What does President Museveni want to achieve with his political incitement?
“Meles Zinawi, Isaias Afwerki and myself, fought and shed blood in Sudan and compelled Bashir on the table to accept self-determination and independence for the people of South Sudan and now there is this claim that the Dinkas liberated South Sudan. Were we also Dinkas. What about 98.9 per cent voters in the referendum who endorsed your independence and those Americans and Europeans who supported you? Were they all Dinkas?” Museveni told a meeting of South Sudanese leaders (among them Rebecca Nyandeng Garang, Kosti Manibe, Oyay Deng Ajak, Majak D’Agot, etc.) at State House, Entebbe, Uganda, 9 April 2017.
By David Matiop Gai, Juba, South Sudan
April 11, 2017 (SSB) — In respond to a written post on Sudan tribune on April 9, 2017, that, “South Sudan’s secession was a collective effort” and according to President Museveni, he said, they pressurized Sudan government to accepted self-determination. He further said, “Were we also Dinkas.
What about 98.9 per cent voters in the referendum who endorsed your independence and those Americans and Europeans who supported you? Were they all Dinkas?” he asked. Were we also Dinkas? When you did what? If you were doing something on our behalf with America, and Europe, then why did struggle cost us expensively and so long?
I don’t think your pressurization made Bashir to accepted self-determination. This self-determination was a popular demand of South Sudanese people in 1947 before Anya-nya one, and SPLA/M formation in 1983, and they have struggled after it by all means to achieved the goal up to the end of it in 2005-2011. Four million lives have been paid for that self-determination, and we know them by names because what they are or they are sons of who in which parts of South Sudan, SPLA books and records contained all full details about them.
I am afraid; you don’t jump into a box you never know from the beginning, and your shoes are not fit for calling Dinka people as problems that claims liberation of south Sudan, and what do you know about it? When people were in frontlines around Juba and other areas, did you come and check who they were in those contention areas? That is the problem of Dinkas people who were suffering in bush for twenty two years; anybody who tries to deny hard sacrifices paid by blood and lives is the really an enemy who cannot be compromise at all.
John Garang said in Rumbek, “some people think CPA just come from the blue, or fallen on the tree; it is not, we are the one who brought it” so my dear you are the President and liberator in your country and if you don’t claim your liberation, may be nobody denying it from you, but if somebody raise against it like what is happening in South Sudan, you cannot keep quiet.
And what push me to respond to his statement is a misleading agenda in the region and around the globe that Dinka claims they were the one liberated South Sudan while threatening the other tribes, and that the current government is a Dinka government, but Mr. President Kaguta, you are the President of Uganda, is Uganda belong to your tribe because you are president or it is a country for Ugandan people? Why is somebody who has experiences in governance like you failed to analyse things in a reasonable manner?
I thought that any misleading propaganda in politics would be quickly realize by you because you overstaying in power and Uganda politics for so long and I thought you may not be deceive in South Sudan politics because you were also a close friend to Dr. John Garang in the region.
Well let me asking you more questions about your misleading perspectives, when Dr. John Garang was fighting Khartoum, you heard that south Sudanese defected from Dr. Garang camp, and joined Khartoum against Dr. John Garang, was there any country claim by Dinka that make South Sudanese to defect from Dr. Garang? Two, was there any mishandling of leadership affairs in those years when people grumbling over it under Garang’s leadership?
It is better to study South Sudanese behaviour in their political home affairs in order to correct and inject current political conflict once and for all. Again referendum and session were all after fighting for twenty two years, or are you out of that famous event in African longest civil war? Understand it very well from me now because I am not a supporter of the government or the rebel but I am South Sudanese citizen who is watching closely on those who are doing the right thing or wrong things to vulnerable citizens of South Sudan.
You know those who are claiming to be smart in our home politics outside South Sudan were all in system before; they were all ministers, vice president, generals, directors, name them. When they were removed from the government, they began pointing fingers on the same system they left. They are now trying to clean their dirt but they are already smelly; it will take time for them to be well again; they are trying to love their people, but they have killed them.
They are justifying their mistakes, but mistake had happened and devastated the public; they are trying to deceive public that they want to bring milk and honey, but they have ruin the country; it is better to have a devil you know than an angel you never know, because spirit of greediness is an evil of destruction.
Those who are preaching and tarnishing the image of Dinka for their political gain and interest have reached you this time. I am still asking you Mr. President that when Joseph Konyi of Lord Resistant Army, (LRA) rebelled against your government and many citizens were displaced in Northern Uganda, were you a problem or rebels?
