An Open Letter to Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit President of the Republic of South Sudan
By Lucy Ayak Malek, Nairobi, Kenya
April 8, 2018 (SSB) —- Million greetings to you and your cabinet. Dear Mr. President, I am writing to you to express in part; our gratitude for the release of my husband or our family father, General Paul Malong Awan. He had attended to his doctors, he is now doing fine health-wise and is happy with his family. For this, we are thankful to Dr. Francis Mading Deng and the late Gen. Andrew Makur Thou among many others.
In another development, I am expressing my concerns as a concerned citizen on the events occurring after his release. Mr. President, I can’t always remind you on how cordial the relations between the two families had been and on a personal note, I am indebted and grateful to the First Lady Ayen Mayardit for her unswayed audacity in keeping friends and family abreast.
Dear Mr. President, the family of General Paul Malong, his friends, colleagues, associates and specific communities such as that of Aweil are suffering following the recent folding of events especially when you were fixed against General Malong by Gen. Akol Koor of the National Security.
It is my concern that much harm has been and is being inflicted on innocent people of South Sudan in the guise of being friends of Malong but in essence, it is a fight against personal enemies with the use of the state apparatus such as the National Security.
Mr. President, declaring General Paul Malong and cohorts as rebels is pathetic. That character isn’t referenced anywhere in the world. A rebel is supposed to declare his or her rebellion but not the contrary. From time to time, General Malong and cohorts have been declared rebels yet they have no such thoughts. What is the notion here? Is the government soliciting for more rebellions? Are those in the bush not a handful?
Mr. President, when will peace be allowed to take shape? Aren’t you acknowledging the fact that South Sudanese are suffering more than before independence? If you want peace, why allow people within your circles to manipulate you for their personal gains other than the common good?
Mr. President, General Akol Koor had directed elements from the National Security to murder people perceived to be related to Malong by blood or mere friendship, the list of fallen victims is long including late Akech Mawel, Bol Deng and three brothers.
Multitudes of perceived supporters of General Paul Malong are languishing in detention cells suffering from inhumane treatment by forces under commands of Akol Koor and those he is manipulating. The so-called unknown gunmen are actually forces loyal to Akol Koor that he had sanctioned to kill people he doesn’t personally like including innocent journalists.
These actions have turned Malong into a scarecrow. Mentioning his name in the country equals the death sentence. Why are all these people being killed? Why are innocent people being detained? I think such plans are sufficient evidence that certain sections are to be exterminated.
For your information, my husband had never planned to remove you from power, instead, he suffered hardships including international sanctions just because he was protecting your leadership. It is unfortunate that you are rewarding him with more hostilities through people that can’t face him one-on-one unless by hiding behind you.
Having seen you rewarding him with hostility and all sorts of intimidation, he decided to lead a private life only to see you directing your National Security Director General to continuously deprived him of peace of mind including liberties and more so, with continuous hurting specifically by killing his relatives, friends and associates.
Without hiding the truth, your recent directives to displace remnants of our family from private family residences is too low for a leader of your caliber. Why are you sending Gen. Paul Malong’s family on the streets. What benefit does that bring to the failing South Sudan?
You should tell General Akol Koor to stop maiming our family. We are South Sudanese and so we deserve freedom including the freedom to own property. That is what the Bill of Rights desires. The bill further extends a number of liberties and so Akol Koor should abide by that.
Confiscating our family assets, arresting former guards of General Paul Malong and killing of his relatives are contributory in the regression of security and they can too contribute to human rights abuses that are being championed by General Akol Koor and so they are pushing peace even further away when it is the prerequisite requirement at this particular time when almost all bolts have loosened.
Mr. President, South Sudanese deserve better than being maimed by their own government. Stop your officers from doing petty things, instead, they should concentrate on grand goals that would yield peace. Peace is necessary, it is the benchmark for good leadership and you should acknowledge that.
Mr. President, after sending your seasoned comrades packing, you are also going to follow. That is the notion. You can’t suffice in the circle of Akol Koor and cohorts, they are the exact planners of your exit and so had to opt initially by removing your seasoned friends, colleagues and associates and then boot you off. That is an open secret and is too for free.
However, and despite that, please work for peace. Stop harbouring hostilities and do not push people against the wall. Truthfully, South Sudanese that you are trying to intimidate aren’t short of courage, they may respond and consequences would be grave.
Never provoke General Paul Malong or any other leader; it is risky. They may act and even forge to act like a madman once reminded of what wasn’t actually in his plans, that he would burn the house which he eventually did subsequent to the reminder.
It is my humble wish that you stop displacing our family and advise Akol Koor not to fight his real or perceived enemies using the status apparatus and let us all work for peace. Admit with honesty that General Malong and family are South Sudanese that should be protected and not maimed.
Yours faithfully,
The author, Lucy Ayak Malek, has a Bachelor Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from Cavendish University Uganda and currently pursuing Masters in Leadership and governance in Nairobi University. She previously worked for the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) Aweil East State as a coordinator. She can be reached via her email: ayakmalek@gmail.com
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