The Historical Revolutionary Relationship Between the Red Army (Jesh-Amer) and the SPLM/SPLA
Red Army Foundation – SPLM Historical Revolutionary Relationship
By Deng Bol Aruai Bol, Juba, South Sudan
Tuesday, August 17, 2021 (PW) — The relationship between the SPLM and the Red Army is historical and revolutionary through the Red Army Foundation not merely political through the SPLM Red Army League. The political aspect is only a small aspect of the broader and historical relationship between the SPLM and the Red Army.
The SPLM Red Army League was created by the Red Army Foundation because of the historical relationship between the Red Army and the SPLM to create a platform for the Red Army Foundation to actively participate within the party. This was done for the SPLM Red Army League in response to the demands of our members, because the Red Army doesn’t have any historical relationship with any other party.
So, it’s very clear that even the genesis of the SPLM Red Army League was an initiative of the Red Army Foundation in response to demands from its membership and because of the historical relationship with the SPLM, that’s why we call it our mother party. And one wonders why was this not considered a personal decision and not objected to by the same people who are now talking about the relevance of the SPLM Red Army League today, without understanding the full context.
However, it’s important to note that the establishment of the SPLM Red Army League was just a small part of the bigger picture and the greater relationship between the Red Army and the SPLM. The Relationship between the Red Army and the SPLM is much much bigger, broader, deeper and historical than just the SPLM Red Army League.
The Relationship between the Red Army and the SPLM encompasses the preservation of the historical patriotic legacy of the SPLM/A Liberation Struggle where the Red Army actively participated and effectively contributed to the success of the struggle even at the most difficult times, when the movement had almost collapsed, and the Red Army made numerous gallant patriotic sacrifices, including the death of Red Army martyrs for the sake of freedom for the people of South Sudan.
This patriotic legacy shared between the Red Army and the SPLM has today come under attack of being undermined and completely disregarded, which is extremely dangerous and completely unacceptable, and this is one of the main reasons why the Red Army Foundation was established, for a cause that has to be reinforced and consolidated through and together with the SPLM. And this important noble historical revolutionary cause of the Red Army and the SPLM is much bigger and much greater than politics and the SPLM Red Army League, that has to be pursued directly by the Red Army Foundation with the SPLM.
The Red Army, having emerged from the background of the SPLM/A Liberation Struggle are considered veterans of the SPLM/A Liberation struggles and have concerns that can only be understood by the SPLM, with whom they share this historical revolutionary legacy, and this is a much greater cause than the SPLM Red Army League, that has to be pursued with the SPLM by the Red Army Foundation, for all Red Army, regardless of their current political affiliation, as their historical revolutionary consideration can only be appropriated through the SPLM and the SPLM Led government.
The Red Army Foundation, as a result of the historical patriotic legacy and relationship with the SPLM, right from the SPLM Liberation Struggle, equally advocates for consideration of all other categories emerging from the context of the liberation struggle including the families of the Martyrs, War Veterans, War Orphans, War Widows and War Disabled, who also have grievances and are equally looking at the Red Army Foundation to advocate for their due consideration and wellbeing, since the Red Army clearly understand and identifies with their situation, so that they can also live a life of dignity in their own country, having made and suffered direct sacrifices for the sake of the liberation and freedom of our people, a noble cause which the Red Army Foundation has to pursue directly with the SPLM and the SPLM Led Government, beyond the SPLM Red Army League.
Even the grievances of the Red Army in the Organized forces and other comrades can only be addressed from the perspective of the historical relationship between the Red Army and the SPLM, being an SPLM Led Government, far beyond the SPLM Red Army Leage, as this is not a political engagement, but historical revolutionary engagement with the SPLM, in the best interest of the nation.
The forgoing is just a simple illustration of the greater historical relationship between the Red Army Foundation and the SPLM, pertaining to issues far above the SPLM Red Army League and politics, that can only be pursued between the Red Army Foundation and the SPLM, and it’s very important for all members to understand this context regardless of their current political affiliations.
Yours patriotically and in the spirit of comradeship,
The Author, Deng Bol Aruai Bol (Deng-Koor) is the Chairman of the Red Army Foundation, a National Patriotic Veterans Organization based in Juba, South Sudan.
