GORDON BUAY MALEK: JUST SHUT UP!
By Ajang Garang, Canada
Gordon Buay Malek, the unannounced new minister for “Riek Machar Affairs” in the GROSS, recently wrote an opinion piece in which he unconsciously overstepped his new mandate and attacked the SPLM Member of Parliament for Jonglei State (Party List) Hon. Dr. Lual Achuek Lual Deng, with regards to a recent proposal by members of the Development Forum For South Sudan in collaboration with the Ebony Centre For Strategic Studies.
Buay, in his understanding or lack thereof, of the proposal blamed Dr. Lual Deng for the suggestion of a 5 member interim Presidency, that according to the intellectuals at the DFFSS, should best be led by a panel of 3 technocrats with no ambition for political office after the end of the proposed interim period. The intellectuals also suggested 2 other representatives for Women Groups and the SPLA respectively. The two are to be appointed by President Salva Kiir. This 5 member presidency will only be ceremonious, the proposal added. Fundamentally, the day to day affairs of the government will be run by a Prime Minister and two Deputies representing all the 3 regions of South Sudan. Those who have taken time to read the whole paper will confirm that this suggestion is one among myriads of proposals that have been designed and weighed by the members of DFFSS, of which Dr. Lual is a conspicuous member.
Gordon Buay chose to dwell on the ceremonious presidency and ignored other parts including the executive. True to Buay’s feeling, most South Sudanese, including this author, have reacted to this proposal in various ways. It is undeniable that some facets of the proposal are too ideal to be practical, given the nature of the people it intends to serve. Firstly, there is a great uncertainty on how the 5 member panel can be arrived at! Will members be elected or nominated, and by who? In either way, how do you make the Shiluk, Nuer, Dinka, Anyuak and Murle, agree on one representative for Upper Nile region? The Bar el Ghazal and Equatorial regions are relatively homogeneous and can easily agree on their representatives. Secondly, if these members are going to be picked in regional elections, then why can’t the whole country just go ahead and conduct the General elections? On the other hand, if they are going to be nominated, then what guarantee is in place to guard against the imposition of strong men with no development agenda? Is that not the kind of governance that we want to end? These are some intriguing questions that arise when South Sudanese try to comprehend the mechanism of the proposal. However, given the mess that our leaders have subjected our country to, there can’t be any alternative to negotiations. That is why this proposal is worth examining. After all, it is a voluntary proposal and the negotiating parties are at liberty to reject it in the face of a better one.
Gordon Buay, however, sees it differently. Although, in his own right as a South Sudanese, he is entitled to his opinion about issues of governance in the country, Buay has failed to provide any alternative to what he thinks is a bad idea. Instead, he chose character assassination and incitement that seems to beg the president of the republic and his security forces to practice what used to be a norm in the bush-intimidation and murder in order to silence those he perceives to be working for the removal of Salva Kiir Mayaardit from leadership.
Buay, in his less thoughtful rant, overlooked the that fact that the proposal suggests an interim period beginning after the end of term, in office, of President Salva Kiir. He fails to understand that it is a time when fresh elections are supposed to be held! A time that belongs to the people of South Sudan to make a good start! Sadly, Buay has extrapolated Salva Kiir’s presidency into the interim period and has now assumed a duty to bark down any mind that seems to suggest anything else apart from Salva Kiir’s continuity in the presidency! But he has no issue with the origin of the proposal-the suggestion of an interim period that is being negotiated in Adissababa by both parties.
Gordon Buay, in his malicious intent, blamed the perceived misgivings therein, on the person of Dr. Lual Deng. He described Dr. Lual as politically naïve and having something to do with Riek Machar, the rebel leader. Furthermore, what is very unfortunate is how Buay zoomed in On Dr. Lual although the proposal was put together by many renowned South Sudanese intellectuals!
Let me assume that Gordon Buay is trying to defend the leadership of Kiir Mayaardit, but unfortunately from the unknown. His rants at Dr. Lual Deng portray a man who fumes with furry signifying nothing. He has grossly forgotten that President Salva Kiir Mayaardit has committed himself to finding a solution to the current problem. Buay should remind himself that the President has visited Addis Ababa in person, and through his delegation. Does Gordon Buay understand that Salva Kiir does not go to Adissababa to eat injera? Is he aware that the President goes to negotiate with the rebels to find a solution to the current political melee? If so, then why does Buay becomes edgy when someone else cogitates about the wellbeing of South Sudanese? What is motivating Gordon Buay to behave like this?
