By Ajak Deng Ajak (Australia), Lual Maker Lual (Canada), and Alier Mach Deng (USA)
January 31, 2017 (SSB) — Perturbed by Facebook post attributable to Dr. Jok Madut, probably the propaganda and media wing of the rebels, the FDs and IOs, we vehemently reject his claim he fallaciously laid on Late General Mac Buot. The narcissistic Professor tried to posthumously associate Gen. Ruben Mac Buot with nepotism when he served his country as the Chief of Police in old Sudan. The don built his argument on innuendos and hearsays as indicated in his post you are yet to read in this paper. Because of his crumbling nature of his hypothesis, he could not pinpoint salient areas where the general skewed the recruitment of law enforcement officers in favour of Buor.
The exact post appears as Follows (Dec 1, 2016):
“I was only a young boy in 1980s but I was in Juba briefly in 1982, and I remember the talk of the town at that time was how the Jieng of Jonglei single handedly caused Kokora and brought about the re-division and weakening of South Sudan. Two things were particularly often discussed.
- Ruben Mach, the chief of police, packed the police with his “Buor” so much that the Equatorians got so sick of Jieng police brutality and bias in the enforcement of law and order so much that they wanted all the Jieng gone from Juba.
- Thongpiny, which is a Dinka word for “land is all the same,” a swampy area just south of the airport, was turned into a cattle camp by Bor Dinka claiming that since “land is land, we can settle here in this no-man’s land.” Well, this did not sit well with the Equatorians who saw this as invasion and land grab” By Jok Madut Jok.
As stated at the onset of this paper, the above quote is misleading and isn’t true. Gen. Ruben Mac Buot, popularly known as, Mac-lo-Biliny, literally translated as ‘the glowing inferno’, was the apotheosis of the police force. The novice General rose to fame as a result of his industry, valour and conscientiousness in undertaking his obligations and duties with integrity. Mac was a principled, decorated and rigorous police officer who strictly observed and followed policies, procedures and laws governing police recruitment.
Owing to his unmatched qualifications and credentials, he was compellingly appointed as Commissioner of Police for the Southern Region in 1972 by the Executive President of the Southern Region, after the implementation of the Addis Ababa Accord. His Hon. Abel Alier snubbed eminently eligible candidates for that plump post and bestowed on him the honour. He trusted and confided in his abilities, knowledge and professionalism to deliver services to the people.
During his tenure, admission into police academy was above board and no one had any influence over the recruitment process. The recruitment was solely based on meritocracy and nothing else. In this regard, four batches were accepted to the police college in Khartoum. The candidates duly qualified for admission into such institution were required to be holders of Sudan School Certificate and having sat for exams set by the Police College in Khartoum. The exams were not set by late Gen. Ruben Mac.
Likewise, acceptance to prestigious secondary schools, universities and other colleges all over Sudan was conditioned on merit and consequently, acceptance was not the same. Needless to say, those who were accepted to Rumbek, Juba Commercials and Malakal Secondary schools proportionally represented their communities, tribes and provinces. There was a disparity in intellectual agility and therefore, tribal or ethnicity representation had no place in such matters.
In the same token, the same argument could be advanced as to why some tribes are overwhelming preponderance to other tribes or ethnicities in The Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA). During the war of liberation, some tribes and communities were conscripted into the army. Most consciously went on their own volition with the over-arching goal of emancipating the whole of Sudan rather their own communities. They could not even think of spreading risks and due to that, some tribes and ethnicities had numerous martyrs, heroes/heroines than others.
This is because those who subscribed to go to Ethiopia did not go to gala nights for revelry but to fight the enemy. This hullabaloo and harping must cease. For some tribes to seek parity during merriment, whereas seeking disparity during the war is preposterous, unfair and flagrantly shameful. To set records straight, Thongpiny suburb was inhabited by diverse communities from all walks of life. Most residents were from Rumbek, Equatoria, Bor, and few Shilluk (Collo) and Anyuak. If accounts concocted by Professor Jok were true, all tribes and ethnicities would be implicated in a land grab.
