By Mok Dei Gual, Kampala, Uganda
March 3, 2016 (SSB) — It has been said that the main argue for human being in this world is desire to be importance. It is the desire to be appreciated and managed to control others politically and militarily .The late Adolf Hitler had tried this by saying that all European governments could vanish when he had waged war against European countries. This desire to control others is what has been happening in this world since world war two. That is what the president Kiir had tried to do to silence other politicians in the country. As I have observed what happened in our country in 2013, then I would like to explain more about what happened between the president Kiir and the former political detainees in the country.
Here are their names, Former Minister of Justice John Luk Jok, Deng Alor Kuol is the former minister of cabinet Affair, Gier Chuang is the former minister of road and transport, Kosti Manible former minister of finance, Pagan Amum Okiech served as Secretary General of the ruling party SPLM, Oyai Deng Ajak former National security minister, Majak D Agoot is the former Deputy of defense minister, Chol Tong Mayay is the former governor of Lake State, Cirino Hiteng, Madut Biar Yel, Madam Rebecca Nyandeng, the former of minister of road and transport and the last one is Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth who served as head of the government liaison office in United States of America.
These are the politicians who decided to go along with Dr Machar in the country. These politicians regrouped themselves after the president Kiir removed them from his government. The president Kiir does not have right based on transitional constitution to remove the governor of Lake State and the governor of Unity State. He did so to violate the transitional constitution which permitted him as the president to remove the cabinet in his government. The constitution stating that, the people shall be elected their governor after sixty days but the president also violated that article of transitional constitution.
Arrival of the members of NCP to South Sudan.
Some of the politicians had remained in North Sudan when the people of South Sudan were allowed to vote for independence of their country. Many of them have given up to struggle for liberation of their people that is the reason they had remained in the North Sudan. One year later, after the independence of the youngest country then, all of them arrived in Juba. Some of them started to influence the president Kiir indirectly by using others to talks to him till the president Kiir met to them one by one in the country. This is where a dispute happened within SPLM leaders when their leadership has taken by members of NCP in the country.
President Kiir has told them that, there should be reshuffling in his government soon when he heard that, the President Bashir had sacked his cabinet and he appointed others. Those he promised for positions including Tut Gatluak and his nickname is Tut Kuaw, Dr Riek Gach Kok, Aleu Ayeiny Aleu, the former minister of interior, Telar Deng, the current Ambassador of South Sudan to Russian federation and many politicians from Equatorian. This is where the members of NCP have hijacked the leadership of the SPLM. Those politicians are known today in the country as SPLM Returnees.
Beginning of the civil war and rounding up of suspects politicians for attempting coup.
On Dec15, 16 2013 in the morning, eleven politicians were rounded up and sent to detention for an allegations that they are suspected for coup attempted against the president Kiir. Dr Machar and Taben Deng Gach were on the run for the safety of their life in bush when the president Kiir started arresting the rest of politicians and ordered his soldiers to find out those who were supporting what he so called failed coup attempted. After eighteen days, the US government informed both warring parties to start the peace talks in Addis Ababa. The US government had ordered the president Kiir to release the political detainees to attend the peace talks in Addis Ababa.
Dr Machar had appointed Pagan Amum Okiech as Chief negotiator on his side on the peace talks. Dr Machar was insisted by telling the US government to put too much pressure on the president Kiir to release detainees to attend the peace talks in Addis Ababa. Sooner than later, between January and February 2014 the president Kiir had ordered his Minister of justice Poulino Wanawilla to release seven politicians from detention namely Deng Alor Kuol, Kosti Manibe, Chol Tong Mayay,Gier Chuang ,Cirino Hiteng ,Madut BiarYel and John Luk Jok, but they were handed over to custody of the authority of Kenya.
After the seven politicians were released, the minister of Justice Poulino Wanawilla said that the government investigators have found evidence to charge Dr Machar and four detainees who were not released with treason. In response, the political detainees and Dr Machar have denied any involvement in what Kiir said insisted was a failed coup bid. Pagan Amum Akiech was suspended for alleged mismanagement of the political party, with parliamentary committee to be set up to investigates allegations Benjamin Marial said without giving further detail. All members of political Bureau wanted the party basic documents including manifesto to be changed but the president Kiir rejected their demands.
Back to story of coup attempted then the world leaders included Ugandan president denied it too. Those four politicians who were not released including Pagan Amum Akiech ,the man Dr Machar appointed as his Chief negotiator in the peace talks in Addis Ababa, Former deputy defense minister Majak D Agoot ,Oyai Deng Ajak former minister of National security and Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, who served as the head of liaison office in United States of America.
On the other hand, those political detainees agreed before they were released in the jail that, they would work hard to bring the permanent peace into the country. After the warring parties have been to Addis Ababa several times for the peace talks then Intergovernmental Authority on Development had tried to call the president Kiir to release four South Sudan political detainees to participate on the agreement.
The disagreement between Dr Machar and political detainees after they were released in detention.
The root cause of disagreement between Dr Machar and the political detainees has happened when Dr Machar appointed his followers both on military and politically in the first conference which held at Nasir Town before the political detainees were released in detention. Some of political detainees are the members of political Bureau and they had decided to go along with Dr Machar when dispute happened with in their ruling party SPLM. The political detainees blamed Dr Machar for an impatience to form the Movement at their absence. They were also refused to join Dr Machar for reason that, they should remain neutral to influence both leaders to put down and silence the guns in the country.
In response Dr Machar said that, the political detainees have right to take side or to remain neutral in the current civil war. Those political detainees do not trust Dr Machar according to what happened in 1991 between Dr John and Dr Machar. Some of political detainees are the boys of Dr John. Their political ideology is the difference with the political perceptive of Dr Machar in the country. But it has been said that, no permanent friends in politics and that is what forced those political detainees to be with Dr Machar in our country domestic politics.
I can advise most people to never be too pro to any political leader or too anti to any leader in your country politics and that is what being good citizen mean in your country. I know that most politicians hate to hear the truth but I will do so….
Author is also the member of SPLM former detainees and he can be reachable by gualkuiny@hotmail.com.
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