Extrajudicial killings in Mayom, Unity State: President Kiir, Kindly Sack Tutkew Gatluak and Governor Monytuil to Bring Them to Book!

By Dr. Sunday de John, Nairobi, Kenya

Sunday, 14 August 2022 (PW) — On August 9th, 2022, the Spokesman of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the Spokesman of the Government of South Sudan on separate occasions came out with messages of condemnation of the Extra-judicial killing of the four officers belonging to South Sudan People’s Army under Gen. Stephen Buoy Rolnyang after their extradition from Fula town of Sudan.

According to reliable sources, the said officials were extradited illegally by elements belonging to the Rapid Response Force of Sudan and this was upon payment of over 7 million dollars and about five vehicles of assorted models.    

If the government of South Sudan has a deal with the Sudanese government on the extradition of the reneging citizens that are advocating for improvement in governance, economics, and justice through various mechanisms, it would have been sensible to take the officers in question to Juba for rigorous court process so that their trial would lead to a just ending.

The glaring lack of justice system in our country has been spiced with a lot of violations of Human Rights. This has from time to time contributed to the rapid sinking of the national index of ranking on Human Rights and all the other terrible vices as they are weighted on an International Scale.

While in opposition, we advocate for a positive change, a change that would confer improvement on the lives of South Sudanese and not the deterioration of the Country. We do not have second options as we remain South Sudanese and thus, the destruction of South Sudan further is a drawback to the South Sudanese generally without exceptions as to whether one is in the government or opposition.   

However, the condemnation messages by the duo in question are never a panacea to the matter of the Human Rights violation at hand. While the supporters of the Mayom incident would say the contrary, I would like to jog their minds with these few questions.

Is condemnation of Mayom’s illegal, unconventional, unauthorized, on-record Firing Squad and burning alive of untried citizens adequate and thus, a remedy to the damage that it has caused?

Is it just to summarily execute officers following their extradition within the span of 48 hours, from August 6th to August 8th? Is there any iota of justice in that?

Are Monytuil and Tut Gatluak the only bolts that can keep the government of South Sudan intact? Would president Salva and Dr. Riek Machar lose their seats if they remove the duo to create a room for investigation as purportedly projected by Gen. Lul Ruai’s message on the formation of an investigation committee as Directed by Gen. Santino Deng Wol?

Had Gen. Santino lost control over the army as governors are now using the elements of the SSPDF to eliminate citizens extrajudicially?  

In my perspective, the utterances by both Gen. Lul Ruai and Hon. Michael Makuei Lueth are symbolic of utter lip services.

The killing has portrayed that South Sudan isn’t governed solely by the President under the Constitution. Several forces are used by some Governors to execute extra-judicially those they have fallen out with.

The case of Mayom is multifaceted and thus removal of the duo in question can give leeway for improved investigation. Although there is no honest and impartial judicial system in South Sudan, proper investigations even when they are not acted upon can constitute dependable references for future generations.

Governor Nguen Monytuil and Tut Gatluak had acted contrary to the laws of the country. They have taken the law into their own hands.

According to the Constitution of South Sudan, it is only the President that approves death sentences, and every case that would end in the death sentencing of a suspect or his/her acquittal has to go through a rigorous justice system.

Now that every governor is killing, is it not a conversion of South Sudan into a new Somalia? Can’t the relatives of those killed seek revenge? Can’t that be a cycle of destruction?

The action taken by Governor Monytuil on the instruction of Tut Gatluak is a violation of Human Rights and a Crime Against Humanity.

By International standards, Governor Monytuil and Tut Gatluak have committed an unforgivable crime and their right place is The Hague where they must justify their inhumane action.

The calls by General Santino Deng Wol, the Chief of South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) are hallowed in that his desire to form an investigation committee will never add any value to the necessary remedies desired for the incident because the Governor is not within his jurisdiction and Tut Gatluak the instructor is above him and thus, there would be an element of sabotage that would render his attempt unsuccessful.

The hummer must come from President Salva Kiir Mayardit. Allowing others to be acting above the law has destroyed the country and its continuity would make it vanish by this I mean to say, the country would be ungovernable for eternity if the justice system chooses to administer justice selectively. 

While it is good to condemn the incident with the strongest terms possible, it would be much better to act by sacking both Tut and Monytuil but the best decision would be to administer justice immediately. The duo can never be investigated while in power. Their sacking would uplift their immunities and then can they face the law.

They do not deserve to be in the government because they are agents of barbarism. The government of South Sudan and its pillars including the national army shoulder responsibility in this matter and distancing itself from it is not through a mere expression of condemnation.

The best option is that it should use its avenues to bring to book those that have committed the act of terrorism. The watchdogs have brought this to light and the world is watching over South Sudan on the question of justice.

Till then, yours truly, Mr. Teetotaler!

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