The implications of the confinement of Dr. Riek Machar on the South Sudan’s crisis
By John Sunday Martin, Yei, South Sudan
October 26, 2017 (SSB) — The violation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflicts in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS) is a real crisis that the region is part to, because the agreement is not only violated by the SPLM-IG but the region itself – who are desperately now, trying to resolve it through application of means that is biased, and unhelpful to the people of South Sudan, the very victims of the crisis.
The region knows the facts that, the battle that started in J1, from 8th July 2016 was well coordinated, and ordered by both President Salva Kiir and his army chief, Paul Malong Awan, yet the world sidelined with untruth, and injustices because of their corrupted political interests, and their deep hatred toward the person of Dr. Riek Machar.
The corruption of those regional leaders resulted in their collaboration with President Salva Kiir and Taban Deng Gai against the interested of the south Sudanese for peace, justices and democracy. In this regards, the July 2016 coup staged against the person of Dr. Riek Machar is contrived of Salva Kiir and Taban Deng Gai in collaboration with some corrupted regional leaders against the leadership of Dr. Riek Machar.
And this is seconded by the decision of the regional leaders to sideline with the very evil regime of the SPLM-IG under Salva Kiir, and to confine Dr. Riek Machar in the Republic of South Africa.
The July 2016 crisis is indeed a regional coup against the South Sudan democratization system and this act of the Regional leaders undermined the South Sudan’s sovereignty – as the regional leaders indirectly attempted to impose a leader of their choice – that is Taban Deng Gai on the people – by trying all they can to force the nation to fully implement the agreement under his leadership while confining the leader of our choice in South Africa.
This act of the region if not resisted, then our national sovereignty and democracy, can be lost to the region and in this regards, our struggle for the past decades for our freedom as south Sudanese was for nothing.
Therefore, the sideline of the regional leaders with untruth and injustices in South Sudan, became another crisis for the nation because the confinement of Dr. Riek Machar as while imposition of Taban Deng Gai on the revolutionary forces, makes any peaceful resettlement of the political conflicts in the country far from reality special amongst the SPLM/A – IO political and military cadres.
Today if there is no peace in South Sudan, it is because the region is imposing unwanted leadership on us, and this act of imposition of unwanted leaders likes of Taban Deng Gai becoming the strength of the SPLM-IO special in Equatoria, and this has help the Equatorians through their tribal communities to be strong and united special in mobilization of the resources as well development of strong military and political leadership amongst the Equatorians to resist the regime in Juba, even without any single provisions from the SPLM/A – IO National leadership, or Dr. Riek Machar.
The supports of the regional leaders to the coup staged against Dr. Riek Machar by the President Salva Kiir and Taban Deng Gai through confinement of Dr. Riek Machar, as well imposing of Taban Deng Gai in leadership of the SPLM/A – IO, is the most impossible project ever by President Salva Kiir and his International Partners (Region) that every democratic oriented, and patriot will resist.
We are resisting this act of the regime and the region today because it is an act of ignorance of the most horrific atrocities and war crimes committed by the regime, and demeaning of not only South Sudan’s democracy but national sovereignty – that most SPLM/A – IO cadres has willingly committed themselves to fight against even as Dr. Riek Machar is in confinement.
For us as rebel commanders of the SPLM/A – IO, the fight is not about bringing Dr. Riek Machar back, or supporting his leadership, but to defend the causes of our national constitution and flag that defines south Sudan’s sovereignty – the sovereignty that is now under threats no longer only from the regime of Salva Kiir, but the region at large.
In this regard, if the region real want peace, the first step is the release of Dr. Riek Machar from confinement, and then open space for new political settlement and if they (region) want bring Taban Deng Gai for their own interests in the leadership, it must seek other ways but not through, and use of the name of the SPLM-IO and ARCSS.
The author is senior army officer with the SPLM-IO in the Equatorias and can be reached via his email: john.sunday99@gmail.com
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