First, let me set some record straight. That Dr. Lual Deng being a public servant and a policy maker is not a saint. He can be judged, praised or ridiculed depending on the substance of his ideas. However, there is no room for malice as portrayed in Buay’s piece of writing where he zoomed in on one intellectual and failed to judge them as a group. Moreover, Gordon Buay Malek failed to put forth any material for discussion in the forthcoming talks in Addissababa. So what does Gordon Buay want South Sudanese to do? Does he want them to continue to shed blood and die in large numbers? What does he want?
The ongoing talks in Addisababa are not easy. It is expected that South Sudan Government and Riek Machar’s rebels will be hard to convince to adopt the proposal because those two groups are all impetuous on assuming or continuing leadership. Nevertheless, their bigotry should not put a stop to the flow of creative ideas that can bring harmony to themselves and by and large, to our dearest country. Interestingly, Gordon Buay confidently assumes that the two sides will not lend a hearing to any suggestion from a third party-especially that of a South Sudanese origin. Is Gordon Buay suggesting that we are in a country where leaders have refused to discuss issues? Was it not a third party suggestion that the election be postponed for 3 years? Was it not a third party that forced President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar to sign the Cessation of Hostilities agreement?
I am tempted to believe that Buay is making a mistake in his reckless tirades on political leaders. Of course it won’t be his first mistake. In the 1990s, Buay followed Riek Machar, the Nuer leader, to Nasir. At those times, Gordon Buay had no interest of his own or that of South Sudan, at heart. He only followed the prophesied leader of his ethnic community. They left as “fighters for Democracy” and on their way out of South Sudan, they slaughtered innocent South Sudanese. Years later, Gordon Buay came back in the shadow of Riek Machar. They came back to the nation that they once stabbed in the back but with a new face- disguised as “peace beggars”. Buay thrived under Riek and would sometime blame him for taking responsibility for some of the atrocious act that they collectively did in their imbrued past. It is on record that Gordon Buay did not like how Riek Machar tried to apologize to the people of Bor District for the crimes of 1991. He called Riek a “coward” for the gesture to accept responsibility for the Bor Massacre. So what moral capital does Buay possess to be overstepping his new mandate?
Before 2014, Gordon Buay worked as a spokesperson for his erstwhile rebel group, SSLA, now an SPLA-affiliated militia. He designed and communicated policies that led to the killings of South Sudanese in the Unity State. It only took the intervention of the president His Excellency Salvatore Kiir Mayaardit and the mercy of our constitution, to accept Gordon Buay back as a repented anarchist who spent most of his youth-hood killing South Sudanese. Is this the man that can be allowed to scratch the impeccable records of our freedom fighters? What benefit does Gordon Buay brings to the government of Salva Kiir? If it is stories about Riek Machar then South Sudanese read them in history books, and some are actually being displayed now in his current episode of “fighting for Democracy part 2”.
I believe that in 2014, Gordon Buay should not be allowed to show his ugly head again. This time he is more dangerous because he has come closer to the president of the republic- a man believed to be so humble and easily maneuverable. Gordon Buay must be contained by all means. How dare he jump to insult Dr. Lual Deng, who has sacrificed all his energies and wisdom to make South Sudan a better place?
When Gordon Buay was busy slaughtering Dinka civilians in Bor, Dr. Lual Deng was busy designing policies and ideas that would run SPLM/A as an organized, economically viable and internationally connected Liberation Movement . He advised Dr. John Garang and Commander Salva Kiir wisely. Dr. Lual also facilitated distant learning for our army leaders who are currently serving our country well. Is this the man that can be insulted by political ingrates whose patriotism swings like pendulum?
Dr. Lual Deng’s relationship with the leadership of Salva Kiir Mayaardit is not questionable. For instance, when Gordon Buay and his militia were fighting South Sudanese, Dr. Lual Deng was serving President Salva Kiir as State Minister for Finance or Minister for Finance representing Southern Sudan from 2005-2010. He was also privileged to serve the president as Minister for Petroleum in the Government of National Unity from 201-2011. After the separation of the South, Dr. Lual Deng continues to serve the Government in various capacities such as Economic Committee in NLSA, various development workshops in the USA where he accompanied the President. He recently served in the Crisis Management Committee after the 16th December crisis.
