GRECOR Press Release,
June 23, 2014(Nyamilepedia) — It is unfortunate to hear Mr. Kiir laying out his conditions for peace negotiation in Addis Ababa during his remarks to the National Assembly on Thursday before the delegate to the negotiation has the opportunity to meet. Salva Kiir need to realizes that South Sudanese might have voted for him at one point to be their leader but he has not deliver on the peace dividend promise he made and the nation is saying we want new direction. The fabric of democratic system is the trust that people have on their government and its leadership but that trust in the case of South Sudan has been bridge. It is within the citizen’s right to demand a government that serves their interest when the status quo has fail. The current conflict arises when Mr. Kiir decided to circumvent the political process within SPLM politburo that would have allowed for civil transition of power. Heading to the scheduled general election in 2015, Mr. Kiir did not secured the politburo vote for SPLM Chairmanship. Whatever difference existed between Mr. Kiir and Dr. Riak Machar, SPLM under Mr. Kiir leadership would have secured its place in history had the vote for SPLM Chairmanship proceeded.
The problem in South Sudan of course cannot all be attributed to one person although Salva Kiir has become the problem rather than the solution because he had monopoly of power under the banner of SPLM for nine years and has nothing to show for. When the people who disagreed with him on the substance of development and the direction of the country within the SPLM politburo started to speak up, he moved to utilize the state power to discredited his opponents and destroy them.
The Legislative Assembly failed South Sudanese miserable in carry out its duties right from the start. The Assembly give Salva Kiir authority to dissolved Parliament, removed governors and appoint Judiciary, and members of the lower house of legislature not based on merits but loyalty. There were voices of descent within the SPLM leadership in parliament who thought one person could not be trusted with such an authority but they were minority and accused of be unpatriotic. So the current crisis has nothing to do with so call coup attempt that has been discredited by South Sudanese people let alone the international community but rather has its roots in greed and sense of entitlement.
Salva Kiir for all intense and purpose became the arbitrator for everything in South Sudan. That means people at position of authority within the government came to care more about what Mr. Kiir want rather than serving the public interest to maintain their positions. In so doing, Salva Kiir became South Sudan. SPLM under Salva Kiir feels sense of entitlement to be the only body capable to lead South Sudan as witness by his speeches and behaviors. Mr. Kiir declared the SPLM delegation to the peace talks in Addis Ababa will only return if Desalegn apologize to him for referring to him and Dr. Riak Machar as stupid to think that they could win the war military, Desalegn being the IGAD executive secretary. Salva Kiir know that over 70% of the South Sudanese cannot read and write but that fact does not mean that the people are stupid too. Majority of our people did not go to school because of the independent struggle otherwise South Sudanese are the hardest working people I know.
Salva Kiir need not reminding that he served at the pleasure of the people of South Sudan and when Equatorian demand federalism, it is unwise to dismiss one third of the nation aspirations. Remember South Sudanese called for federalism at first from Khartoum government because they could not trust the regime in the North in 1947 and now South Sudan is an independent state. History ought to serve as a teacher to anyone with tendency to be dictatorial especially in South Sudan. Dr. John Garang once said, tyrant or oppressor has no color. We the people have to be the custodian of our government. Equatorian might have been hard to unite because of its ethnic makeup but once united Equatorian are power to reckon with. Whether South Sudanese were demanding federalism from Khartoum, in 1947 it is irrelevant to the current crisis because Khartoum is no longer our enemy but SPLM under Mr. Kiir leadership. We need peace in South Sudan and that peace cannot be achieved unless Mr. Kiir steps aside because he had become a polarizing figure.
Are south Sudanese disappointed at SPLM under Salva Kiir leadership for the last nine years? Yes, of course, who wouldn’t be? The Salva Kiir who speak highly of the Legislature authority coming from the constituencies who elected them is the same Salva Kiir who had dissolved that body more than I can remember. Kiir said, “I am very clear on this. The members of this august house were elected by their constituencies, represent them in accordance to the transitional constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, and nobody on this earth will be allowed to dishonor their legitimacy.” It is the same Salva Kiir who ignored the wishes of constituencies and removed their elected governors and suspended the parliament. Now he is portraying himself as defender of Legislature’s jobs.
It should never be about anyone’s job but rather the security and welfare of the South Sudanese people. And that is the difference between SPLM leadership and vision for South Sudan and GRECOR vision for South Sudan. SPLM under Salva Kiir at the time when aid agencies are warning about the impending feminine in South Sudan will rather protect his position instead of showing leadership to bring about an end to the civil war. For example when Salva Kiir declared that unless IGAD apologize, he will not send the government delegations to the peace talks in Addis Ababa, one bag to ask the question what is the price of an apology? How many lives of South Sudanese have to be lost because of the president of republic was called stupid?
The United Nations is reporting that for every 10 children who are displace and seek medical attention, one die and SPLM leadership is worried about their jobs in the interim government. Kiir declared, “They want to bring somebody of their choice to be the president of that transitional government. That … is a red line.” Salva Kiir declaration of red lines before the negotiation could even resumed in Addis Ababa ought to serve as signal to South Sudanese not to hope for much from this round of negotiation
Kiir stated, “The whole intention is to dismantle the SPLM, which they believe has become a very strong monster in South Sudan and it must be downsized to a level that gives room to be challenged and be defeated” Mr. Kiir we couldn’t have agreed with you more. South Sudan is not a property of SPLM nor Salva Kiir. We the people ought to decide for ourselves and we want peace above personal ego. SPLM will be long gone and South Sudan will live to see another day. SPLM might have led the independent struggle but South Sudanese have the right to choice for themselves a new government. It is time to look for alternative and GRECOR and the opposition has a plan to develop South Sudan that is inclusive and representative of its ethnic makeup and foreign policy of peace in the region rather than confrontation to facilitate development that is much needed.
Lado Lodoka
GRECOR South Sudan
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