THE SENSELESS WAR AND TRIBAL CONFLICT IN SOUTH SUDAN
8 min readBy Majook Deng, Aweil, South Sudan.
May 31, 2015 (SSB) — South Sudan former Vice President Riek Machar Teny broke down in tears and wept as he admitted to being responsible for the massacre of Dinka tribesmen in which an estimated 36000 civilians were gunned down in Bor. The dramatic admission by Dr Machar came as people gathered outside the home of the founder of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLA), the late Dr John Garang on Sunday.
His wife Dr Angelina Teny also broke down and wept and the huge gathering joined them as almost everybody burst out in tears and began loudly wailing as they remembered their loved ones whose lives were cut short on the orders of Dr Machar. Does he forget that people are stills remembering their loved ones and he claim the leadership of the Republic of south Sudan to be given him, why and how would be possibly to him or Dinka wouldn’t be part of his leadership.
Riek Machar, who together with Dr David Matsanga negotiated the Uganda Peace Talks with the Lords Resistance Army’s Gen Kony, made the dramatic admission soon after arriving at the late SPLM leader’s home to attend the sixth anniversary of Dr Garang’s death in a helicopter accident while returning from a secret visit to the home of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Rwakitura, Western Uganda in August 2005.
On November 15, 1991-1999 the event known as the “Bor Massacre” or South-western Dinka Massacre, commenced in South Sudan. Forces led by the breakaway faction of Riek Machar deliberately killed an estimated 2,000 civilians in Bor and wounded several thousand more over the course of two months. This was three months after Riek Machar and his comrades on August 28, 1991, declared a coup against Dr John Garang, called ‘Nasir Declaration.’ As he always spoken about it and he term it as self-determination of south Sudan, dear readers you can check his previously article that he made on 28 May 2015.
It is estimated that at least 200,000 people left the area following the attack. Famine followed the massacre, as Machar’s forces looted and burnt villages and as well as raiding cattle. An estimated 25,000 more people died as a result of hunger, according to Amnesty International. At the time, Dr Riek described the incident as “propaganda” and “myth” despite evidence of mass killing shown by bones and corpses in the aftermath of the massacre.
Am really sorry about that and my sincerity condolences to their love ones in Bor 1991-2013. Two Dinka Bor MPs from the National Assembly last four year ago which is 2011 waded into Dr Riek Machar’s Sunday apology to members of the Bor community for the gruesome killing of thousands of its citizens by the Nasir Faction’ forces in 1991, then commanded by Dr Riek Machar Teny.
In the same year, the community also saw its property looted and livelihood put into disrepair by the faction. Dr Riek Machar, the South Sudan’s former Vice President is crook guy and stunned those who attended, when he unexpectedly owned up to the heinous crimes of the Nasir Faction in 1991. The apology came nearly twenty years after the massacre.
Dr Riek explained that the aim of his movement then, was to restore democracy and human rights in the mainstream SPLM/A, that why he formed SSIM/A which a murder’ whose late leader was allegedly autocratic. However, the Nasir Movement went on to commit human rights abuses, culminating in the ‘Bor Massacre.’ His motives are believed to have been an attempt to hurt the Dinka, and to create a pluralistic less Dinka centric model for the SPLM leadership.
Thousands of civilians in Bor area died when Dr Riek’s Nuer forces turned against them and killed them after his failure to topple Garang from the SPLM leadership. Some people had perished in the Bor areas as determined by the United Nations assessment of casualties in 1992.
Why always Dr. Riek Machar Teny wants massacre to his people? (1991 Bor massacres-2013)
In conflict resolution that is the final stage of healing the old wounds to allow the nation to move on. I personally know Dr Riek Machar very well with his weakness leadership is fully of tribalism and dividing people according to their tribesmen against each other; we better re-unity with Sudan if Dr. Riek takeover the leadership of this country of south Sudan and he is not an honest person to led us, down to earth. Man He is a real not peace maker and no loving him at all, a dedicated man is ambitious greed and selfishness for his own interest without considering the lives of his people; What kind of leadership is that?