17th August, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: THE ENEMIES OF THE RED ARMY REVEALED
The Red Army Foundation Condemns the latest attempt by elements in the SPLM Secretariat to further divide and completely destroy the SPLM/A Red Army. We regret to inform the Red Army and the people of South Sudan that today, 17th August 2021, the Secretariat for Political Affairs and Mobilization mobilized some disgruntle members, some already suspended from the foundation to stage a coup against the Chairman of the Red Army Foundation.
In a well-planned and coordinated attack to continue the divide and rule tactic started in 2019, the SPLM Secretariat enlisted the support of the SPLM Youth League and South Sudan National Youth Union to hold a joint Press Conference with the purpose to spread malice rumors and propaganda to sway public opinion.
According to the members who were solicited and mobilized, they were offered money to hold a meeting purposely to 1) Announce that the Chairman, Deng Bol Aruai Bol has rebelled against the Government of South Sudan, 2) link him with People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA), frame him that he has ran away with money, 3) announce that the Press Statement he released is his own opinion, 4) pass a resolution that he has been relieved, 5) select an install a new Chairman of the Red Army Foundation.
The SPLM National Secretariat has finally exposed itself today and has been caught red-handed with the group that they created in 2019. It’s important to note that since inception in 2012, the Red Army Foundation has never had any internal or external problem until the Chairman of the Red Army Foundation and Chairman of the SPLM Red Army League challenged the leadership of the SPLM for not meeting the aspirations of the South Sudanese people.
The Red Army Position Paper on the state of affairs of the SPLM was presented during the SPLM Leadership Retreat in Lobonok and was embraced by the senior members of the SPLM but wasn’t taken lightly by the SPLM
National Secretariat. The SPLM National Secretariat from 2019 had a designed a policy to get rid of the Chairman saying “If you remove Deng, the Red Army would die naturally” and immediately started funding the group. Their rigorous attempts have been resisted by the Red Army, Government and Security Leaderships. It’s the same group that is now activated to further the same plot. Had it not been because of the orders given to the SPLM Secretariat today by the top leadership, the situation between the Red Army and the SPLM National Secretariat would have spanned out of control.
We call on all the Red Army to resist being mobilized and set against yourself and if given money, we advise that you take it because it’s your money that they have denied you after liberating the country for them. Don’t betray the cause of liberation, remember your martyred brothers and sisters, our gallant comrades.
We call upon the leadership of the SPLM National Secretariat to stop provoking the Red Army further and concentrate on preparing to receive the demands of the Red Army that will ensure that the SPLM we fought for is revitalized and operationalized to the state it can meet the challenges our country is currently facing.
Finally, the leadership of the Red Army calls on the Chairman of the SPLM Cde Salva Kiir Mayardit to intervene and stop the enemies of the Red Army from further destroying the fabric of the party.
Patriotically yours,
Deng Bol Aruai Bol
Chairman,
Red Army Foundation
Juba, South Sudan
17th August, 2021
Situation Update #2:
I would like to address those who are claiming that the Red Army are bribed and bought off by the government to call off their demands. You are wrong!
We are not doing this for money. We are demanding for our rights as members of the SPLM, all our martyrs, veterans and citizens of South Sudan.
As individuals and fraternity, the people of South Sudan knows our sacrifices during and after the liberation, and there is no amount of money or material wealth in the world is equivalent to our dignity.
We denounce all forms of oppression against the Red Army who died and labored for the SPLM. Their individual and collective rights must be guaranteed by the SPLM.
To those who thought we would destory our country, we are sorry to disappoint you but our intention was not to burn our house down. We just want to fix the leaking roof of the SPLM and the leadership has heard us.
It’s a liberation movement, and must be led by members with visions for all. We are also putting liberators who have lost the vision on notice.
Our dialogue with the SPLM will be inclusive. We will make sure that the aspirations of all war veterans and victims are addressed.
The Red Army will not allow our heroes and heroines to suffer and die after successfully liberating a country.
Situation Update #1
I am pleased to take this opportunity to thank my family, friends, relatives, Red Army colleagues and the people of South Sudan for firmly standing with me during the last 72 hours as I confronted some negative elements within the SPLM.
