When President Kiir Humiliates Twi East, Gogrial Community must be worried!
11 min read“Don’t saw the branch you are sitting on” Swedish Proverb
By Wilson Mading Koc, Juba, South Sudan
February 2, 2016 (SSB) — Dr John Garang lost his life upon returning from an official visit to Uganda on 30th July, 2005… The Movement was in shock, but nevertheless it forged ahead and nominated Comrade Salva Kiir to replace him on a premise that he would follow the foot-steps of his long time friend and guardian, John Garang.
In fact, Salva had to be enthroned quickly because there were perceived wolves amongst sheep, there were Dr Lam and Dr Riek who were seen as extension of Khartoum’s long hands in the SPLM. On 3rd of August, 2005, Mama Rebecca, Gen Kuol Manyang and Elijah Malok, met as family and resolved leadership to be given to comrade Salva and that they would work closely with him to move the country forward. Gen Kuol would later convey that position of the family in a meeting of leadership council that was convened by Deputy Chairman Salva Kiir.
And so when Comrade Salva introduced the agenda of the meeting, as having lost the chairman of the SPLM and C.IN. C of the SPLA, Kuol interjected and asked Salva to take the seat of the Chairman and was seconded by Daniel Awet Akot. Boom! There it was, Kiir had taken over the driver’s seat.
On the 6th of August 2005, the very same day Garang was put to rest, Kiir was dressed in a light blue Nigerian attire with his gold chain properly placed for all to see. He was hugging and laughing with everyone on his left and right, to many it was not African to bury his friend and dress as if he was attending a wedding party, to some may be he did not know that people would read too much into his dressing and indecorum, at times when all was in mourning moods
Twi community, friends and compatriots, saw insensitivity in the person of Kiir Mayar, by exhibiting joy and celebration of his newly acquired status in society without caring how the bereaved community would feel, in a nutshell Twi people were offended, on Kiir’s side, it was a clear manifestation of thoon wene cieng wene nok, (Tui) however preferred to look into the bigger picture of implementing the comprehensive peace agreement that Garang left behind. The consensus was that Salva had to be supported regardless of the glaring show of disrespect to the people of Twi and the country in the first few days of his leadership.
Three months later the first autonomous government was installed in Juba, and Rebecca Garang was grudgingly given Roads and transport Ministry. She immediately got down to work and a semblance of connectivity was realised, at least all State capitals were connected to Juba. In 2006 she left for the United States and met President Bush in which the Bush Administration offered 700 million Dollars, as a development package for the people of South Sudan and USAID was the custodian of these funds, about 270 Million went into Nimule- Juba road, the only tarmac road in the Republic of South Sudan. Note it was initiated and started by Mama Rebecca when she was the Minister of Roads. The Airport building that is never going to get finished was commissioned by Minister Rebecca in 2007, the same year she was dismissed from the Ministry of Roads and Transport. Rebecca would have done a lot for this country if the leadership was focused and development oriented.
In 2011 the victims of independent South Sudan were Dr Majak and Elijah Malok Aleng. Dr Majak served as a Deputy Director for the Sudan most dominant NISS or National Intelligence Service of Sudan…Dr Majak is a trained economist from London School of Economics and a military engineer from Cuba. This knowledge helped him achieve enormous victories in the war theatre during the liberation.
For example the battle of Buna in 1992, few miles away from Kapoeta, SAF had launched a campaign to take over Narus and connect to the Kenyan border, Majak reportedly employed these skills and SAF waves of attacks was stopped, with heavy casualties inflicted on the enemy . Blue Nile in 1996, he skilfully executed the war and captured many major towns including Kurmuk the State capitol, here he came head on with Salah Gosh himself and his one eye was gushed out in the battle commanded by Dr Majak.
Majak did not become a Director of Intelligence out of favour but his knowledge and competence gave him an edge among his peers. His competence has attracted many friends and enemies on equal measure. The Pharisees around the President argue he is young and too ambitious, even when Majak has never declared interest in the top seat. Obviously he is among the most admired and respected in the pool of SPLA generals.
