As the saying goes "What you have sown is what you harvest". We are now harvesting the results of our 20-years struggle which was according to SPLM/A was by AK-47 and not certificates as mentioned in their songs.
SPLM was foreign inspired agenda which was given to Dr. John Garang to implement. He managed this project for good twenty years with a number of milestones, one of which was 1991 split headed by Riak Macar. The second milestone was CPA, and third was referendum and finally independence of South Sudan as a republic.
Initially, as a project, SPLM did not have any concrete plans and political pattern on how to liberate Sudan and what they are going to do if they liberated it. Maybe it was in the mind of its leader Dr. John Garang. Later he settled with lesser ambition i.e. CPA. Dr. John managed to head this organization through tribal allegiance and Dinka were the most favored. Dr. John Garang was using his personal wits and grip to power leadership. He was not building his subordinates such that they could take the leadership in future. Dr. John Garang was SPLM and SPLM was Dr. John Garang a one man scenario. That is why when Dr. John Garang died, everybody was just crying because they did not do what the future holds for them.
The new SPLM leaders did not fit into the shoe of the hero Dr. John Garang, but, instead they were caring for self-interest and tribes. Dinka a tribe took the biggest shank of benefits. They monopolized everything, from government, army and economy. They were the most corrupt and nepotistic and tribalistic. SPLM was Dinka and Dinka was SPLM.
Instead SPLM did not lead the country into right direction; they were going to the wrong direction. Gross misappropriation of public funds went unabated without bring the culprits to books.
Those who voted overwhelmingly for independence during referendum were South Sudanese who were not necessarily SPLM members. SPLM just high jacked the show and imposed themselves on the people of South Sudan. SPLM leaders who are now governing the South are actually from the Government of National Unity. If, Southerners did not choose to become independent country, they could have still be by now with Khartoum Government. Southerners do not have their leaders yet. Only after elections the real leaders will come.
SPLM as a party and government have disintegrated since December 15, 2013. Kiir is at the mercy of Uganda Army while Riak is getting assistance from Khartoum and Eretirea and depending on royalty of his tribe the Nuer. Riak, in recent interview said the struggle was not for power but rather personal difference with Salva Kiir. Why should personal difference lead to destruction in this dimension? Now how could he explain the damage done in Malakal, Bor and Bentiu? A lot of innocent lives and properties have been lost due to criminal acts by his so-called White Army.
The current negotiation in Addis Ababa will come to nothing if it does not include the South Sudan leaders who are not from SPLM. The crisis of the country should not be discussed with SPLM alone and excluding others. SPLM does not own this country otherwise the negotiators should be preparing for another crisis between SPLM and people of South Sudan.
The root causes of the conflict are trivially known. The causes are about power struggle within SPLM, tribalism, nepotism and corruption brought about by this so-called ruling party. This only can be solved by South Sudanese alone without outside interference.
Solutions to this crisis would like these suggestions;
1. Governance: The country have to be restructured according to connivance administrative zones such that those who wouldl like to be controlled by SPLM and comfortable can be in their areas. For example in Upper Nile, Nuer can be in their own Latjor Administrative Zone (Counties of Ulang, Nasir, Longochuk and Maiwute). That is how it was during the struggle under SPLM administration. Civil administrators should come from only that particular administrative zone.
2. Security Reform: Although the army could remain national, it should not be monopolized by particular tribes like Dinka and Nuer. It should be representative of all nationalities of South Sudan. The currently SPLA should be dissolved and another army formed based on balance representation. Other organized forces can administratively base from that particular zone areas.
3. Political Reform: SPLM should not be the dominant party. Other political parties have to operate freely and according to the constitution.
4. Economic Reform: National wealth must share equally. The Dinka and Nuer are claiming that Oil belongs to them and others should get. What about areas in South Sudan struck oil in future will it not be consider as nation wealth also.
Yorwin Otor;
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