President Kiir’s diplomatic failures that led to the prolongation of the civil war
7 min readWhat President Kiir ought to have done for negligence is not a defense in as far as law of tort or civil wrong is concerned
By Ayuel Madut Chan, Nairobi, Kenya
August 30, 2016 (SSB) — To our viewers and readers of this website, I would like to squarely outline some failures on government side to employ internal diplomacy that now led to prolongation of protracted war created by the rogue Dr. Riek Machar Teny. Our government fails to play its internal cards very well and this prolongs the war that was supposed to end as early as April 2014 when Dr. Machar and pocket of his troops were completely dislodged and only scattered goons left with bush war of hit and run.
I know some individuals will take this as critic against government but be advised that there is no better option in my mind than Kiir in as far as current pockets of his critics are concerned. I therefore feel to outline these negligent failures for our good as a whole including the opposition in the bush.
What is negligence? It is a failure to do/exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in like circumstances, or it is having failed to do what is expected of the reasonable person to avoid a foreseeable harm to others. President Kiir and his government ought to have embarked on internal diplomacy in dealing with Dr. Nyigat Riek Machar Teny in order to have avoided the current status our country is in. This is what late Dr. Garang de Mabior applied when dealing with him in the past.
The internal diplomacy I am talking about is wide in meaning and I will give many examples to explain its meaning. Internal campaign against Dr. Machar is what is needed and not guns only in dealing with him. Here are some examples that our very humble President and his government should have employed:
First, if I counted external and internal trips of President Kiir and his government in their campaigns against Dr. Riek Machar regionally and internationally, many of you may I agree with me that President Kiir has made many trips abroad than expected internal trips to war affected regions to boost the morale of his troops and that of his loyalists as well as winning the hearts of his oppositions. President Kiir and His government are supposed to have visited war affected areas especially Machar’s backyard to do internal campaigns in dealing with Dr. Machar than all foreign trips that turn out 99% negative.
Our former President Omar Hassan el Beshir remains in power though out our movement against him and up to date not because that he wins war physically but he believes in internal diplomacy to convince public from joining the enemies against him. President Beshir flies to the enemies’ zones comes rain comes shine especially when his troops are on high spirit.
President Kiir of South Sudan has never made even a single trip to Upper Nile region or any other war affected zones since the war began. Leave about touring even peaceful regions like his backyard and parts of Equatoria. Does he believe in guns to win war against Machar or is he afraid of his dear life, is something I am yet to figure out. Despite his troops winning war and securing very important towns in the war affected region, he never attempt to step foot in those captured towns from rebels to give his army high morale and to address the citizens that this war is not tribal war and urge those citizens to support his government and not Machar.
President Beshir though I hate him, he never failed to visit any town capture by his troops from enemy including the last fight when his troops dislodged SPLA in Torit in 2002. Why did Beshir do that? This is to give his soldiers morale and support as well as addressing the citizenry of the areas secured by his troops not to support the enemy against state.
Mr. President why do you fail us just because of what is so called negligence? Where you not expected to have visited Bentiu, the very home town of your foe? Where you not supposed to have been seen in Malakal and Nasir addressing your troops and citizens? Where you not supposed to make some trips to Raja, Baggari, Tumbura as well as Yambio to do the same thing that was expected of you? This is what I called internal diplomacy Mr. President that you ought to have done but your negligence cause us many lives and long war that was supposed to end early.
Second, you have a great support in the backyard of Dr. Riek Machar like Major General Puljang, the current Bentiu division commander, 1st Lieutenant General Bapiny Monytuil, the deputy chief of General staff, Governor Monytuil of Northern Liech state, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, former foreign minister, able young Gordon Buoy currently in USA, Bol Kong, the current governor in one four created states of former Upper Nile state, Simon Kun Puoch, the former Upper Nile state Governor, Koang Nyuon, the former Jonglei governor, among many others and not to forget outspoken SPLA current spokesman Lieutenant Col Lul Ruai Koang.
This long list of Nuer Generals and able loyal citizens to your government and South Sudan, but why do you fail to utilize them to win your internal campaign against Machar? Where you not supposed to visit all Nuer territories with these loyalists to dislodge Machar politically? It is sad that some of them still feel insecure when war broke out recently in Juba.
They are your top security in the political backyard of the enemy of South Sudan, Dr. Machar. Give them your protection fully and use them to sell you and to correct your damaged status and that of your government in the Nuer territories if you want to win war against Machar. Stop unnecessary foreign trips like your recent visit to Uganda but embark on visiting Upper Nile region as well some affected and pocketed areas of your backyard like Raja and Baggari and Equatoria as a whole so that your voice be heard by your troops and citizens live before.
Third, in Equatoria, you have long lists of loyalists like uncle and His Excellency Vice President James Wani Igga who never failed you and South Sudan, Wani Konga, the former central Equatoria governor, Luois Lobong Lojore of Namurnyang state, Aggrey Tisa, Anne Itto, Lino Anthony Makana, the current Speaker of National Legislative Assembly, among many others.
Try to reason with these loyalists by organizing internal trips to all towns of Equatoria, then will not fail to win internal campaign against Machar. I really fail to understand you and your government sometimes when simple logic fail to play itself in the expected vulnerable situations that need such internal campaigns. Take internal campaign against your opposition as serious matter if you want to win war against your opponents and forget external campaigns that you and your government are wasting public resources that do not even materialized in winning war for you but just breed foreign intervention against the state sovereignty.
With this few examples among other examples I need our government under able leadership to do more internal campaigns beyond J1 and your SSTV or SSBC for majority of subjects do not read or write to understand J1 limited campaigns. My next article will dwell on what you ought to do to regain the lost international campaign.
You can reach the author via his email: Ayuel Madut <ayuelm7@gmail.com>
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