The vulcanization of ethnic politics in South Sudan

By Joseph Oduha, Nairobi, Kenya

Sunday, July 18, 2020 (PW) — South Sudan has been devastated by perilous conflicts in different times. Before attaining independence in 2011, it was experienced what historians and scholars described as “the longest civil war in Africa continent” that has claimed 2.5 million lives from both the two Sudans (South and North) at the time. 

After attaining independence, the boasting liberators of the young nation bed South Sudan on yet another destructive war. 

The whole nation and the international community including the friends who have helped South Sudan to attain her independence were all shocked. The lead question everyone was/ is asking is: what went wrong exactly after South Sudanese citizens were blessed with victorious independence?  

To provide the right answer to the question, I thought we must traced back to the SPLA/M history even before talking about the 2013 unfortunate crisis. 

In 1991, Dr Riek Machar and Dr Lam Akol plotted a coup to overthrow the late Dr John Garang whom they accused of dictatorship. The duo formed a splinter faction known as “SPLA-Nasir.” 

“Originally created as an attempt by the Nuer tribe to replace SPLA leader John Garang in August 1991, it gradually became coopted by the government in Sudan. The breakaway of Riek Machar from SPLM/A resulted in Nuer ethnic group massacring the Garang’s ethnic Dinka in the Bor massacre in 1991,” according to Wikipedia. 

So, from that time to date, there is no doubt that the replacement of national politics by ethnic politics right after the attainment ofindependence was the cause of all this mess we are facing now as a nation. 

What happened 2013 and 2016 respectively remind us South Sudanese of what had happened during the SPLA/M revolution. That is not to say it is Dr Riek Machar alone who perpetuated it but rather even the Dinka where President Salva Kiir is hailed from share equal blame for perpetuating ethnic politics in South Sudan and even other ethnic groups are no exception. 

Both Kiir and Machar have ethnic militia groups whom they depend on to advance their political interests in their battle for oil wealth. 

The duo have both ethnic councils of elders that have misled them all along and permanently torn the relationship and trust between the two leaders up-to-date even after they have been brought together again by a peace pact they have signed in September 2018. 

Some of the dangers brought about by the proliferation of ethnic politics in South Sudan include: massive corruption, maiming and killing, arbitrary arrest based on ethnicity, division in the army, hatred and disunity among communities, mass displacement, fear, ethnic cleansing, emerging of new rebel movements like the one led by General Thomas Cirillo Swakaand Paul Malong and several others, breakdown of the rule of law and absence of justice and many other vices.

All these are committed on ethnic basis and by all sides.

The unending conflict between Dinka Bor and Luo Nuer against Murle for instance, is one scenario where both sides believe in exterminations of each other with some politicians from both sides proclaiming that the conflict is historical and very common among these pastoralist communities. 

To my analysis, these politicians must be responsible for arming these communities to kill themselves as and this act is motivated by ethnic politics. How I wish the recent committee declared by President Kiir to investigate Jonglei conflict should identify these politicians and make a clear recommendation for their subsequent arrest and investigation. 

All other sporadic communal violence currently in South Sudan are fueled by the ethnicization of politics as leaders from different communities’ battle for the national cake. 

All these conflicts since 2013 to present have created one of the largest humanitarian crisis in the continent and even the world, according to aid agencies. 

It is worth noting that, South Sudan populations currently become dependent on humanitarian aid for survival including even the government. 

The humanitarian community recently decried the shortfall in funding to meet the basic needs of South Sudan people both at home and outside home. 

In fact, the ethnic politics in South Sudan will continue to exacerbate the challenges especially embarking on post-reconstruction, nation-building, national cohesion, love and harmonious co-existence among South Sudanese people.  

Therefore, it’s the responsibility of South Sudan leaders to put their heads together and start forgiving themselves then after engage all communities in South Sudan to follow suit otherwise South Sudan risk Syria situation. 

This is the last opportunity for the liberators now turned traitors,to work for permanent peace and total stability.

The vulcanization of ethnic politics in South Sudan has hijacked our happiness for our independence and it is incumbent upon South Sudan leaders to burry their egos and allow the country and the people to breath in peace. 

The author Mr. Joseph Oduha is a South Sudanese journalist. He can be reach by abunabet@gmail.com

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