fbpx
Opinion

Why people Resisting Salva Kiir and what are the beliefs they are dying for?

By Mun Both Jock,

Opinion.

The Notorius Fierce Fighter, Military Governor of Unity State, Peter Gatdet Yak and his counterpart, Maj. Gen. James Koang Chuol showing off their weapons(Photo: supplied)
The Notorious Fierce Fighter, Military Governor of Unity State, Peter Gatdet Yak and his counterpart, Maj. Gen. James Koang Chuol showing off their weapons(Photo: supplied)

Sept 08, 2014(Nyamilepedia) — Since December 2013 a war has been going on in South Sudan. Historically this war happened as a result of accusation of attempted coup that is said to be instigated by the former Vice President of South Sudan Dr. Riek Machar. Machar denied that accusation and claimed that Salva Kiir was trying to purge him and other political opponents. Based on analysis around the world from reliable sources such as UN, the UN Security Council, the White House, and the African Union, it is documented that the coup has never been plotted nevertheless; the war has been going on in South Sudan. The question is why the war has been going on, or why people are resisting Salva Kiir and what are the beliefs they are dying for? This paper will analyze the key universal beliefs people are dying for and more specifically the paper will elaborate some example regarding South Sudan. More importantly we will look at some specifics beliefs people would give up their lives and die for. These beliefs are: family, self-defend freedoms, freedom of thoughts and political ideologies.

We must first start with the question such as why people are fighting wars and what is war all about? What is war in South Sudan is all about? War is not a case of settling a private quarrel. It is organized slaughter by one mass of people against another mass of people, all strangers to each other and having no quarrel if they were to meet by chance in the street. It is, moreover, increasingly not simply the killing by soldiers of other soldiers; it is the killing of civilians, and more particularly the killing of children, the elderly and the sick. Therefore, the killing of children, women, elderly, sick people, pastors, doctors and a student based on their ethnic origin was one of the beliefs that people are fighting and resisting the government in South Sudan. It is something that touches part of them, their children, their wives and elderly. Among the readers of this article, I want to ask you a question, who would not fight to defend his wife and children if attacked? If you are reasonable, fair and reliable person your honest reply would be, you would not start to attack your opponent’s wife and children but if yours are attacked you would defend them and make preemptive defend mechanisms. We can definitely agree that this war that is going on in South Sudan is about self-defend. This is to say that Salva Kiir has attacked certain South Sudan communities on senseless grounds and these communities are fighting back to defend themselves.

In regards to South Sudan’s war, the President orders the killings of Nuer ethnic group in the nation’s capital, Juba city. These people include children, women, elderly students, sick people, doctors and church pastors. As a result of that killing the remnants of Nuer people all over the world were left with no other option than to defend their families. Can you blame Nuer for taking arms against Salva Kiir’s regime? The simple answer to this question is no. Throughout world history people resort to violence when they perceive their community, family or themselves were in danger and this is what Nuer have done. The question is where is the stand of the international community? Are they standing with oppressed or with the oppressor? There is another question that needs to be address as well. Is it possible to bring the oppressed to the justice or the oppressor? That is for your own judgment.

Having talked about the family, the next belief why people are fighting against Salva Kiir’s regime is originated from the concept of freedom. Freedom is an idea worth dying for or people are being killed for. Lack of freedom is one the main causes of South Sudan problems that leads to this war. There are different kinds of freedoms such as freedom of thoughts, freedom of movement, freedom religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and freedom to life. What kind of freedoms are at stake in South Sudan? Nuer People’s freedom to life was violated by Salva Kiir. In Salva Kiir’s mind Nuer have no liberty and are not supposed to live as free South Sudanese. That is the reason he attacked them and committed genocide against them because he wanted to finish them. According to Kiir, Nuer have no freedom to live. They must be killed because they are not needed, they are not free. Based on that assumption that Nuer are not needed to be free by Salva Kiir, Nuer themselves have decided to resist and now, they want to keep fighting under the name of freedom. Along with their sympathizers, they have created a name for themselves. They have a new name called FREEDOM FIGHTERS.

As important as freedom to life, the violation of freedom of thought is one of main causes of South Sudan Problems. You know what will be my next line when I said this—the killing of Isaiah Abraham of Greater Bor community was the violation of freedom of thoughts. Why Isaiah Abraham got killed? Isn’t that he has spoken his mind about the wrong direction the country was taking under the leadership of President Salva Kiir? That’s it, and nothing else. He did not attempt to physically attack the President Salva Kiir because he cannot try to do that. Although Isaiah Abraham did not attack President Salva Kiir, he got slain without charges. He was just killed on cold blood. Now he is gone but he is our martyr and his idea of freedom of expression did not die with him and will never die. His idea is one of the reasons people are still fighting against Salva Kiir and keep saying SAVA KIIR MUST GO! SALVA KIIR MUST GO! It is the idea that was started by Isaiah Abraham, the night before Salva Kiir sent his secrete security to make him disappeared.