For a man of such record as Dr. Lual Deng to come up, together with his colleagues, with a proposal to save his nation from the abyss, is nothing less than patriotism and passion to making South Sudan a better country. It is only a few orphans of anarchy such as Gordon Buay who can try to belittle that passion and instead try to craft an ethnic school of thoughts from such a wise idea.
Gordon Buay should be reminded that the people of Bar el Ghazal and our people in Jonglei are inseparable. I dare him to cite a single episode where we have turned against each other like Gordon Buay is doing to Riek Machar’s clan?
It should also be made clear to any absolute consumer of propaganda that Dr. Lual has never contemplated to remove a government in which he serves in various capacities! A government of the people! A government that came into existence because of the blood and the sweat of our heroes! A government of the land that has taken his friend and teacher Dr. John Garang de Mabior. Gordon Buay should be made aware that Dr. Lual has never, can never, and will never associate with people who have never done anything good for the people of South Sudan. Dr Lual knows what took the life of his younger brother Captain Ajak Acuek Lual. He knows how his younger brother Brigadier Dut Acuek Lual was wounded in Kor-Makuach in the 1980s. He knows very well how his younger brother Captain Mayen Acuek Lual was wounded behind his anti-aircraft gun. Dr. Lual Deng also knows the 2 million South Sudanese that were sacrificed in the liberation struggle, and for a prodigal spawn of anarchist like Gordon Buay to associate him with Riek Machar, is a painful phenomenon. It is gut-wrenching!
In fact, South Sudanese should abhor people like Gordon Buay and many others who are very quick to solicit threats of intimidation by force or otherwise. Their proximity to the President is a disgrace to our republic. They should be reminded that civility is tolerance and not anything else. A silent people should not be taken for granted.
But more importantly, why is the culture of incitement gaining roots in South Sudan media? Is it because there are no consequences? For instance, In December 2012, I read a piece of opinion from one bitter pseudo journalist who tried his best to incite the President and his security forces on the late journalist Isaiah Diing Abraham Chan Awuol. The writer wondered why Isaiah would insult the president and got away with it. Unfortunately, in less than 72 hours of that article, Isaiah Abraham was no more. His life was ended, in his sleep, for saying what he thought. Given that his family members, loved ones, acquaintances and his students kept quiet should not be a motivational factor for Gordon Buay and his equivalents to incite the authority to intimidate anyone who they don’t agree with. I assure Gordon Buay that the bush impunity has been washed away by the blood of our heroes. I should also remind him that no one has monopoly over power on this earth-whether violent or otherwise. Many communities which fail to share ideas are now divided across the political aisle.
If Gordon Buay has South Sudan at heart, he should not waste his time in trying to divide the indivisible Dinka Family. Instead, he should come up with a proposal to end the current crisis. What solution does he have for the current mess? Does he prefer the continuation of violence where orders flow from President General Kiir Mayaardit to LT.General Kuol Manyang Juuk to LT. General Malong Awan Anei and finally to some Gony Biliu or Mathew Pul Jang who have to either shoot at those reckless Nuer children or run away from them? Or is Gordon Buay comfortable with the other equation where orders flow from Riek Machar, who is somewhere in a hotel, to Peter Gatdet and finally to those helpless hungry Nuer children who have to either capture a government T-72 tank or shoot down a military Gunship with 10 rounds of AK-47 ammo and beg God for food to emerge from the wreckage! Which order does Buay prefer?
Even in his new found relations, Gordon Buay still looks out of place. He babbles that he is a General, a category that belongs to the real General (s) like Salva Kiir Mayaardit, Kuol Manyang Juuk, Obutto Mamuur, and Oyai Deng Ajak among other Generals who never killed any South Sudanese.
Gordon Buay needs help. He knows for a fact that he will never be entrusted with commanding the People’s Liberation army because of his back-stabbing experience. He should also learn that self-examination is a trait for the wise and he sorely needs some tutelage on that!
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Ajang Garang (uhurugarang2003@yahoo.com) is a concerned South Sudanese citizen and the views expressed herein, are explicitly his.
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