The Accelerated Return of the Former Detainees to the SPLM Sanctuary
By Malith Alier, WA, Australia
Monday, 4 February, 2019 (PW) —- We saw it coming that the reneged reunification of the fractious SPLM may some day be concluded. The SPLM in government, and after combing Arusha, Pretoria, Cairo, Kampala and Addis Ababa for inter-party peace, was waiting for the other factions to make the first moves. This is 2019 and it’s about to happen amidst implementation of the 2018 Peace agreement.
From 2014 and immediately after the outbreak of war, the SPLM embarked on that elusive inter-party understanding – signed Arusha Declaration. It has since taken four years for it to happen perhaps in piecemeal. Many South Sudanese are however, questioning why Former Detainees also known as SPLM Leaders waited that long. Two agreements have been signed and full implementation is still a pipe dream. It is the question of timing rather than the motive.
The FDs actions may ruin the peace agreement altogether if allowed to fall through. By all intents and purposes, it seems, they are determined to achieve the reunification in the absence of their leader, Mr. Pagan Amum who belated rejected the Revitalised ARCSS. The hurried actions of the FDs reminded us of the “Lonesome George” on Galapagos Islands who needed to be evacuated from one isle to another in order to be safe.
The FDs are a group of insecure people who cannot survive on their own. This is a fact no one should dispute. It’s therefore, wise on their part to hastily return to the camp they despised and abandoned years ago. Deng Alor, the new head of FDs who was appointed a Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2016 decided to stay away from Juba, citing personal security threats from government.
Let’s look at the SPLM Leaders as they identified themselves after the 2013 coup de’tat or whatever it may be called. Pagan Amum, Deng Alor, Koste Manibe, John Luke, Ezekiel Lol, Oyay Deng, and Majak Da’Agot constituted the original members. Pagan Amum was the SPLM Secretary General, Deng Alor, Kosti Manibe and Oyay Deng where ministers in the July 2013 dissolved government. Majak Da’Agot was a deputy minister in the same government. while Ezekiel Lol was an ambassador to Washington.
After a brief trial and acquittal on treason charges, the FDs were evacuated to Kenya on the Kenya’s president’s request. Once in Kenya, Ezekiel left the FDs for armed SPLM IO and the remaining members formed a bloc based on their prison ordeal – Former Detainees!
On another note, John Luke and Kosti Manibe were the only SPLM candidates trounced by independents during 2010 elections. They were being kept in Juba by the SPLM for SPLM’s sake.
Oyay Deng and Majak Da’Agot were former fighters of the rebel SPLA. The never held elected office.
Deng Alor and Kosti Manibe were implicated in corruption and put under investigation by the government.
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