Before that night he is murdered, Isaiah Abraham wrote the following quote: “Shame on Kiir and his cohorts! Kiir must go! He is a useless leader this country could have. His foul mouthing is not tolerable anymore. Mr. President is not apologetic and this is worrying. The people of this country deserve a leader that respects their views. We have never had problems with him since he accidently ascended to power in 2005, because the situation dictated that people exercise patience. For the past eight years we have learned bitterly that Mr. Kiir is the problem and should be removed. He has failed us in many fronts, and on this matter of giving Abei land to Arab he must not be forgiven.” Isaiah Abraham was a fearless intellectual and he will remain a hero in our hearts. If Salva Kiir is defeated sooner or later, he is the first person that said these four words, “SALVA KIIR MUST GO.”

In a free, democratic and egalitarian society, people are not rule by iron fist because they do not fear when they believe they are supposed to be free. According to Anthropologies E. Evans Pritchard, Nuer are confirmed to be egalitarian society. In regards to freedom of expression I would like to quote Franklin D. Roosevelt when he said, “we have nothing to fear but fear itself.” That is what Isaiah Abraham did. In the same token, Nuer people and their supporters are fighting to gain freedom and they resort to fearlessness against the government that killed their mothers, wives, children, elderly and students. When I meet people in communities I asked them, why do you keep resisting Salva Kiir? This is what they said: “We will fight till we defeat Salva Kiir because since our families were killed “we have nothing else to fear.”

I met a lot of people with the same analysis who believe that those freedom fighters are right and they are fighting for the right cause. These people were among Dinka communities, Equatoria community, Anuak community and Canadian communities. Also, I agree that these freedom fighters have right to demand their freedoms. Isaiah Abraham did not commit any sin. He was writing about the truth. The liberty to speak, think and write as we see fit, even (or especially) if it offends those of a narrower conformist minded person such as Salva Kiir; the liberty to speak truth to powerful person like him; the liberty from arbitrary and capricious government like his; the liberty to tell the zealot person like him of whatever stripe he is wrong and he may not impose is a particular will on those who don’t want it; the liberty to not suffer under the yoke of millenarian ideology, whether secular or religious – these are things that are worth dying for, and that millions have died for over the years. This need for freedom is what people are dying for and with that feeling, fighting will not stop until Salva Kiir step down and give a chance for someone else.

As well as beliefs on family and freedoms, political ideologies and ‘enlightenment values’ are important but they were ruined by Salva Kiir in South Sudan. A country without political ideologies is doomed to fail. South Sudan under Salva Kiir has no political ideology. One of the reasons the war started in South Sudan was the fact that Dr. Riek Machar begged President Salva Kiir to make democratic changes to South Sudan constitution and incorporate the rule of law, fair and free elections and transparency in the way the country is govern. Based on this fact, Salva Kiir resisted and accused Dr. Riek Machar for plotting a coup while his intention was to eliminate Dr. Machar and remained free as one of the invincible dictators of 21th Century. Let me give a brief overview on political ideologies. Although I will not go into details on ideologies it is fair to mention a few. Some of the political ideologies are Anarchism, Communism, Conservatism, Liberalism, Nationalism, and Socialism. Note! Some of the ideologies are omitted due to their less important in relation to South Sudan problem. The point here is to find out which ideology our President, His Excellency, Salva Kiir Mayardit is following? My guess is, Salva Kiir is following Egoist Anarchism or National Fascism. Being failed to lead the country and without vision and ideology, the people of South Sudan decided to resist and fight to defeat the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit. Even though they are dying, the people of

South Sudan have decided to fight for the sake of all the above mentioned beliefs until they win. The people of South Sudan have also decided to follow a visionary leader, a man with direction, Dr. Riek Machar. Machar have promised to bring change to South Sudan. He promised that he will bring democracy, freedom, liberalism, federalism, constitutionalism, and the rule of law.

In conclusion, this article has analyzed a few reasons why people of South Sudan keep resisting the leadership of Salva Kiir Marydit. The article also analyzed some key beliefs people are dying for and risking their lives to defeat the ruthless President Salva Kiir of South Sudan. An overall theme of this article is based on violation of beliefs of the society by their President. This violation of rights and beliefs led to war which will also lead to a potential collapse of Salva Kiir government.

The author is a political contributor to Sudan People Liberation Movement, SPLM/SPLA in Opposition living in Canada.

He is a recent graduate from University of Victoria. He is a BA holder with major in political science.

He can be reached @ munbjock@hotmail.com

Related posts

HONESTLY SPEAKING, ” The reign of Anarchy”

Nyamilepedia

The temporary solution to the current Crisis of RSS under the IGAD Mediation in Ethiopia!

.

Opinion: The negative propaganda from Riak Maker Mading deserves no attention

Nyamilepedia

1 comment

Daniel Chakuoth September 8, 2014 at 9:54 pm

what can said about peter Gatdet Yak have right to said that word. because if we have human right salve kiir can step down according to international law if you kill people you can is step down. but what i see right now the world doing nothing about him now compared south sudan like another country. must of Nuer community they need work together not to looking for money your brother get kill you have nothing said.i can said that my brother get kill this year that is why i need everyone come together us one community and thank you everybody

Reply

Tell us what you think

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

//meenetiy.com/4/4323504
%d bloggers like this: