What are the political Problems in South Sudan?
9 min readNow plan (A) had failed, plan (B) is at work. Who are South Sudanese enemies? British no! UK no! France no! Norway no! America maybe! Khartoum maybe! Kenya maybe! Ethiopia, ooh yea because Ethiopia is an American based against south Sudan for regime change.
By David Matiop Gai, Juba south Sudan
April 19, 2016 (SSB) —- If you ask what are the political problems in South Sudan? You can list a long list of political problems such as social problems, federalism, tribal conflicts, tribal hatred, economic problems, cultural problems, tribal divisions, but self-ego, selfishness, greediness, and spirit of wanting, wanting, wanting are the key factors that dominated the political problems in South Sudan. Leaders are spirited weak personalities. In politics, they don’t persuade or influence the entire nation as a whole for their political popularity, but they build their consensus around tribal influences and use tribes or high figures in tribes for political come in and push out.
In South Sudan, leaders were brought up in wrong concepts during British colony, and Arabs leadership oppression. There was no proper system of government, governance, and rule of law, freedom of expression, human rights, free and fair elections, and judiciary independence. Even President Salva testified one day that their government is the first government in South Sudan history which should not be blame so much because there was no system before which they are now violating. Citizens based in emergency demands of hating the present, appreciated the past, and demands for the future. South Sudan political virus is the politicians’ use of poor illiterates to defend their interest with promises of paradise blessings which cannot be touch at all by any human being on earth and in Heaven.
Let point finger on IO leader Riek Machar as a good example for tribe exploitation. Dr. Machar was removed by the President of the Republic Salva Kiir Mayardit, he rebelled and went to Lou Nuer lying to them that all Nuer were killed in Juba, let go to Juba and rescue Nuer and he promised them to take whatever they got in Juba. The Lou Nuer innocently mobilized to wage war against the government in commands of chiefs and their clans; they died there in a big number before reaching Juba. So can such politics favor our societies? We have to know the politics and personal interest as societies!
What is politics? By hearing the word politics, the real image in mind of others come as source of government, politicians themselves, politics as a word, or corruption, dirty game, and the idea went on differently as big thinkers defined it according to their own views and concepts. But historically, the overview to be considered is to understand the origins of politics. The word politics come from the Greek word “polis” means a state or for the community as a whole. The polis was an ideal state and it was developed by great thinkers or great philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. Plato described, “The Republic” as the ideal state and the means to achieve it. According to Aristotle, “politics” stated that, “a man is by nature a political animal”.
What is politics still? “Politics compromises all the activities of co-operation and conflict, within and between societies, whereby the human species goes about organizing the use, production and distribution of human, natural and other resources in the production and reproduction of its biological and social life.” (Leftwich, 1984, p.64-65). Politics can be define as a mean of resolving conflicts through different means of true and false opinions, conflict between individuals and groups, but to justify my view, politics would not be use to solves social problems like South Sudan huge problems. Therefore, politics in my own views is the art or science of government management of public affairs and lives of citizens.
The nature of political problems in South Sudan always encourages others to ask, what is the problem of South Sudanese? In the past Northern Sudan used to say problem of Southern Sudan, and Dr. John Garang argued this point that problem is the north problem, Southern Sudan problem is not yet come. What is the cause of these problems, and why are those problems happened politically? But political problems in South Sudan are the biggest challenges to be handled in Africa. I am not in the current government but I am an ordinary citizen who is watching seriously on public affairs as specialized person in social delivery services, social policy analysis, and community based social work.
Our political problems are mixed and fuelled by outsiders because we have fresh resources that cause us defend on foreign political influence and is not a bad idea regardless of all painful objectives engulf our lives through conflicts and misery in the country. The Arabs oppressed Southern Sudan enough for decades, but Southerners revive Anya-Anya movement in 1983, and struggled for freedom. In 1990, SPLM spitted into two: SPLM in Nasir under the commands of Dr. Riek Machar, and SPLM mainstream in Torit under the commands of Dr. John Garang. These two SPLM –Political wings were pure South Sudanese and fought themselves leaving common enemy behind their success. The cause of these political problems was the West policy to change communism in Ethiopia where SPLA/M got their support for operation, and it’s based affected SPLA/M in those years.
After Nasir faction collapsed and the West saw Dr. Riek’s atrocities of 1991 in Bor amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity, they deserted their support for him, and Riek ran to Khartoum. Arabs attempted to kill Dr. Riek after his demand of Fashoda 1997 peace accords implementation with Khartoum regime. In 2002, Riek decided instead to be kill by Arabs in Khartoum, he chose to come back to Garang and make a strong unity against their common enemy. Dr. Garang in 2002 forgave Dr. Riek and Dr. Lam Akol who were prominent enemies against their fellow countrymen and women for their political interest. Dr. Garang said, “I forgive you brother but the history will not forgive you”, a message I would like President Kiir to repeat again when Dr. Riek arrive in Juba later. After Garang’s imminent death in 2005, American people who claimed their supports for South Sudan to get its independence in 2011 came up vigorously to back Machar’s interest to power since he want to become president and never mind of his people by selling country’s resources especially oil revenues to the West, as American complains why China benefit in a country where they put effort to gain its independence 2011.
