Preparations for South Sudan independence overshadowed SPLM/A anniversary
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By Steve Paterno
May 15, 2011 — In 1983, SPLM/A took up arms to start awar of
liberation, the war that lasted for more than two decades.Thus far,
the journey has been too long and torturous. Every timeSPLM/A
anniversary approaches, it is always different and unique, dueto the
surrounding circumstances and ensuing events. For example, thelast
time I attended SPLM/A anniversary ceremony in Sudan was in1992, in
the town of Torit. I still vividly remember the speeches ofCdr.
William Nyoun and that of Uncle Joseph Oduho at that event. Atthe
time, SPLM/A was in shambles. It has already suffered a severesplit;
between SPLM-Torit faction and Nassir faction. The tide of warvictory
drastically shifted in favor of Khartoum armed forces. At
thebackground of the colorful celebration, we could hear loud
explosionsof bombs from the advancing Khartoum armed forces, who were
onlymiles away and posed to capture Torit town. Though jubilant,
becauseof the celebration, we were actually bracing for the worse.
The situation within SPLM/A was tenseand suspicions among the SPLM/A
commanders were running very high.Certain elements were planting
landmines in Torit town, in act ofsabotage. The planted landmines
killed several town folks and hitsome vehicles. In his speech, Cdr.
William Nyoun warned against thosewho were plotting against him. He
asserted that he knew the peoplebehind the landmines plot. That he was
the intended target of thoselandmines.
Uncle Joseph Oduho was just fresh, outof a prolong detention. He was
conditionally released to attend thefuneral of his son who died a year
earlier. Despite acknowledging hislack of military knowledge, Uncle
Joseph Oduho tried his best todispel some of the wild rumors,
regarding Khartoum’s armed forcesfirepower superiority. Those rumors
were already degrading the moralsof the SPLA soldiers. Some of the
rumors were that Khartoum’s armedforces possessed some lethal advanced
arsenals and weaponry systemthat include, chemical and biological
agents, as well as some typesof Iraqi missiles. People believed that
the skin burn sustained bysome soldiers during the battle as
confirmations of the rumors. Therumors were even fueled more as people
became frantic, after Khartoumdropped large parachutes in Torit town.
Some people thought it wassome type of special forces, airborne in the
rear of frontline. Icould hear people shouting, Iraqis! Iraqis!
Iraqis!, while fleeing indisarray. Anyways, the parachutes were shot
down and they turned outto contain mere Khartoum’s propaganda
leaflets, calling for surrenderand peace.
Two months after celebrating the SPLM/Aanniversary in Torit, we had to
sadly evacuate the town. The SPLAgallant forces last stand was in the
outskirt of the town, where theyput a fierce fight, and then withdrew,
allowing the enemy to enterthe town, without firing a single bullet.
Unfortunately, few months later, bothCdr. William Nyoun and Uncle
Joseph Oduho, would end up leaving theSPLM/A-Torit faction to join the
Nassir faction. So, if SPLM/A was ina comma, now it is on
life-support. A year later, Uncle Joseph Oduhomet his ultimate death.
This will follow by the demise of Cdr.William Nyoun few years later.
Both died under mysteriouscircumstances and in South-South conflicts.
Both of these men alsoseem to have had enemies within the movement
that they were serving.
This year marks the last time SPLM/Amembers will celebrate the
anniversary of the movement, before thebirth of new nation. Next
coming years are going to present differentand new realities, which
will also require different approaches andattitudes. It is not a
secret that when the movement was founded, ittook deadly South-South
rivalries and in fights that robbed lives.This stigma establishes a
precedent within the movement and retardedthe progress of the
struggle, because more often than not, the topechelon in the movement
conspire and even kill each other. Thesuspicions among these top
brass, exist to this day and must ceasewith the birth of new nation.
Moving forward, we must start byhonoring the dead and acknowledging
them for their sacrifices. TheSPLM/A commanders must now assume
different roles and throw awaysuspicions against each other, which
they live with throughout thestruggle. Those commanders in the
military are now professionals withthe duty and mandate to defend the
Constitution of South Sudan, theintegrity of the nation and its
citizens. There should be no reasonfor these professional soldiers to
look over their shoulders, becauseof the plots and counter-plots,
coming from within. Those commanderswho choose to enter into politics
must understand the territory inwhich they are getting into. The
political field is going to be acompetitive one, testing ones
popularity, power of persuasion, andhumility of accepting defeat. In
short, the new country should be anation that has a room to
accommodate all, a nation guided by itsconstitution and rule of law.
Otherwise, the long struggle andsacrifices, will be worthless.
Steve Paterno is the author of The Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, A Romain
Catholic Priest Turned Rebel. He can be reached at
[email protected]
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