Makuer Mabor from Lakes State: Why I have Decided to Join Dr. Riek Machar

Dear South Sudanese,

Allow me to introduce myself to some of you who may be unfamiliar to me.

I am Makuer Mabor Mangar and I come from Lakes State’s Rumbek East County. I am a university graduate with bachelor and master degrees in Political Science and Counter Terrorism respectively.

I would like to announce to you that I have finally made a decision to join the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army under the leadership of Dr. Riek Machar Teny.

I have safely arrived Addis Ababa with my delegation. This is a decision that I am most proud of.

As a proud citizens, I cannot subject myself to a condition of what our eternal leader Dr. John Garang De Mabior referred to as the “crisis of conscience”.

For many years now, I have been lamenting the seemingly wilful neglect of the basic needs of our people by President Kiir and his few cliques. Schools, hospitals, roads and national cohesion have been traded in, in exchange for personal wealth, education of their children as well as clinical care of themselves in foreign countries.

These are things that need questioning. These are not discussed openly or one risks being killed as happened to Isaiah Abraham.

Therefore, I have rationally decided to use the language of guns that now seems to be the only language that President Kiir and his thugs understand.

I am prepared to take up arms as a means to let them hear our people’s concerns.

N/B Stay tune for my full press release in Pagak during the people’s conference in the next few days as advised by the leadership.

This statement is meant to clear the confusion that is spiraling out of control in regards to the identities of those who join the Movement.

SPLM/A Oyee!! Republic of South Sudan Oyee!!

Makuer Mabor, from Lakes state, Rumbek East county

——

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

November 21, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – The deputy head of mission at South Sudan’s embassy in Ethiopia, David Dang Kong on Friday announced joining the SPLM/A opposition faction under the leadership of former vice-president, Riek Machar.

Kong’s move comes one month after South Sudan’s foreign affairs ministry ordered the diplomat to return to the capital, Juba, within 72 hours.

He however refused to return after, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, foreign affairs and international cooperation minister, failed to grant him the security guarantee that would ensure the diplomat’s safe return to Addis Ababa.

Unconfirmed reports previously alleged that Kong had links with the rebels and had leaked sensitive and classified diplomatic information to them, an allegation he denied.

In an exclusive interview with Sudan Tribune, Kong who is an ethnic Nuer accused Juba government of creating a climate of fear at South Sudan Embassies to systematically force Nuer diplomats abandon their posts at the missions.

“The securities of Salva Kiir who are from Bhar Ghazal region are targeting Nuer Diplomats and citizens at South Sudan Embassies across the world” Kong told Sudan Tribune.

The aim he alleged is to screen out the Nuer diplomats assigned at embassies around the world.

“This has happened at our embassies in New York, China, Kenya, South Africa, Eritrea and now in Ethiopia,” Kong said.

Citing to the circumstances at the South Sudan embassy in Addis Ababa he further accused the government of giving away key positions at the missions to ethnic Dinka or to citizens of Greater Bhar Ghazal region where president Salva Kiir is from.

“At the Embassy in Addis Ababa for instant, the head of mission, the newly appointed second deputy head, head of security, head of military attaché and head of visa department are all ethnic Dinka,” Kong added.

MORE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS DEFECTED

In a similar move, former South Sudan ambassador to Geneva, Ambassador Lumumba Stanislaus and Henry Dicah Odwar, a former MP have defected to SPLM/SPLA in opposition.

According to a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Friday, the two officials declared their defection after they held a meeting with rebel leader Riek Machar on Thursday.

“Today I had a nice meeting with Hon. Henery Dicah Odwar the former Member of Parliament and Ambassador Lumumba Stanislaus the former South Sudan ambassador to Geneva after their declaration of joining SPLM-IO” said Machar.

The defectors called for “an end to the misrule of President Salva Kiir” to end the suffering of the people of South Sudan.

They said they will do everything to their powers to make sure Kiir returns the power to the people of South Sudan and thereby to restore peace and justice prevails in the young nation.

Tens of thousands have died and over 1.5 million displaced since conflict between the two SPLM rival factions broke out in mid–December 2013.

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PaanLuel Wël

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PaanLuel Wël is the founder and editor-in-chief of PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd, a news website that covers news, opinions, analysis, history, culture and literature of South Sudan and the world. Founded in July 2011 by PaanLuel Wël to create a platform for free expression and constructive dialogue, the website features articles from various contributors, including columnists, commentators, poets, authors, activists and academics. PaanLuel Wël believes that media can play a vital role in informing, educating and empowering the people to participate in nation-building and social transformation. He also believes that media can foster a culture of dialogue, tolerance and diversity among different communities and groups, and hopes to inspire and mentor the next generation of South Sudanese writers and journalists.

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