The leadership of the Red Army and I were compelled by the non-cooperative attitudes we received from various leaders our mother party. It’s time to change our party from within so that we end the suffering of our and the Red Army is on the forefront to mobilize necessary support.
This conflict is now about to be resolved, thanks to the intervention of our Chairman and President Cde Salva Kiir Mayardit. The top leadership of the country has asked the Red Army to prepare for dialogue and has called on me to report to Juba as soon as possible.
I shall be traveling to Juba soon to meet with our leaders in the company of the leadership of the Red Army to chart the way forward. The Red Army remained seize of this opportunity to revive our historical party and use it as vehicle to fulfill the promise of the liberation.
Please disregard all the rumors and be assured that this matter will be amicably resolved by our leadership, because reform in the SPLM is good for the country and that is a shared goal.
Thanks,
Deng Bol Aruai Bol
Chairman,
Red Army Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Red Army Foundation and its political wing within the SPLM, the SPLM Red Army League regrets to inform its membership and the people of South Sudan that it has been compelled to consider suspending all programs and activities with the SPLM National Secretariat due to the following reasons:
- The Red Army have for long been sidelined by the SPLM National Secretariat and not given due recognition;
- Equally the Red Army didn’t seem to see themselves in the SPLM National Secretariat, which seems to have lost the historical liberation identity and character to the unknown;
- The Leadership of the Red Army Foundation has made several attempts to revive the relationship with the SPLM National Secretariat by establishing the SPLM Red Army League, which was adopted but was equally sidelined by the SPLM National Secretariat;
- The Red Army Leadership subsequently decided to prepare a position paper on the need to revive the SPLM, and this was presented at the SPLM Lobonok Leadership Retreat in 2018, as the Red Army Lobonok Paper, which was widely circulated, read, and appreciated by many of the top SPLM leaders, but still, it was ignored and not adopted nor implemented by the SPLM National Secretariat; and,
- Despite that, in the spirit of comradeship, the Red Army Leadership still didn’t give up attempts to revive the relationship with the SPLM National Secretariat and went ahead and prepared Red Army-SPLM Dialogue Paper in February 2021, requesting for dialogue with the SPLM. The Dialogue Paper was presented to the Acting Secretary-General and copied to many leaders of the SPLM, but till today there is still no response from the Acting Secretary-General, thus disregarding and undermining all possible efforts made.
In light of the foregoing, the Red Army Leadership is left with no option but to give the SPLM National Secretariat until Monday the 30th of August, 2021 for this dialogue to happen, failure of which the Red Army will come out with a declaration on the next course of action.
H.E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit remains the Patron of the Red Army Foundation and Commanding Officer of the Red Army of South Sudan, and we call upon the Red Army all over the world to keep calm, respect our mother party and treat everyone with utmost respect and courtesy until this family issues are amicably discussed and resolved.
The Red Army Community and its leadership shall briefly maintain this position until the grievances are resolved, which if not promptly addressed shall compel the Red Army to subsequently make major announcements within a short period on the way forward.
Patriotically yours,
Deng Bol Aruai Bol
Chairman,
Red Army Foundation
Juba, South Sudan
15th August, 2021
Developing Story: The Red Army have had enough!
There is no doubt that the SPLM liberated our people and country. The people of South Sudan have convicted the SPLM for failing the people and the Country it liberated.
The Red Army for the last 9 years has called on the SPLM to get its act together and fulfil the liberation promise of liberty, justice, equality and prosperity for all.
In the last four years, the Red Army through their umbrella organization the Red Army Foundation has intensified its advocacy on behalf of the Red Army and all victims of the war through the Lobonok Position Paper that calls for the rejuvenation of the SPLM on the basis of its liberation principles. All these fell on deaf ears.
Now, the Red Army is on collision course with the SPLM. Our leaders keeps telling us that the SPLM belongs to us, yet we are not part of it, not working in it and not making policies and decisions within it.
We have finally decided that if the SPLM belongs to us, we must own it so that we can use it as a ruling party to rescue and save our suffering people and nation.
If the SPLM is not ours to the point we are denied dialogue within it, we must quickly quit it and determine our political destiny to advance the ideals of the liberation.
The Red Army all over the world should get ready for a major face off between the Red Army and the SPLM National Secretariat over their cowardice refusal to accept the proposed SPLM – SPLM/A Red Army Dialogue.