Those four batches of recruits which were accepted into the college are as follows including the region one comes from: One could see from the list they were not solely drawn from Bor as the hopeless Doctor would want his followers to believe. What one sees from the list was what police was force was like too.
BATCH No. 35 (1974/1976).
- Major Gen. Musa al-Mek Kur (Shilluk) Upper Nile.
- Lt. General Malek Guot (Dinka) Bhar-EL- Ghazal.
- Major Gen. Piondit (Dinka) Bhar-El-Ghazal.
- Major Maguet Dhal (Deceased) Upper Nile.
- Capt. Kut Mark (Deceased) Upper Nile
- Lt. Gen. David Okwar (Reserved) (Anyuak).
BATCH No.37 (1975/1977).
- Lt. Gen. Dut Marial (Reserved) (Dinka) Bhar-El- Ghazal.
- Lt. Gen. Bol John Akot (Retired) Bhar-El- Ghazal.
- Capt. Kuol Gadet (Deceased) (Nuer) Upper Nile.
- Lt. Col. Jemson Stephen (Equatoria)
- Lawyer Lt. Gen. Riak Akon (Reserved) (Dinka) Upper Nile.
- Lt. Gen. Mabil Awar (Reserved) Upper Nile.
- Rt. Major Gen. Philip Magot Nyok Upper Nile.
- Major Gen. Khamis Mayen Dot (Deceased) Upper Nile.
BATCH No. 42 (1976/1978).
- Lt. Gen. Gordon Kur Micha (Reserved) (Dinka) Upper Nile.
- Rt. Major Gen. Ajang Reech Bior (Dinka) Upper Nile.
- Rt. Major Gen. Kuol Jok (Nuer) Upper Nile.
- 1st Lt. Gen. Acuil Tito Madut (Reserved) Bhar- El- Ghazal.
- 1st Lt. Gen. Makur Marol Adut (Inspector General of Police) Bhar-El- Ghazal.
- Lt. Gen. Majok Adol (Upper Nile).
- Col. Paul Reth (deceased) (Nuer).
BATCH No.44 (1977/1979).
- Major Peter Wal Athieu (Dinka) Upper Nile.
- Lt. Abuoi Nyok (Martyred) (Dinka) Upper Nile.
- Major Gen. Martin Wani (Equatoria).
- Capt. Paul Belfrado (Equatoria).
Let it be known that Gen. Ruben Mach was retired in 1978 and reappointed in 1980. Any recruitment that was conducted thereafter was none of his concern. This is an evidentiary presentation and pure facts about the man who sacrificed for his country. Someone with ordered reasoning would never have apportioned blame on a venerated general who died in 2004. President Bashir mourned him and attended his funeral in Khartoum. In addition, he was not at the helm of the country nor is he responsible for the current pandemonium that the country is grappling with. We do not know what provoked Professor Jok Madut to parrot back the information without evaluating it. To posthumously blame Gen. Ruben Mac is tantamount to the highest decrepitude.
The post feigned ignorance of the monumental contributions Gen. Ruben Mach undertook. One of his major achievements was that Gen. Ruben Mac Buot steered the vast majority of men in joining police academies and ultimately the police force. It’s amongst these men whom the great leader, Dr. Garang Mabior, was able to recruit dedicated and valiant commanders and civil authorities to wage the war of struggle against the oppressive and repressive regimes in Khartoum. Some who made it through the struggle with wounds or unscathed went on to adorn the face of army and police force in The Republic of South Sudan.
Hon. Abel Alier Kuai accomplished a lot because he had surrounded himself with people like Mach Buot whose fecundity was not in doubt. Consequently, his leadership was highly respected and admired. Arguably succeeding leaders measure and are measured by the standards that were set by Abel Alier administration. He was a sanctimonious leader. Due to the desired qualities of these two great families, this public relationship was graduated into a nuptial relationship whereby Dr. Agol Malaak Kuai, Abel’s nephew, and Akon Mac Buot, the daughter to Gen. Ruben Mach Buot, tied a knot later. This underscores how Gen. Mac was viewed favourably in all spheres of life.