It’s equally important to remember that Majak was Kiir’s adjutant in 1980s, since the bush days, way back before salaries and benefits were introduced, and so President Salva counted on him for almost every single piece of intelligence he ever needed. Majak organised a robust national security from those who were previously Military intelligent officers during the liberation struggle and then he introduced a criteria where only graduates would join the force and he did it.
He envisioned an elite force that would help the country in development and most importantly provide accurate intelligence that is analyzed, refined and presented to the leadership for policy making. During the referendum he ensured that all the oppositions of the SPLM led government were contained and the results was a resounding 98% in favour of independent South Sudan. Majak persuaded the elders Abel Alier and Joseph Lago to rein on President Salva during the SPLM National Convention in 2008….there was an intense lobbying to change guards in that conference, and Majak knew if it went ahead as planned, violence could break out and South Sudanese would be deprived of their right to gain independence.
He initiated the idea of maintaining the status quo, so that South Sudan did not witness a divided vote in the plebiscite come 2011. The initiative succeeded and unfortunately some people in Gogrial and other hateful individuals from neighbouring states saw him as being too close to the President for their comfort, and so a plot was cropped up, that Majak was plotting to topple the leadership.
This political witch-hunt persisted for four years and eventually, Salva was sucked in and became distant from him. Shortly after independence was ushered in, a presidential decree dissolving the National Security apparatus came from nowhere and Dr Majak lost his job as National Security Director, he was surprised by the decree, but a warning shot had been fired!!.
Majak had fallen out of favour with the President and the enemies of Majak had prevailed, he would be given a marginal portfolio, that of Deputy Minister of Defence of the first government in independent South Sudan. He reluctantly took it. Twi again felt short changed, the expectation had been a full Cabinet position for Majak especially when Elijah and Rebecca were not politically active. The pundits of J1 reveal that Majak and the President had never restored their relations until the ship sailed and hit the ice-berg in 2013.
The second decree in independent South Sudan was the dismissal of Elijah Malok Aleng Mayen, Uncle Elijah as many called him was loud and arrogant. To him Central Bank of South Sudan was not his private property and so individuals did not have to walk in and claim they were relatives of Kiir or Riek Machar for them to qualify for Dollar allocation.
Elijah Malok tore apart many documents written to him by Riek Machar (When he was vice president) and others who wrote such letters on behalf of the president. Perhaps John Agou and Mayen Wol had not made it to the inner circle at the time.
Mayen Wol is self-claimed viceroy of Awan-Chan and those who cannot reach the president can benefit from his loot of 400 million Dollars, banked at the basement of his house. For all intent and purposes, Mayen, is a close relative of the President and he is the Chief of Staff at the office of the President. He is reportedly under house arrest for making the public know there is grand corruption at the office of the President. He will be back to his office before noon, at least most people agree on that.
Dubious businessmen and women could not be paid when Elijah was around, But Cornelius Koryom would pay such people when Elijah was on leave or on official trip, and Koryom became the darling of J1 and cohorts.
Malok Aleng had made many enemies in his urge to safeguard public resources at the Central Bank and some decided to get rid of his life, in 2010 a squad of police officers fired into Elijah’s official residence, and they were directed by a known police officer from Warrap, no Gogrial!! By God grace he survived and no one was harmed.
In 2007 he stormed a meeting of Dr Yac, Salva Kiir and Arthur Akuien, and declared in front of the President, that Arthur Akuien is the mother and father of all thieves in South Sudan and it was right to lock him up!!
All these culminated into dismissal of Elijah Malok in August 2011, three weeks into independence and was replaced by Koryom Mayik, who is now presiding over the“ Magendo economy”.
Lual A. Deng a renowned economist and former Petroleum Minster in Khartoum built the Presidential Villa at the Juba Airport just one month before independence, where many dignitaries and foreign head s of states and governments wait to be served before they proceed to their next destinations.
Dr. Lual has been rumoured many times to take over from Koryom and safe the country from an imminent collapse, this plea obviously does not augur well with the black marketers of which Cornelius is their patron.