Anyway Gen. Kiir got this leadership because he is humble man and slow in term of leading people or SPLM leadership, but we can’t challenging him through bullets but through ballots boxes and I hope Dr. Riek Machar’s not a better man for hand over power to him. Very few people in Africa can come out to heal wounds like he has done. The Republic of South Sudan needs healing and forgiveness, and this is not the right time to do so and added with high level reconciliation that will make it a viable state but I don’t thinks Riek will accept at this very moment.
There is too much killings with famines is now underway to our people because Mr. Machar causing it again while he was apologized to the people and he repeat in Dec 15th 2013; he doesn’t thinks that people will not accept his apology again at this time around and in such a situation, all sides need to openly come out and confess in order to allow national reconciliation in the entire south Sudan to enjoying theirs freedom.
In a war situation like the one we have had in south Sudan, we need a national forgiveness where the past is laid to rest and we embark on the way forward. Our Final (CPA) came with a lot of bias cause by Dr. Riek again, which is very harmfully for south Sudan people and which took us square one; three years for our independence has finished without discussing a development in the country we not yet reaching to discuss the root causes of the senseless war.
It was the help to Dr Riek with his groups and also with his competitor Mr. President and the citizens are dying for nothing. I truly regret that why am I voted for separation of south Sudan, I wouldn’t aware that our SPLM leaders are still ambitious greed for power like this bullshits war.
I also appealing to Dhieu Mathuok Diing with unconfirmed PhD; if I were him I should spent some few years and keep silent for unless five years because he visitor to this country” he wasn’t contribution during our struggled he was enjoyed there in Khartoum with NCP of Bashir Government. Dr. Riek Machar has done Africa pride and has come out to follow his actions. African methods of reconciliation need Frank people and never repeat it. The western style of arrests and retribution does not work in Africa.
For over 3000 years our forefathers resolved their conflicts through restorative a method that allows unity and forgiveness by open admission of the crimes followed by reparations paid to the offended. This worked and tribes did not go to war for minor reasons until the White population arrived with other alternatives of jailing people with their fake perception and superiority into Africa soils.
The ICC is malfunction institution and matter is not very good for Africa because it does not restore communities and increases the likelihood of a new conflict. Take for example the Kenyan case where the ICC has simply complicated matters and grand pride multiplied enmity in the regions of Post Election Violence where we shall see worse ethnic tensions in the Post General elections of 2012 because the mechanism is retributive. Nobody in Kenya has come out and admitted the responsibility because Ocampo has injected in a cancer of money that is not African.
I can write so much on restorative and retributive justice, equity and equality systems in Africa should be establishing to protection people from the criminal war. But let me end by saying I respect Dr. Riek Machar and he has done a great thing to openly accept responsibility for a New Republic of South Sudan to have peace and tackle other challenges.
Dr Riek Machar is a realist and he helped me to observer African leaders, but on 15th December 2013 would be un-forgiveness whether Riek right or not, he must to take responsibility and accountability with his former boss Mr. Kiir.
After 38 years (1955-2005) of sharp differences over the politics of South Sudan, or entire leadership of SPLM. But entire leadership of SPLM doesn’t be trust anymore (SPLM-Juba, SPLM-IO, SPLM-detainees, SPLM-DC) all those factions of SPLMs are very bias to this country of ours of its people. He looked straight across the table and asked President Kiir and Rebel Leader Dr. Riek: Then he ask people to give back their minus all the factions of SPLM and people will shake hands and choose their right person to led them in a good manner.
Since I was young I always aware that, this country will fail one day because of disagrees of SPLM leaders. That is the only route I will use in reaching you both my concern; I hope you’re analog leader to visiting any website. The problems and I ask many other people to follow Dr Machar’s example and create a good leadership of south Sudan not to destroy and destruction our nation.
Long live Salva Kiir and long live Dr. Machar, but you both avoid killings us.
You can reach the author through his email: marialmading1121@gmail.com
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