It was incomplete to define the legacy of Hon. Abel Alier without mentioning the rare pedigree of the police force, Gen. Mach Buot. Those preceding generations broke into songs as they touted Abel’s solid accomplishments, interceded for his longevity and senility; which we are all witness to. It was not long ago when the consummate politician Taban Deng Gai paid him a courtesy call at a seemingly ramshackle residence in order to seek his advice and counsels on political manifestations in the country. From the visit, we were brought a rare glimpse of the great and sagacious man who had been at the periphery during the movement and after the independence. Perhaps, because of his simplicity and probity to seek for media attention.
From First Vice-President visit, Jonglei people led by their Governor, Philip Aguer and other Bor leaders hastily arranged for his maiden visit, perhaps. He gave hope and exuberance to discouraged citizens of Jonglei. Although no prominent politicians thank Taban but we must give credit for bringing Abel Alier from political hibernation, in addition, to his shrewdness and willingness to dispense with rebels and work for genuine peace.
Dr. Jok’s post fuels baseless resentment especially against Buor and perpetuates the notion that Dinka has used their power to deprive other tribes of their ancestral lands. This is dangerously inimical to the safety and security of the Thongpiny inhabitants and Dinka at large. The post is a blatant insult to the plight of the victims and individuals who lost their loved ones on Juba-Yei road and other roads due to their mere tribal affiliation to the presidency.
This irresponsible post is clearly akin to schadenfreude in the woes of Bor and the entire Dinka. It’s such a misleading post that some frustrated criminals and other foreign countries would pick up, draw on, pervert and rationalize as a just cause for lurking and gruesomely murdering passengers on highways and roads. It also undermines and impedes the ability of the national and state governments to run their jurisdictions and undertake their principal functions.
Professor Jok is idiosyncratic to conspiracy theories and vilification campaign. The savant has continually disparaged Jieng Council of Elders and their tremendous contributions in supporting and realizing peace in South Sudan. The scholar has exposed these preeminent individuals to hatred, contempt and ridicule, a sheer exhibitionistic display of his flat-out ignorance of the work of such institutions, wherever they exist.
The credulity could be troubling given such information is emanating from a well-respected don whom the Western media and U.S. Congress have entrusted to understand political dynamics in South Sudan. Due to his access to the media and the perceived credibility by the Western governments, he has egregiously abused this privilege, disseminated disinformation, whose precise origin has been from the rebels and the generals who deliberately failed to assert their authority during the coup. It’s ironical and baffling that the professor would become enmeshed in conspiracy theories, instead of getting involved in research and issuing his treatise on such issues of public discourse.
In sharp contrast to the professor whose career came to an ignominious end, after being beaten by villagers in Wau, because of his tendency and reputation for poor services delivery, arrogance and mendacity. Dr. Jok suffered now from internal injuries inflicted in him by his people. Unlike Gen. Ruben Mac Buot, the unique police boss, ended his career with honour and formidable zest. He was loved by all South Sudanese and no one had ever dared to lay his hand on him. Police keeping was a vocation for the deceased and at no time did he act with impropriety.
Instead of being pilloried, Gen. Ruben Mac should be applauded and set as a barometer to gauge the success of succeeding police forces including the current one in South Sudan. Dr. Jok Madut must cease using sophistry and rhetoric as a means of cavorting for media and self-aggrandizement. Therefore, his nepotism charge against Ruben Mac is patently false and absurd. R.I.P Gen. Ruben Mac Buot.
The authors are:
- Ajak Deng Ajak, butrusajak@gmail.com
- Lual Maker Lual, lualmaker2002@yahoo.com
- Alier Mach Deng, aliergabriel@yahoo.com
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