But before South Sudan’s independence in 2011, SPLA absorbed in many militias who were used by Arabs to weaken Garang military strategies and Kiir integrated those in SPLA ranks and files for the sake of peace and for the country to conducted successful referendum. The SPLA was by name only but inwardly militias of disgruntle forces occupied the army which I define forces against Salva Kiir, the President of South Sudan. After the death of Dr. John Garang on 30th of July 2005, militias’ forces came into SPLA in a big number and made up 75% of South Sudan army forces, I repeat.
Dr. Riek resumed his political gain since victims of 1991 were so silent against him, and made fake apology in Garang’s house few days after South Sudan independence which angered many Nuer why he made Bor Massacred of estimated 30,000 people and many properties come true by apologizing publically? Dr. Machar as masterminded and poor strategies assumed that 75% of Nuer soldiers in the army plus few generals who joined him politically pushed him into a flaming of fire.
On the 6 Dec 2013, Dr. Machar publically announced his interest for presidential election in 2015, two good years for election to be conducted. Few hours later, he decided that he can’t wait and ordered President to resign in the party and become Chairman. At the same hours, he made conference with political leaders and opted to mobilized public opinions against Kiir. They counted failures of SPLM as a party which lost its vision and mission for the people of South Sudan. The West alliance investigated Riek whether he could be able to overthrow the President, and he assured them for victory. The SPLM went to Nyakuran cultural centre to pass party code and the next meeting; the group boycotted it on Sunday afternoon.
On Sunday night at 10:00 PM, guns shot were heard at army barrack. Next morning, fighting erupted again at all corners of Juba. At 1: 00 PM South Sudan local time, soldiers loyal to Dr. Riek Machar were out of Juba. The political problems in South Sudan have real cause, and many social media sources, especially the West media repeated the same mistake every time and then. Fighting erupting in Juba between Nuer and Dinka. They adapted Dr. Machar reports and according to Machar, he said, fighting erupted in tiger battalion, the presidential guards. What happened or what was the problem? President Kiir ordered Nuer soldiers to be disarmed and fighting began. Okay, why was the President did this? They said, he knows! But President Kiir said, Dr. Riek attempted coup, and with this report from Kiir, the West slammed it, “no coup”.
If you analyze the matter and you are not a Dinka where Kiir held from, well what is the cause of disarmament? And if President Kiir ordered Nuer soldiers to be disarm, if Nuer becomes a nation within South Sudan whose soldiers are to be disarmed, then why are soldiers refused to accept the order of the President? Who is their president? Why Nuer soldiers are taking this terrible shortcut and violate the head of state? How does the so called international community call the refusal of order if there is any reason for a specific tribe to disarm in the country?
In fact politics in South Sudan make political elites ignorant both military and sectarians’ parties but it is not proof for international media to talk about the reality of conflict. Last year in August 17, and 26, 2015, Dr. Riek and President Kiir signed peace agreement which designated Riek as the First Vice President in South Sudan history. Citizens are expecting Machar for two days to return from the exile. To give little light on military, all militias steal political power for south Sudanese rights for democracy. One can understand political problems in South Sudan such as wrong supports within and outside the country. Poor institutions gave outsiders to decide our fate, and outflow of our resources which will leave few years with bones in our hands.
Yesterday and today, SPLM government, SPLM-IO, and other political parties are expected to form a Transitional Government of National Unity, (TGNU), with wide gaps of SPLM- IOs separate army with its ranks, and government army with its ranks. It is obvious that political turmoil always begins in the army in South Sudan, and guns speedy aggressiveness even sons violate their fathers. The peace designed and imposed on South Sudanese is a wanted peace because without peace among communities, the nation will collapse.
It will be so wise for both rivals’ parties and their alliances and supporters to get know earlier the challenges between the two armies in nearest future, a mistake was permitted for sake of peace. There are no proper reasons for creating two general chiefs of staff in South Sudan while the president is one. This may cause indiscipline in army and both SPLM and IOs soldiers may disobey officers in the field. Therefore I would like to conclude that let JMEC watch out to prevent another violent in South Sudan because IOs may be led astray again by verbal supports inside and outside country. I hope Transitional Government of National Unity is ready now to operates its duties, let president announce it and discharge ministers’ responsibilities with care.
The author is a co-founder of National Mental Health Care Organization; He holds Bachelor degree in Social work and social Administration from SSCUST, Bachelor degree in Theology from CLT in Kalispell, Montana USA, and a fellow researcher. He can be reach at tonggaid551@yahoo.com/ davidmatiopgai@gmail.com.
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