Dr. Machar, Individuals Within The SPLM: Another Road To Hell For South Sudanese

As you go along reading this piece, I urge you to remain a good reader. Our moral stand as good citizens is ever fading. This doesn't mark the end of the world for us. Therefore, we should be good readers in order to understand the impact of our doings.

In my village of Udhum in Aweil West County, a good villager is he who knows where the tall grass grows, the source of his river and his neighbor's safety. Most of us were born in the military barracks, which make it difficult for some of us to tell the truth due to our backgrounds. Many people lived in Khartoum and taught by jallaba that also make it difficult for them to accept the truth. We are different people with different ideologies in one country. We need to reform our ways of doing things, live together as meant to be together.

This is my personal take on individualism, Macharism, tribalism and SPLM-ism as problems for South Sudanese. A man who would risk his life or lives of others without a cause or for his own benefit lacks objectives. It is paining to remember the tragedies in life, unforgettable to see fellow citizens being murdered innocently by their own sons. Who can remove immoral bromides with moral judgment in man?

Last week, my boss asked me to go to UNMISS compound to get security updates. However, I didn't argue with him or refused to go to UNMISS because it's our habit to rely on white man. Within a few minutes, I walked to the UNMISS compound in Aweil. And before I reached the person, I wondered and asked myself the nature of security updates my boss is concerned about in my country that I can't be able to know. I should be the one to know more about security situation than a foreigner in my village because I am part of those who have been affected by the rebellion in the country. Hence, we need to trust ourselves before trusting foreign media or agencies, lest we shouldn't claim that UNMISS is running a parallel government within a sovereignty state when they are the first people to get our local information on daily basis. Western agencies usually wire information to the west minutely. We should take care. Information is a great traveler.

Do you know the estimated number of people killed since December, 2013 in the country? The UNMISS knows the number or believed to be a good estimator of our own problems. UNMISS is interested to estimate the lives lost, number of people exiled, IDPs and those involved in political crisis as ring leaders or causers, just for reference in their records. We should prioritize our local apparatus and social media to report our doings than western media and agencies.

Whatever affects people directly in the greater Upper Nile affects all of us indirectly. South Sudanese shouldn't be plunged into the abyss of despair by few people for their own gain. We have learned that peace is never given by oppressor but demanded by oppressed. We fought with oppressor in Khartoum for half a century because we had been oppressed. Uncle Joseph Langu was the leader of Anyanya one, then came the SPLM with late Dr Garang who struggled to finalize a journey to the promised land, South Sudan. We are free at least. Who is Mr Oppressor again in the baby nation? And is rebellion a force that gives us rights, fame and leadership in South Sudan? Some of leaders seem to be partially fond of immoral means to attain moral ends. The current political crisis is unexpected historical turning point in the new nation. It was an immoral act – sensitively enemizing, rooting hatred among South Sudanese. We never wish to be misled any longer.

As Dr Machar murdered his country men and women to feather his uncertain political dream for presidency, one may not cease to say that he has committed political career suicide by using white army to kill people in Jonglei, Malakal and Unity states. Thereafter, South Sudanese shouldn't help him to kill people, but encourage him to come back to answer treason charges. Leadership aspiration, tribalism, democracy and rebellion cannot be packed out into pieces to ensemble political expediency. I don't believe you can stand for freedom for one ethnic group of people and deny it to others. It's politically suicidal for Dr Machar to tribally take action against Dinka or other tribes, while trying to be the president for the nation. Political machine triumphs when a leader unites all people. I don't think President Kiir could one day say that the Nuer, Bari and Jurchol are bad people, for instance, while still aspiring for presidency. I hold president Kiir as a man of integrity for the nation because I never heard him on TV talking ill about the Nuers or other tribes in the country.

The egoism, beliefs, old liberation stories, military backgrounds of some individuals within the SPLM shall take our country into superfluous end. The SPLM is honored for job well done. It's brought us a country. Does the SPLM also have rights to destroy its nation? The SPLM leadership is supposed to teach South Sudanese a culture of hope, love and harmony. SPLM is big and beautiful in our eyes. It's a matter of time. It shall reform itself. But the big challenge is how SPLM shall reform itself without a problem. The politburo should be vigilant this time.

Excuse me. Dinka is like any other tribes in the country. It shouldn't be a fortune for Dinka to be the largest tribe in South Sudan, or be taken as fame, ways of avoiding the truth because of being someone from majority. The Dinka, Nuer and other tribes might have good and bad individuals – or problem of one man or two people can't take everyone to the hell. As South Sudanese strongly believe in tribal norms, regionalism, partially negating modern world approaches to economical, social and political tribulations, however, it is hard for people to avoid enunciating tribally when defeated politically. Tribal thinking leads to tribalism. I never wish to be called a Dinka in my doings. Dinka is my background, not my doings or action per my own thoughts, passion and objectives. Please avoid tribalizing when anything falls apart. Tribes are primes of our cultural deeds or Africanism. President Kiir should be treated as president for the Republic of South Sudan, not a Dinka. For South Sudan to be a good place for all South Sudanese; there is a need for us to refrain from tribalism. Many people from Dinka in Bahr el Ghazal worked in Bentiu and Malakal for NGOs but wouldn't easily return to work in greater Upper Nile after they learned that Dr Machar's power laddering turned a tribal quandary when he failed to secure the party's top leader position. The Nuers should calm down as South Sudan isn't for Dr Machar or President Kiir. They should also impede to support Dr Machar.

When judging a man, one must bear in mind that there is no universal estimate for his inner weight of social approaches, politics and evildoing. The SPLA has rights to fight anyone or group of people who armed themselves to act against the nation. It's a duty for national army to protect the sovereignty and integrity of the country. Is the SPLA a professional army? A lot need to be done. The SPLA is full of former militias from greater Upper Nile. There is need for training in order to professionalize the army. Moreover, ranking system should be authenticated to meet the need or legally match with military principles. The army should also be separated from politics – army's generals should stick to military ethics to avoid loyalty to politicians because national army is for everyone.

White army or Dr Machar's boys from Nuer were meant to fight for Dr Machar's political war in order to enthrone him, or overthrow the legitimate government so that the interim government is formed in order to fulfill his dream for presidency if a failed coup attempt succeeded. There is no need for a politician to recruit small boys to sustain his political legacy in a modern world. Well, some of these boys are those whose relatives were killed in Juba or greater Upper Nile but they were supposed to be comforted than being use to kill others or be killed like their relatives who died ingenuously. As our leaders have sent their kids to Boston, New York, Sydney and Washington, it's a hell for poor man who can't afford to send his kids to Boston in order to avoid being use as tools by Dr Machar and others to fight their political war. People lost beloved ones, property destroyed and many people exiled. Is it easy to reconcile? The causes of the political crisis are almost established. Those who have committed atrocities should accept their wrongdoings in order to feature the way for reconciliation.

Deng Mangok Ayuel is South Sudanese freelance writer and blogger, lives in Aweil, South Sudan. He can be reached via [email protected]. He also blogs at theshoeshinereyes.wordpress.com