The 25th anniversary of the Nasir Coup: The revival and the silver jubilee for self-determination in South Sudan
By Pal Chol Nyan, Juba, South Sudan
August 28, 2016 (SSB) — 28th August 1991 goes down in the annals of history when the most renowned South Sudanese academicians in the persons of Dr Riek Machar and Dr Lam Akol, with Commander Gordon Kong Chol, the trio were members of the SPLM/A Political Military High command (PMHC), changed the political compass of the war against the North.
They adopted the idea of Self-determination for the people of Southern Sudan in Nasir versus Dr John Garang’s war for the liberation of the whole Sudan, something which was a quixotic battle. The Nasir Faction’s idea was misconstrued by many politicians and army commanders, most of them have lived through the ordeals of liberation and are now the leaders, as a betrayal of the Southern cause.
The Nasir faction was called names. It was afterwards incorporated in the Declaration of Principles in 1994.In Frankfurt/ Germany peace talks co-chaired by Dr Ali Alhaj and Dr Lam Akol, the Chief Negotiators for both SPLM/A and GoS, it was resolved and adopted. During the Khartoum peace agreement preceded by the political charter in 1996, it topped the main items of the talks and was, among other things, agreed upon.
The cardinal question is, does the credit go to the separatists, with one thing in mind, who fight from within, unionists who have no chance of winning the war or both? The self-determination was passed in the Sudanese National Assembly, embodied in the Sudan Constitution of 1998 and ratified by a Republican decree number 14 by the President of Republic of Sudan who is none other than President Bashir himself.
Naivasha Negotiators copied and pasted it and this is what gave birth to the Independence of Sudan where the South Sudanese (now suffering in the hand of the liberators) voted overwhelmingly to be free from political and economic subjugation by the North. Despite that not all are enjoying the dividends, we all have a reason to commemorate this day and give credit to those who fought hard to make this call a reality.
Remember, when the South Sudanese tabled it in 1947 Juba Round Table Conference, the Arabs did not buy the idea and the talks stalled. In 1972, the Southerners were just granted a puppet regional self-autonomy.
Field Marshal Nimeri himself later dishonored and scrapped the agreement in 1983 which led to the rebellion by South Sudanese army officers, prominent of whom was, our iconic leader Dr John Garang who departed too soon! (RIP).
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