Position Paper of the Red Army Foundation on the Deferred Dredging of the Sudd Wetlands and Possible Resumption of the Jonglei Canal in South Sudan
H.E. GEN. SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT
President of the Republic of South Sudan, and
Patron of the Red Army Foundation
Juba, South Sudan
Subject: Position of the Red Army Foundation on the Dredging or Cleaning of Rivers and Possible Resumption of Digging of the Jonglei Canal by the Arab Republic of Egypt
By Deng Bol Aruai Bol, Tokyo, Japan
Dear President Salva Kiir Mayardit,
Friday, 15 July 2022 (PW) — Salutations and revolutionary greetings to you! I appreciate your tireless daily efforts in leading our young nation through enormous challenges. For this and all, I highly commend you! The entire Red Army fraternity, just like the rest of our citizens, has been keenly following the discussions and subsequent debates and public lectures on the dredging or cleaning of our rivers and the possible resumption of digging of the Jonglei Canal and in response to this national debate, we are bound as citizens and civil society, and as a matter of national duty, must take a stand on matters of national concern feels that these projects coupled with our dealing with the Arab Republic of Egypt will further complicate the already worsening situation in our country.
The Red Army Foundation, as a national patriotic veterans’ organization, in consultation with its vast membership, both at home and in the diaspora and based on the opinion of the majority, has resolved that I write you this open letter in your capacity as President of the Republic and Patron of the Red Army Foundation to express our position on dredging or cleaning of rivers and the possible resumption of the digging of the Jonglei Canal, in addition to our relationship with the Arab Republic of Egypt. As a matter of public opinion, “allowing Egypt to dredge or clean our rivers is like entrusting a gazelle into a Lion’s care and expecting the Lion not to eat the gazelle.”
The Red Army Foundation appreciates your intervention in directing the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to engage local and external experts in the field to take the lead in facilitating feasibility studies, research, and public consultations and dialogues in search of agreeable home-grown solutions to flooding and other associated challenges with the swamps and mitigation of flood waters. The Red Army Foundation would have hoped to see recommendations and projects related to rivers, marshes, and the Sudd Wetlands that are fair and transparent, backed by well-researched and agreed-upon regulations and policies that consider and uphold the stakeholders’ grievances, protection, and conservation of the ecosystems, and national sovereignty.
However, Mr. President, our observation is that our citizens are greatly divided, and the outcome, whether for or against, dredging or cleaning rivers and digging the Jonglei Canal will plunge our country into more division and deep crisis. At this point, Mr. President, we cannot afford to negotiate with a foreign country in a position of weakness. It’s our humble opinion that projects such as this require the country’s political, economic, and social stability backed by a united, well-organized army capable of defending its territorial integrity against domestic and foreign enemies or saboteurs.
In South Sudan, you will agree with your children, the Red Army, that we have many ensuing problems and cannot consciously invite issues with other countries and provoke our citizens who already live on the edge and are faced with all kinds of trauma and unimaginable suffering. We recognize that cleaning rivers have some advantages in terms of river transport. Still, public perception, whether real or misconstrued, won’t allow this project to occur because of their suspicion of Egypt.
As our Patron and President of this blessed Republic, we submit to you our position, requesting you to consider shelving all discussions, debates, and consultations, including any feasibilities studies, indefinitely until you can rebuild our social fabric, unify and organize our army and get our country back to the status of strength where it can effectively negotiate international treaties and contracts without being lured into bad deals out of desperation. As an institution that has stood with you through thick and thin, we believe you will critically examine our position as a matter of national importance and concern and give it the due consideration it deserves.
In conclusion, Mr. President, we believe that our government is capable of finding a short-term solution to the sticking issue of the floods that have severely affected our people. We hope that our flood victims in Unity State and other areas can be rescued, relocated, and resettled in their neighbouring states until it’s safe for them to return home.
Thank you,
Deng Bol Aruai Bol
Chairman, Red Army Foundation
Juba, South Sudan
12th July 2022
The author, Deng Bol Aruai Bol, is the Chairman of the Red Army Foundation and can be reached via Office: +211 922 579 833 (South Sudan); Mobile: +81 90 5178 7871(Japan); WhatsApp: +211 920 579 833; Email: redarmyfoundation@gmail.com; Web: www.redarmyfoundation.org; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redarmysocial; Twitter: https://twitter.com/redarmysocial; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redarmysocial; TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@redarmysocial; Parler: https://parler.com/redarmysocial; Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/redarmysocial.
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