Were you poor in leadership or were your tribe claims liberation of Uganda or you don’t have tribe? I simply understand that it was a rebellion but not you and somebody like Joseph Konyi tried to take power by force from you, and not because there was a bad leadership in question on the affairs of Uganda.
In South Sudan politics, I don’t have problem with somebody to be in power because I am an educated person, and I believe in every tribe of south Sudan, and I believe one hundred percent that president of South Sudan can come from any tribe provide that people agreed on democratic principles and democracy procedures of election, but my problem is what is going on in South Sudan and across the region where poor politics in the name of Dinka becomes the championship of tearing the nation apart with blind objectives that may not reach us up to a nation building.
I wrote many articles trying to tell the world that the way South Sudanese politicians are driving the country to outside there with false tactics and fake proposals will cause more harms and worse scenario ahead of us because I am a Dinka and I know the mind of Dinkas people. Dinkas are part of Nilotic, and Nilotic are worse when you provoked them or you want to put something into their mind by force, but they are very peaceful when you speak politely to them.
People are creating liars now and then that Dinkas are killing people while Dinkas are the one dying in big on the roads, and as I talk, rebels are still ambush vehicles for searching Dinkas. I am trying to tell International community that it is not about sending regional troops as a solution, because Dinkas don’t fear anybody, instead it will be worse, leave about the proposal of those who want to come and shelter under regional troops protection, and then play game of self-interest politics but mind of public and my writings are seen as against but they become true when things happen like in July 2016.
When Dr. Riek was about to come to Juba, I wrote a letter to presidency, and in that letter, I also advised JMEC to be wise enough and watch on two armies and advice Dr. Riek not to be led astray by verbal support he is getting inside and outside South Sudan. I told colleagues that Riek is now thinking he did not plan the war properly in 2013, and he may do it now since he gets prepared, and it happened, and if he comes to Juba again, fighting will take place.
Well I can’t deny your support because during the Sudan civil war, your country (Uganda) hosted many South Sudanese in Northern Uganda, and you have supported Dr. John Garang for your political interest; there is nothing for free; (Dinka says, “ Ke de ran dea aciin amok kou piat”), which means you cannot rely on somebody property. Therefore, you make alliance with South Sudanese because of LRA when Sudan government was in touched with LRA and promised to overthrow your government; that is all, what next?
SPLA/M help you a lots on the border from Nimule to Kitgum, and from eminent attacks and military activities of LRA on the border. I don’t have problem with President Kiir being remove from power or stay in power but I have problem with anybody who turns what I did for twenty two years (22) for granted or for joke, and making it today a problem. Why was it not a problem when I was fighting Arabs in the bush for a long time?
Museveni, we were more than eighty thousands (80,000 from one section of Dinka community among the more than 50 sections of Dinka people you have attack politically) as red army leaving our parents and lived in the bush until CPA was signed in 2005, and any South Sudanese who deny our contribution to liberation as Dinka, let them come and show us their sons among eighty thousands children, their children they have contributed to liberation because we have still videos.
I repeat, I have problem with anybody who want to threaten Dinka with nonsense, because there is no longer Arabs fighting in Junuub, and people are trying to create fake stories here and there by preaching Dinka as bad people outside there and want to silent them in the country; I have life storytelling of the bush, and if people don’t stop political conflict against Dinka, and make Dinka as a main of political break through, I will see how one may reach that top position with the Dinka as an enemy in South Sudan.
I respond to your post because I am a nationalist and I have a place of origin in South Sudan; and that is Dinka, and those who make Dinka as a rough road to politics are people who want South Sudan not to be prospered; imagine how do people think you eat what you never worked for? Dr. John Garang said, “Those who did not participated in liberation struggle should join hands and build the nation, because we did our parts”.
But those who did not participated in the war have created their new war of tribalism where Dinka is only enemy because Dinka president is in power. Is it really a reasonable mind! What if other South Sudanese who is not a Dinka come to power, will Dinka keep quiet or single out that tribe as an enemy? I am trying to educate you fool South Sudanese, but you have a daft ears, and blind hearts, and that is how this fake politics reach Uganda?
The author is a co-founder of South Sudan Mental Health care Organization, (SSMHCO). He holds Bachelor degree in Social Work and Social Administration from SSCUST, Bachelor of Theology from CLT, Bungoma, Kenya/Kalispell, USA, and a fellow researcher. He can be reach at david.matiopgai@gmail.com.
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