military strategy and intelligence on enemy activity.

Disrespect between junior and senior officers is growing rapidly, leaving relationships across the ranks strained. This has fractured our chain of command. There are now open calls not only to separate the military from political leadership, but for the military to defy decisions of our political organs. This is both unfortunate and dangerous move, for the historic movement, SPLM/A-IO.

Politically, Our highest organ, the Political Bureau, has been pulled into parallel paths. Harsh words have been exchanged publicly among comrades. This is saddening. Disrespect among political cadres has become routine. Without shame, cadres now publicly abuse one another in forums. The division has extended to the establishment of two political forums operating in parallel and against each other, instead of bringing leaders together to debate policies for liberation, governance, and development.

I fear that if these issues are not addressed urgently, we risk breaking apart. This could lead to the declaration of two Chairpersons and Commanders-in-Chief, and the official rupture of our movement. That would betray the very people we swore to serve. It would strengthen the regime and delay freedom for South Sudan.

Revolutionary Comrade Leaders and Cadres, it is undeniable: disrespect has become the norm across our ranks. We have allowed emotion, tribal allegiance, and personal interest to cloud our vision, agenda, and objectives. This has eroded our unity of purpose and broken command and control in both military and political structures.

Under these conditions, we cannot achieve our military or political goals. Conviction without unity leads to defeat. We are at our weakest point, and we must accept this with honesty.

I submit that the survival of our movement depends on our unity. Unity is not optional. It is a military and political necessity, if we have to have victory over the regime. As soldiers and as political leaders, we must pursue reconciliation without delay, set aside ego and selfish interest, and recommit to collective purpose and discipline.

With humility, I appeal to all of us, the military and political members to:

1. Cease all factional activities immediately. Military and political cadres must dismantle parallel command forums and dissolve parallel bureau /command structures. Continued factionalism in either wing endangers the entire movement.

2. Convene a joint emergency reconciliation conference. Attendance must be mandatory for all military command structures and all political organs. The conference should adopt binding resolutions to restore a single chain of command and unified political direction. Every voice matters. Let us listen and heal as one family.

3. Establish a Joint Unity and Reconciliation Committee to hear all grievances with fairness and compassion. This committee must investigate and address grievances from both military and political cadres transparently and without favour, and restore discipline across all ranks.

4. Renew our shared oath to the SPLM/A-IO Code of Conduct and our founding principles of justice, equality, and service. We must reaffirm our commitment to the Revitalized Agreement, for securing the unconditional release of our Chairman and Commander-in-Chief, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar, from illegal detention by the regime.

To My Military Comrades, Your discipline and sacrifice built this movement. Do not let division dishonour it. The army does not exist apart from the people’s political cause.

While to my Political Comrades, Your vision guides this struggle. Do not let factionalism betray the soldiers who defend it. The political leadership cannot stand without a unified army.

In conclusion, I urge each of us to extend our hands to one another as soldiers and political cadres, for the best interest of liberating South Sudan from the regime in Juba. The time for mistrust among ourselves has passed. Let us unite and bring hope to the suffering people of South Sudan.

We must opt for genuine dialogue, unified command, and collective purpose.

I remain convinced that all of us, both military and political cadres, can rebuild trust and fulfil our mandate, especially while our leader, H.E Dr. Riek Machar remains in detention in Juba.

The future of our movement will be decided not by our internal divisions, but by our courage to unite as one force.

_"The struggle continues. Victory is certain when we stand as one force."_

*Major General John Sunday Martin*
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