Salva Kiir and Wani Igga: Reflection on the Tragic Fall of Kapoeta in 1992
By PaanLuel Wel, Juba
“I told Riek that what happened in 2002 shouldn’t happen again. When you came back after fighting us for 11 years side by side with the Sudan Government, you came back when you have already signed your surrender agreement with Sudan, Khartoum Agreement. Where on earth do you go and sign peace with the oppressor in his house? I told him; when you came back Wani was then displaced and you were put on his chair. You became number three and when God took John Garang, you became number two that was the first unfortunate situation of Wani. Ok; now this time you rebelled again and you wanted to repeat what you did in 1991 because you want to be a President by any means and you are in hurry. Now if you have not succeeded! The Dec 15 night to the 17 of Dec (2013); you were not able to capture the headquarters of the leadership with the power of the military that you have, you didn’t and that why you escaped to the bush and started the rebellion or armed struggle. Now if you are coming back, you will not be appeased by giving you the position of James Wani who remained loyal to the SPLM/A. You can’t solve a problem that creating another new problem. You want to solve the problem of Riek Machar by appeasing him at the expense of Equatorian. What if the Equatorian takes their guns and rise against the Government? What will you give them? I don’t want, Equatorian have been patient, quiet and they did not do anything all these times.” President Salva Kiir Mayardit
March 21, 2015 (SSB) – As the duo chuckle to themselves, whatever joke Wani or Kiir has uttered, I can’t help but to recall the tragic fall of Kapoeta to Khartoum in 1992.
Cdr Wani Igga and Captain Bioor were at the military headquarters inside the town; Cdr. Salva Kiir and Cdr. Majak Agoot Atem were dispatched by Cdr John Garang (stationed between Torit and Kapoeta with Cdr. Bioor Ajang) to intercept the advancing enemy forces at the Kasignor junction along the Buma-Kapoeta road.
Cdr. Tito Achuil, Cdr. Dominic Dim Deng and A/Cdr Jurkuch Barach were sent to ambush the enemy between Magoth and Karikomuge.
Meanwhile, Cdr. Kuol Manyang was at the military headquarters in Torit as Cdr Oyai Deng ajak, Cdr. Mamur Mete, Cdr. Pieng Deng, Cdr. Hoth Maai, Cdr. James Koang Chol, among others, were battling Khartoum forces along the Juba-Torit road.
Cdr. Salva Kiir and Cdr. Majak Agoot missed the advancing enemy forces and Kapoeta fell in 1992. Captain Bioor, who had remained behind to ensure safe passage of his boss, Wani Igga, was killed in action.
Cdr Wani Igga and Cdr John Garang and Cdr Achuil and Cdr Dominic Dim regrouped along the Kapoeta-Torit road while Cdr Salva Kiir and Cdr Majak Agoot withdrew to and regrouped along the Kapoeta-Nairus road and successfully beat back the enemy forces from taking Nairus and reach the Kenyan border.
Thereafter, Torit, then the tactical headquarters of the movement, fell to the enemy in 1992. It was the darkest moment in the entire history of the SPLM/A. Even the then ever witty SPLA military spokesperson, Steven Wondu, stammered on the BBC that evening after the fall of Torit.
It was at this time that Cdr Majak Agoot authored a letter to Cdr John Garang advocating for guerrilla warfare; it was at this time that Cdr. Oyai Deng Ajak told Cdr John Garang to inform him in advance if he was thinking of surrendering so that he can take over the movement and continue with the war.
And it was at this time that Cdr John Garang reminded the rank and files of the movement that the Anyanya One movement never captured a town from Khartoum government and yet they achieved the Addis Ababa agreement that led to the formation of an autonomous government in Southern Sudan in the 1980s.
Years later, Southern Sudan is an independent, sovereign nation, with Cdr Salva Kiir as the president and Cdr Wani Igga as the vice president.
Cdr Kuol Manyang is now the defense minister; Cdr Pieng Deng the police chief; while Oyai, James Hoth, Tito Achuil and the rest of their comrades had had distinguished careers in an independent South Sudan.
Of that top military cadre of the movement in the darkest hours of 1992, only Cdr. John Garang never lived long enough to see the fruition of their sacrifice.
As the two comrades joke and laugh in this photo, I just wonder how much of the sufferings we have been through as a nation, as people of southern Sudan and of RSS now, they still remember.
I wonder how much of the darkest moment in the history of the movement, of our people—the traumatic ordeal in the fall of Kapoeta and Torit in 1992—they still recall.
I am happy for them that they have been steadfast in their resolve to see that the movement that had almost been wiped out had succeeded to liberate the country, echoing what Cdr John Garang wrote in 1992 about the Anyanya one.
More importantly, I wish that they could and should look back to where they came from in order to appreciate where they are now and to chart an informed path into the envisage future.
There are times one wonder if our war heroes and liberators do actually remember where they are coming from and where they are going.
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