2013 Bor Killing: A Massacre for Federalism
9 min read
By Maker Lual Kuol
Riek Macar during his visit to Nairobi between 27th and 31st May 2014 called for a Federal System of Government in South Sudan. That was his reason for orchestrating the massacre of over 2000 innocent civilians in Bor on the 17th of December 2013 as a price for his demand.
Our great fathers and uncles; Stansilous Abdalla Pyasam, Elijah Ajith Mayom, Fr. Satarnino, Joseph Oduho, Both Diu, Choor Malek, Sirisio Iro, Elia Lupe, Paramena Bul Koch and the rest of the 40 members of the Liberal Party in the 1957 Constituent Assembly called for the Federal System of Government in Sudan but did not kill South Sudanese for it!! Instead the Northern Arabs slapped them in the face by handing over the power to the military Regime of General Ibrahim Abud on the 17th November 1958 as a way of cuffing their mouths.
By the way who designed the current system of decentralization in South Sudan of 10 states and 79 counties? Is Riek Macar not one of the architects?
After the sad incidents of last year, December 15th 2013 and after a massive loss to thousands of lives, displacement of millions and destruction of property and infrastructure, Riek Macar, the orchestrator of the massacre of the over 2000 innocent people of Bor County, dressed up nicely in his smart attire thinking he can get applauses from the easily forgetful and forgiving South Sudanese and blindfold them with a demand for [a Federal System of Government in South Sudan] as a solution. The demand for federalism at this particular moment when people are mourning their loved ones is like congratulating the relatives of the deceased on the death of their loved ones. I thought it was time to console ourselves on the great losses and suffering faced by our people during the six months period. Who has the mind and the gut to concentrate when thousands are dead and millions roaming on their face in the jungles and bushes of South Sudan or refugee camps in the neighboring countries!!
OK, in examining the call for federalism and unfortunately some are demanding it as a matter of experiment! This means if it fails, people have to kill other more South Sudanese and put up another proposal for another system of rule and we keep on experimenting and killing.
Federalism was the call of our great fathers and uncles, Elijah Ajith Mayom, Serisio Iro, Stansilaus Abdalla Pyasama, Choor Malek, Both Dieu, Parmena Bul Koch, Fr. Satarnino, Joseph Oduho, Elia Lupe and all the rest of the 40 members of South Sudanese in the second parliament in 1957 but the successive despotic regimes in Khartoum continued to throw the requests into the faces of our people and for intimidation and cuffing of mouths, Northerners ushered in many military governments into power in Khartoum. When Numiery Regime seized power in May 1969, it worked out the regional system in Southern Sudan which in my opinion and opinion of others was equivalent to the claimed Federalism. When Southern Sudanese were moving steadily on their own besides conflicting personal interests of some South Sudanese, the North Came in and abrogated the Addis Ababa Agreement and split Southern Region into three regions against the wish of South Sudanese. And because of the incessant interference of the North in the affairs of South Sudan, South Sudanese took to arms for the second time that culminated into the current independence of South Sudan.
While SPLM/A was waging the war of liberation, there were governments going on in South Sudan especially the Coordination Council for the South equivalent in powers, even if nominal, to the powers of the defunct Regional Government of Southern Sudan. Though away (myself) with other thousands in the struggle, many coordination Council Governments and chairmen changed hands. And if not mistaken, James Loro, Dr. Riek Machar, Dr. Riek Gai, Lual Lual Akuei and General Gatluak Deng changed chairs on those governments. Even the inherited system of states and counties was influenced by the mentioned Chairpersons. It was not coincidence that some areas received better shares in decentralization than others. Greater Aweil, the known largest greater district in the whole of Southern Sudan in the past ended up with 5 counties and Greater Bentiu garnered 9 counties (Almost doubling Aweil) leave its equivalence like Greater Bor that walked away with only three counties; that means greater Bentiu is three times greater Bor in both population and counties!
The call of Riek Macar for federalism is that the killing of tens of thousands of people by him, displacement of millions and destruction of property could not be substantiate by him. Why federalism was raised at this particular moment and was not raised during the 8 years period when Riek Machar was the vice president of the republic? Does Riek think, Uhuru Kenyata will understand him better than the South Sudanese? Or does Riek want Kenya and IGAD countries to impose Federalism on South Sudan?
Now what is wrong with the current system of government or devolution in South Sudan?
When the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was implemented in 2005, South Sudanese did not properly check the bag handed to them by the North. Their desperation for freedom or secession from the North blindfolded them. Even a new school with 8 classes is not filled at the same time but starts with enrollment of one class till reaching the capacity after eight years. The ten states and 79 counties inherited from Khartoum were not checked before hand and compared to our economical power. At the implementation of the CPA, South Sudan accommodated at one ago over 400 political post holders in form of President, Vice President, National Ministers and Advisors, State Governors, state Ministers and Advisors, Chairpersons of Commissions at the national and state levels. That figure does not include over 700 honorable members in the 12 august houses of legislature, then, the hundreds of generals in the organized forces. All are catered for through the oil revenue. Then the militias were coming in and reversing at leisure but because of peace and reconciliation, all joined the ranks and files of our organized forces. All these expenses were covered through oil revenues, a source which was discovered in 1980 after 25 years of Torit Revolt and tapped in 1996 after 14 years of SPLM/A revolt. This means when South Sudanese thought of waging a liberation war, oil was not among the least potential resources. By the way the oil in South Sudan was discovered by a flying satellite in 1980 and Chevron, charlatans and vulture companies scrambled for the fortunes.
