The Plight of the SPLM-IO Ministers in Juba, South Sudan
By Stephen Par Kuol, Juba, South Sudan
July 15, 2016 (SSB) — Any keen observer of the ongoing turmoil in South Sudan would know the sad fact the whole thing has exposed the entire leadership of SPLM IO in Juba to imminent physical risk under Salva Kiir’s fascist regime. Meanwhile his Mathiang Anyor is still pursuing the military plan to crash that small SPLM/A IO force in Equatoria, the prominent cadres and the political leaders of the SPLMIO are languishing under the custody of the regime’s hoodlums in the pretext of protection, but in real life, it is a scenario of hyena guarding goats. That fact is borne out by the recent torturous manhandling of the SPLM IO Secretary General, Dr. Dhieu Mathok Wol who also doubles as the Minister of Electricity and Energy.
For those who are familiar with the nature of the beast (Juba politics), the detention and manhandling of Dr. Dhieu Mathok is a bizarre case of tribalism. He is being singled out because of his Dinka ethnicity. In truth, he is being treated as a traitor captured in a tribal war. I personally see it sheer cowardice!! It reminds of the Oromo wisdom that an elephant assaulting a rat with dula (stick) is coward. A real man with virility cannot take advantage of another man who joined him with his bare hands to make peace. In the world of the sane and civilized, that inhumanity has exposed Kiir’s regime as fascist, barbaric and tribalistic. Tribalistic in the sense that the regime aims its sword higher against Dinka in opposition while using politicians from other communities to protect their tribal regime. It is barbaric in the way the regime publicly tortures prominent political leaders to deter peaceful political dissent.
The arrest of Dr. Dhieu Mathok, supposedly a cabinet minister with constitutional immunity has also proven that the so called Transitional Government of National Unity (TGONU) does not actually exist at the time of this writing. Thus, the guarantors and sponsors of the Agreement on Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, namely, IGAD PLUS, TRIOKA, EU and the United States just should declare this elusive government dissolved. The time has also come for those who were pushing us to Juba under the illusion that Kiir will honor his signature to see the true colours of the rogue regime. Time has proven us right that the constructive engagement policy with Kiir is exhausted. It thus follows that the international community is left only with destructive engagement (radical regime).Other than that, there is no agreement to implement with Kiir.
Salva Kiir in his own word said “this agreement was designed not for implementation”. In his JCE mind, the agreement is not implementable. That means the agreement is null and void. The dictator has been in public records calling the agreement he signed “bad agreement”. According to him, he signed it under duress to dishonors it at any time of his own choosing. Now the chickens have come to roost!! Kiir is militarily more than prepared for war with anybody who crosses his path with violence. Those who have read Adolf Hitler know what a fascist can do whenever faced with diplomacy threatening his throne. History has taught that fascist regime are survivalist by instinct. A fascist dictator will do anything in desperate effort to survive and that is exactly what Kiir’s regime is doing now.
The regime is gearing for more war amidst extreme suffering of our people. The bluster that the Government is in control is unfounded. Hence, the international media community in South Sudan must inform the people of South Sudan and the entire international community that Juba is another Mogadishu in the making. The peace agreement has unraveled and the breakdown of law order is overtly evident in the streets of Juba and beyond. Private shops and UNWFP food stores have been looted by Mathiang Anyor. Foreign citizens doing business in South Sudan have been robbed and raped. South Sudanese holding foreign passports are barred from evacuation by the governments of their other countries.
Far and wide, the world has witnessed the cold truth that South Sudan under Salva Kiir and his chauvinistic Jieng Council of Elders is a failed state by true meaning of the jargon!! Hence, the common call now by the common citizens of South Sudan comes in three fold: Put SPLM IO cadres and their leaders under the protection of the United Nation or any other foreign third force, bring the pressure to bear on Kiir’s regime to allow free evacuation of South Sudanese with foreign passports and quick implementation of the UN and regional military intervention to rescue lives in that failed state.
Anything short of that is tantamount to another betrayal of the people of South Sudan by the international community. Ultimately, the world must remain alert and vigilant against the looming genocide on our people in the UN POCs in Juba and around the country. Inaction by the region and the United Nations will be a clear repetition of exactly what happened in Rwanda twenty years ago.
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