A press statement from the Red Army Foundation shall come out soon and a major declaration shall follow depending on the attitude of the party.
President Salva Kiir Mayardit, our father, Patron and Commanding Officer must choose between us, his children and the children of the party, the seeds of the nation and the crooks he has imposed on the party for years.
We warn the Government of South Sudan through its various security agencies not to interfere in this matter which is an SPLM family matter that should be discussed and resolved amicably unless someone is looking for trouble.
Finally, we call upon the Chairman of the SPLM Cde Salva Kiir Mayardit to quickly intervene as this matter has the potential of getting out of hand. We have been patient, professional, courteous and have done everything with the spirit of comradeship and patriotism!
But, it looks like no one has these qualities within the SPLM National Secretariat, therefore, the Red Army demands its rights and the rights of the people they died and suffered for during the liberation.
Stay tuned and thank you,
Deng Bol Aruai Bol
Chairman,
Red Army Foundation
15th August, 2021
Dear Chairman of Red Army Foundation: AM I STILL WRONG?
By Mayom Bul Atem, Juba, South Sudan
You may recall that one major area I differed, and consequently parted ways, with you is the politicization of the Red Army Foundation (RAF). I argued that for the Red Army to be inclusive and accommodative, we should not be directly affiliated to any particular political party for the following reasons:
First, members of then Red Army are now officers and other ranks serving in the organized forces. The constitution bars members of the armed forces from partaking in political activities. If you want to maintain membership of those who are in the organized forces, the Red Army Foundation should be apolitical. You didn’t listen. As we speak, you have given a political party an ultimatum to offer you a number of political concessions. But in your leadership, you have senior military leaders such as Lt. Gen. Thoi Chany Reat and many others. Does their membership in the Red Army Foundation leadership mean that they were part and parcel of the political decision you made? If yes, does the constitution allow them to take part in such matters? If no, are they mere figures in your leadership? The fact is they did not take part in making that decision but do you now realize the awkward position you put them in?
Second, although all Red Army were bonafide members of the SPLM/A during the liberation struggle, not all of them are still members of SPLM. It was the cause that brought South Sudanese together and not the ideology. That is why today after the cause was achieved, even the Black Army, including senior commanders, are split among various political parties due to their varying ideologies. I told you that for these non-SPLM members of the Red Army to still be cognizant of their historical roots the Red Army Foundation should be apolitical. Again you didn’t listen.
Third, I told you that after South Sudan attained her independence a lot of people, including members of Red Army, don’t want to give a shit (excuse my language) about politics. Yet, by politicizing RAF, you are keeping them away from their rightful entity. Again, this fell on deaf ears!
Fourth, I have told you several times that your term of office is over and that you should call for an election which would either re-elect you or a new leader takes over the mantle. I emphasized this point to ensure the credibility of the institution we created, preserve your legacy as a leader who safeguarded democratic principles during your tenure. Dr. Peter Biar Ajak left a legacy when he prepared the way for your leadership. Today, you have made RAF a laughing stock. Otherwise, how can I, for instance, claim to be prepared to lead a country when the organization I am part of has no semblance of democracy? I would be outrightly told to put my house in order before talking of emancipating the country! You see how your acts may affect other people’s ascension to power?
Currently, your ultimatum was issued at a time when another entity ran by a fellow Red Army member, has threatened to cause civil disobedience. The People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA) has earmarked the end of this month as their D-Day. By putting your Announcement Date one day before PCCA’s D-Day, you are implying that if your demands were not answered you were going to join the new outfit! Did the Red Army Fraternity give you a nod? Otherwise, who authorizes you to make such major decisions when the decision-making body, the General Assembly, has taken ages without a meeting? Members of the Red Army all over the world complain day and night about President Kiir’s running of the country without respecting parliamentary oversight, yet their very own Foundation is run in a similar manner! Hypocrites! Until we learn how to preach water and take water, we will have no standing when preaching water and taking wine.
Finally, joining a political party should be left to an individual. Political institutions should be confined to those that are created under their umbrella political parties and the Red Army Foundation does not qualify here! It is GOOD to have a lobby group but it is BETTER to understand what precedents we are creating from such lobbies?
I must repeat that we should steer RAF away from politics!
17th August, 2021
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