These curtails have the ears of the President and any credible, competent person will not step into Central Bank as long as they are there. Currently, Lual Achuek is toiling only to care for his family as this is the immediate responsibility for now.
The last straw in this sustained campaign against Twi people was the removal of Gen Bior Ajang on the allegation of financial impropriety in the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs in 2015. Bior is a decorated and fearless General who participated in several battle fields during the liberation struggle including Jekou 1987), Kapoeta(1988), Nassir (1988) Juba( 1992), Bright star campaigns or the liberation of Western Equatoria in 1990 and the battle against the negative forces of Riek Machar in 1991 until 1997.
Bior, recently was appointed to the ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, after he was vindicated of wrong doing by a committee instituted one year ago to investigate him, but he is reportedly getting frustrated. He was appointed as undersecretary by decree of the President for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but was sworn in as Ambassador Grade one, it is said since his swearing-in he has never reported to the office or he doesn’t have office, it’s never clear…
All in all Twi people are betrayed under Comrade Salva, in the army for instance officers hailing from Twi are skipped when promotions are made, majority of Twi officers are sent parking and they are visibly young and competent.
When war breaks out in any parts of South Sudan, military officers hailing from Twi would be called to lead the battle. In 2011, when South Sudan clashed with Sudan in Heglig/Panthou a junior officer known as Biar Manyang, a captain in the Military police was sent for a Helicopter to come to Juba and ferry him to the battle field alone. He is said to have been requested by the commando units who were battling Sudan army. Immediately the war was over in Heglig he was arrested, and the vehicle he used was commandeered, by people calling themselves military intelligent officers.
When white army came in waves and captured Bor town in 2013-2014, Brigadiers Kongor Reech, Deng Forty two, and Dhieu Warrabeck, led Brigades and Bor Town was captured from the marauding White army.
Elections in 2010, Twi unanimously voted for President Salva and Gen Kuol Manyang for Governor of Jonglei State. Earlier on before elections Mama Rebecca organised a campaign Kitty for the SPLM’s flag bearer Salva Kiir, where government officials, Foreign Banks, Business communities made pledges. Rebecca herself donated 150,000 Dollars and SSP 3.5 million was collected during the event. After elections, results were announced and the president had won by a land slide of 93%, Mama Rebecca invited the President for a victor part. The President indeed honoured the invitation and came for the celebrations.
The point of departure was when Kiir, formed the government after the general elections and Twi missed out in the cabinet, Twi felt the President was taking their support for granted. Whatever the reasons are the President has shown numerous times, that he has no love lost for the people of Twi, and he should expect Twi will not take this for a joke.
A political commentator popularly known as Isaiah Abraham was assassinated on 5th Dec, 2012, by what many believe to have been presidential protection units. This killing accelerated the already gone sour relations between the President and Twi community.
The killing was a confirmation of what Twi has always suspected. Twi, has accepted the President to use his powers in a way that suits his emotions and feelings, he can isolate Twi, fire them as usual, deny them promotions or kill them if and when he wishes, but he needs to know the same venom is coming back to the people of Gogrial.
Twi and all the liberators are dumped for the likes of Tut Keu and Tor Deng Mawien, the duo who sold this country for 30 pieces of silver. THE TWO ARE POTENTIAL NCP SPHERE OF INFLUENCE in the government of South Sudan and that says something about the intentions of the President.
Gogrial is blameable because they seemed to enjoy the tribulation Twi is experiencing under President Kiir’s leadership, if this was not the case, why is the Gogrial spiritual leader Ambrose Riny Thiik and other elders in that region not advising the president to change course on the way Twi is being treated.
If Twi is being tormented because Garang comes from there, then what becomes of Gogrial when Salva Kiir is done ruling? It should be a food for thought to few brains in Gogrial if there are any.
For now though…Twi has learned a hard way and has accepted to stay off President Kiir’s favour.
You can reach the author via his email: Mading Koc <madingkoc707@gmail.com>
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