An Open Letter to Gen. Rin Tueny and Gen. Bol Akot: Learn from Previous Failed Attempts of Disarmament in South Sudan

When Disarmament Mission turned into a Community Police or Community Court, it is an automatic failure of it mission

By Madit Achuil Deng, Juba, South Sudan

Monday, July 20, 2020 (PW) — General Rin Tueny Mabor and General Bol Akot Bol are well known generals in South Sudan history. Few weeks ago, the president of the Republic gave them a mission to Bahr El Ghazal region. A mission to disarm the civil population that has suffered the unrest of communal conflicts since the beginning of South Sudan independence. Bahr El Ghazal civilians never enjoyed the independence of this nation.

The nation that has robbed them more than a million of their sons and daughters in hope of freedom. Unfortunately, this is not the first time this disarmament mission has been tried out in the region, but the end results are not always surprising. The civilians would later end up with more guns in their hands rather than being taken away from them. This trend is unlikely to break it chain, specially the way this mission has started again.

If I could have had a chance to give advices to Gen. Rin Tueny and Gen. Bol Akot, I would have asked them to first look at the trends for the previous attempts and answer this simple questions:

1. What was not done right?

2. What were the reasons behind leading to left?

3. What can they do to make it right?

4. What are the rights of the civilians?

5. What are the rights of the enforcing soldiers?

6. What are the do’s and do not do’s of the solders?

After assessing these simple questions, then they can come up with their guidelines and principles of carrying out the mission. Principles that can hold all civilians accountable. Principles that can hold soldiers accountable. Principles that can hold enforcing generals accountable. Principles that can hold Rin Tueny and Bol Akot accountable. Then they focus their mission only on disarmament mechanism.

It was just the mid of 2019 when Gen. Thomas Makuei Mawien was given the mission of disarming Tonj East communities. Makuei’s mission was applause and welcomed by every community in Tonj East. As he was stationed in Akok community, then defunct Ngapagok County, he would carried out his mission to every other part of Tonj East. The mission was going on well as the parents want the normalcy and free moment among the communities. The present of the guns in the hands of their children robbed them generations.

Then on November 28th 2019, Gen. Makuei’s mission took a different path. A path that has then caused the lives of soldiers and civilians.  It was that morning when defunct Tonj State governor, Gen. Mathiang Magordit gave Makuei Mawien a mission to Yelbok, a small cattle camp within Akok community. A mission that requested 300 herds of cows to be allocated and released from one member of Gok State who was residing in Yelbok cattle camp.

And remember Gen. Makuei’s mission was disarmament. It turned out the reason behind the Yelbok mission was that one of Luacjang citizen was murdered in Gok State by a community member of the person who resided in this particular cattle camp (Yelbok). Note! This person was just a mere community member. He was not a next of kin to the murderer or whatsoever.

Secondly, we know according to Wanhalel laws, this case is for the community police and community elders not for a national army. According to Wanhalel laws and Muonyjang culture, a compensation of the life lost in the hand of other person is not more than 31 cows.  Because the civilians know their basic rights, they had an open discussion with the enforcing soldiers.

The civilians voluntarily agreed to collect 31 cows according to the law and that their elders/goal leaders would go to soldiers’ base for more investigation. In vein, these soldiers had no ideas about the laws involved in this kind of case and they insisted 300 cows have to be released. Entire Yelbok camp was not having 300 cows just leave alone the one person who does not even have 30 cows by then.

Soldiers then triggered unfortunate path which then later lead to the incidence that caused the lives of both soldiers and civilians. No one would ever wish any soldier to lost his/her life in the hand of civilian or vice versa. As a follow up, Akok community demanded a thorough investigation for this incidence immediately. Unfortunately, both Gen. Makuei Mawien and Governor Mathiang Magordit down played the investigation. Nobody knows what was the reason behind. Why they down played its investigation.

All that came up was the compensation of the soldiers who lost their lives. Community then did not have options but to give in to the authority demands instead. Gen. Makuei’s mission then later ended unfinish and Tonj East communities ended up acquiring more guns than they use to have.

Today, the Yelbok incidence in Tonj East which was turned down when the community longed for its investigation becomes the mission of Gen Rin Tueny and Gen. Bol Akot rather than Bahr El Ghazal disarmament mission. Currently, Akok communty’s chiefs and elders are being arrested and tortured without proper reasons.

Community youth leaders are being tortured and being forced to name any person that potentially could be labelled as a criminal. When the person say any names for the sake of saving his life, those names are jotted down as the criminals of Yelbok incidence and arrest warrants are issued against them. Nobody know what will be the  the fate of this particular community in light of this brutal mistreatment. 

As a concerned citizen of this community, I condemn the torturing of the community. I am extending my request to both Generals, Rin Tueny and Bol Akot. If this mission was to go for Yelbok incidence, then Akok community is ready for the incidence investigation and this must involve former defunct Tonj State governor, Mathiang Magordit and Gen. Makuei Mawien.

If this mission was to be the court of the communal conflicts within Tonj East, then you will need to judge all the communities based on atrocities which they have committed not just one community. You will need to ask Akok community how they get involved into any conflicts with the neighboring communities as you did to others.

And if this mission was for Bahr El Ghazal region disarmament , then you need to intervene and investigate what solders are doing within this vulnerable community and show them their  roles and missions. Otherwise, the president of the Republic will be appointing other Generals for this same mission of disarmament next year.

The author is a concerned South Sudanese citizen who can be reached via his cell: 5878787699 or e-mail: maditdeng4@gmail.com

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