The return and reinstatement of Pagan Amum as SG of SPLM & implications
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By Steve Paterno
The return and reinstatement of Pagan Amum back to his former position
of Secretary General of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has
been causing a flurry of discussions among South Sudanese nationals
and in this case, it warrants a perspective and context. The flurry in
a whole has been expressed rationally as well as emotionally,
generating mixed reactions in the process. And for a better
understanding, this requires what the future holds for South Sudanese
people as explained below.
Pagan Amum, who until two years ago was the Secretary General of South
Sudan’s ruling party, the SPLM. The last of his tenure witnessed a
turbulent experience. He was first suspended, then investigated for
corruption, and was eventually dismissed from the powerful position of
country’s ruling party. After a failed coup attempt in late 2013, Amum
along with his other accomplices, were implicated in the plot to oust
the president via a violence means. The Amum’s group who were caught
in the plot were then charged for treason and imprisoned. With the
mounting foreign pressure, President Salva Kiir, whom they were
conspiring against, handed them over under the custody of Kenyan
President Uhuru Kenyatta. The handover was done under the conditions
that they were still facing further charges down the road base on
their subversive activities.
While in exile, the group, comprises of only ten individuals, with
invisible foreign hands behind them, formed a formidable bloc in the
negotiations process. They began to challenge both the government of
South Sudan and the armed opposition, by presenting themselves as
alternative party in the ongoing conflict.
However, since the group could not find its way to be party to the
negotiation, they resorted and settled for intra-party negotiations.
The intra-party negotiations resulted into what came to be known as
Arusha Intra-Party Agreement, an agreement, which calls for the
reunification of the SPLM and a promise for internal party reform. In
other words, the agreement ensures the rebellious SPLM cadres to
regain their former positions, as long as they are willing to come
back home.
As such, lost of position, corruption charges, and subversive act of
treason are the least of Pagan Amum’s troubles and challenges ahead,
since, he is once again being retested in a position he so well failed
in. The challenges ahead are not in any way exhaustive or limited to
the following below, for they are numerous:
1) Lack of Trust: Pagan Amum faces one of the most challenging tasks
to fulfilled, and it is called, ’trust.’ Besides the nine individuals
who stood along with him throughout their treacherous acts, along with
some foreign agents, the challenges remain ahead are that, there are
more souls and hearts for him to win over so as he can be fully
trusted. He should starts build that trust with an elected President
that he orchestrated to oust, and then follows by the victims of his
actions, and ensures the rest that he hurts because of his ego.
2) Selfishness & Ego: The number one enemy of Pagan Amum is none other
than himself. He is his own enemy. Selfishness and egoism has been
driving Pagan Amum to the tittering edge. For some misconstrued
reasons, which earn those of Pagan Amum group a name of "Garang Boys,"
Amum immediately baptised himself, the forbearer of John Garang
legacy. Since, John Garang unfortunate passing away, Pagan Amum
assumed the John Garang mantle and respect no one in SPLM hierarchy
than himself. He started fighting with comrades from within the party
and those fight in most part took to the public as oppose to being an
internal affairs that could be resolved without dragging it into
public domain. The last straw of such challenges was when Pagan Amum
dared on his quest and hit the snag by attempting, a veteran of his
own right, Salva Kiir Mayardiit, the President of South Sudan,
Commander in Chief of SPLA, and Chairman of SPLM. Pagan Amum boldly
demanded that President Salva Kiir hand over the power to him for lack
of leadership and lost of direction to lead.
3) Lack of Public Support: Pagan Amum is facing a daunting task to win
the support of South Sudanese public. The outrage of public outcry of
hearing that Pagan Amum returned into South Sudan and assumed his
former position is telling. Pagan Amum and the group sold a false
story that they matter in South Sudan and therefore a solution to
peace process. However, the truth is otherwise. Majority of South
Sudanese seeing the return and reinstatement of Pagan Amum in to his
former position as a foreign imposed puppet. Others could not still
believe that Pagan was actually in Juba. Their response: it is a joke.
Pagan Amum is yet to build a constituency of his own before he can get
Support of South Sudanese populous.
4) Incompetence: Incompetence is what impedes Pagan Amum throughout
his tenure as SPLM Secretary General. SPLM reform agendas were solely
the responsibilities of SPLM National Secretariat, headed by Pagan
Amum. Instead, Pagan Amum abandoned his sole responsibilities, chasing
his ego here, corruption there, and misjudgement there, just to take
over the leadership from his boss through all means possible.
As stated, those with treacherous behaviour will always create
treachery along the road, in order for them to overcome.
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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Kind regards,
The Sudan Tribune editorial team.
25 June 04:43, by Akol Liai Mager
What a piece of Rubbish Catholic’s Rebel? It’s time for peace,
reconciliation and healing, yet you are still throwing vomits of
hatred here and there? It’s you who need to end your rebellion right
now and start liberating yourself from hatred and blindness in mind
and heart. Leave Kiir and his challengers alone to be scruitinised by
party-room and public voters in ballot Box come 2018.
repondre message
25 June 05:25, by Akol Liai Mager
I believe South Sudanese masses expect more positive and
encouraging messages from our pen-holders’ fellows more than negative
and inciting hatred. Actually, your articles lacks very important
things such as appreciative of President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Ustaz
Amum for having taken big step toward attaining Peace for our nation
and society. What else do you think can bring peace other than that
repondre message
25 June 05:31, by Akol Liai Mager
Now your article preaches how badly you are shocked for
reinstatement of Ustaz Amum who did not take part in shedding the
blood of innocent South Sudanese and SPLA Soldiers. That wondered me
how would you react and survive seeing the most red-handed fellows
such as Riek Machar reinstated back to their positions? I see you
needing help than pretending to help others by feeding them with
hatred.
repondre message
25 June 07:13, by Lotodo Awino Odug
Steve is right, Pagan is a selfish drunkard, non
visionary who is only good at agitating for troubles, his only
accomplishment when he was a secretary general was stealing money and
enjoyed working in a container in Juba.
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