If we are honest with ourselves, the defunct regional government in the South laid a strong foundation to the successive systems of governments in the South. We know two essential elements are the backbone of any development; electricity and cement. The regional government brought in experts in those two fields and feasibility studies and researches were carried out and Fula Rapids was found suitable for generating the hydroelectric power. On the other hand, Kapeota was found suitable for the production of cement.
Mangala area was feasibly fit for the production of Sugar cane. The area extending from Gumiza to north east till Akobo is a very wide plain of land not less than 6 million hectares of fertile soil suitable for the growth of sugar cane, rice, sorghum and other food and cash crops. Then the largest mango forest in Western Equatoria, is the largest natural manogo plantation in the world and if exploited could supply the whole of Africa of its needs from juice and slices. Then the livestock in their millions and fish from the crisscrossing streams and lakes that can suffice the local and export needs.
The government is like a football team and the head who is the president is the captain of that team. In other words, he is the first among equals. If a team is defeated in a match, it is not the captain who is to be blamed for the defeat it is the whole club including the managers and the couches. In the case of the government, the legislature, the political parties, the judiciary, the Auditor General and others are to be blamed. Even the drivers who overturn cars due to negligence or reckless driving are part and parcel of the inefficiency. Even again during a football match, players are changed from time to time. Not because the ones substituted are discarded or useless. Exactly that is the situation with a government.
Since establishment of the Government of South Sudan, many reshuffles took place. Most ministries have been reshuffled five to six times during the period. This means over 150 ministers and advisors have been removed and others brought in, in the national government alone. And definitely more than 700 Governors, advisors, state ministers and county commissioners have faced the same in the ten states of South Sudan. Among the few who survived the reshuffle since establishment of the Government of South Sudan till present, only four ministers and one state governor survived the continuous reshuffles, namely Michael Makuei Lueth, Awot Deng Acuil, Nunu Kumba, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin and Governor Clement Wani Koanga of Central Equatoria.
Some of the reshuffled out lost elections in the last general elections but they were rewarded with ministerial positions for their failure.
When reshuffling was carried out in July 2013, the world got shaken but nobody gave himself a chance why was there no outcry when the previous reshuffles were done? Are the last reshuffled out better than Arthur Akuein, Dr. Anne Ito, Dr. Luka Manoja, David Deng Athorbei, Joseph Okel, Michael Milly Hussein, Kuol Athian, Alison Manani Magaya, Salva Mathok, James Kook Rue, Lual Acuil, Nhial Deng Nhial etc. If someone thinks the last reshuffled out are to be forced back into the government, all those reshuffled out since implementation of the CPA to independence should be reinstated.
If some are brandishing their glaring qualifications in the faces of South Sudanese, Please South Sudanese have many who obtained glaring qualifications some forty to fifty years ago; the kind of Dr. Francis Mading Deng, Dr. Akolde and many others but see how they have humbled themselves to serve under those younger in age and lesser in qualifications than them. They have humbled themselves. Our Lord Jesus Christ said: “Humble yourself and you will be exalted and exalt yourself and you will be humbled.” I am afraid that those exalting themselves because of certain claimed qualities will regret in life one day. General Douglas Macarthur, the American hero in the Japanese and Korean war was fired by President Harry Truman, Field Marshal Zhukov, the most decorated Soviet Union general who defeated the Nazis in the Second World War was relegated by Stalin and Sergo Beria, the NKVD( Later KGB) boss was removed by Stalin.
[Still, why is the International Community silent about over 2000 innocent civilians massacred in a genocidal move in Bor by Riek Macar, Hussein Mar Nyuot, Gabriel Duop and Peter Gadet? Gadet is sanctioned for ordering themassacre of over 200 people in Bantiu but the one of Bor is ignored. The clear reason behind this is because Riek Macar will be involved and even UNMISS, a thing the sympathizers of Riek greatly fear and dread. When Riek ordered the massacre of Bor people, his command post was the VIP reception room in at Bor Airport.
The Archbishop of Canterbury witnessed the horrific massacre of Bor. It is UNMISS that revealed the massacre in Bentiu to the World. Is UNMISS in Bentiu different from that in Bor? For the credibility of UN and Human rights bodies, the genocidal massacre that took place in Bor should be declared to the world.
Otherwise for Riek and associates to divert the attention of people of South Sudan to federalism and other petty issues is not the concern of the people of South Sudan at the moment]
One Dr. Riek Gai is struggling hard to save the lives of South Sudanese by treating people and vaccinating them while another Dr. Riek Macar is killing the same South Sudanese people with impunity. Please, Obama, Banki Moon, Hielda Johnston and IGAD Countries advise whom should the South Sudanese follow the healer or the killer?
Maker Lual Kuol
Guolyar Displaced Persons Camp.
Awerial/ Lake State.
June 2, 2014
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