PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd – South Sudan

"We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing" By Konstantin Josef Jireček, a Czech historian, diplomat and slavist.

Mabioor Garang de Mabioor: “South Sudan Inherited Oppressive Sudan System”

3 min read

The son of SPLA founding father Dr. John Garang, Mabior Garang de Mabior has said the liberation and revolution which his late dad spearheaded for over two decades culminating into a successful independence in 2011, lost meaning since his country inherited the same oppressive Sudan system which they ran away from.

Speaking to Chimp Corp Dickens H Okello in an exclusive and extensive interview on Saturday in Capital Kampala, Mabior who is currently the Chairman Information and Publicity of the South Sudan rebel movement officially known as SPLA- In Opposition, observed that the revolution (liberation) was not comprehensively nurtured immediately after the independence to suit its primary aspirations.

Just two years after attaining their independence from the predominant Muslim Sudan government, South Sudan engulfed in a bloodiest internal war in late 2013 when top leaders of the ruling SPLM/A party bitterly disagreed in a conference resulting in to a walkout of others and eventually gunshots taking over from human governance.

The national army SPLA drifted in to two between President Salva Kiir and his former vice Dr. Riek Machar who now lead the SPLA- IO.

Mabior who joined Dr. Machar`s group from the onset, said the start of now 11 months civil war was unnecessary but the SPLM leadership oppression under chairman Kiir made the second revolution inevitable and that is why he ended up in the SPLA- IO side.

“Our source of the problem and now big sufferings to our people which was unnecessary at the first place, is inheriting an oppressive Sudan regime system. We are a secular and largely Christian nation like Uganda while Sudan is a Muslim Theocratic nation. So copying the Sudan system was a disaster.” Mabior told Chimpreports on Saturday.

“We abandoned our initiation goals after achieving what we struggled for, for decades. Some of us in the SPLM including senior leaders Mama Rebecca Garang, Dr. Machar and Pagan Amum had to face Kiir and tell him we should get back to the line.” Mabior added.

Mabior again dismissed the coup narrative that when Kiir realized that senior party leaders were getting a lot of support for change in the bigger section of masses, the latter created a situation to purge them out.

“After getting the reality that senior party members were ready for change and with bigger support, Kiir just cooked coup scenario to put people out and he remains the only bull in the Krall. Good enough the world and Uganda later dismissed that coup narrative.”

Mabior who remained visibly humble up to the end of the 60 minutes interview, hinted that if SPLA had adopted the Uganda`s National Resistance Army style which after taking over power in 1986 among others immediately put in place the Local Council system, South Sudan would be reaping the fruits of the liberation not shading tears like it is happening.

“If we had copied the NRA system which implemented the likes LC system from the earlier controlled areas to the whole country after assuming power, our country would be enjoying the benefits of the revolution which was big and blood sacrifice not this bitter shame we are facing now.” Mabior says.

He however remained hopeful saying if both sides in the war, the regional body IGAD which is mediating the peace talks and the whole world first identify the youngest nation`s primary problem, the solution would be arrived at.

“Social Science teaches us to fist identify the cause of the problem and that is one ingredient which all of us in the crisis, IGAD and the world should look for to get a lasting solution.” Mabior hopefully hinted.

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