Riek Machar’s captors favours him
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By Dak Buoth
There are strange reasons that compel me to talk about Riek Machar
even when I don’t want to do so because I’m not a member of any of the
embattled SPLM factions. Anything to do with SPLM has nothing to do
with me for we are incompatible in form and character. This excerpt is
not meant to exonerate Riek from what is currently bedevilling south
Sudan. I’m just making a general appeal to the international community
to be fair and just in their engagement in our political affairs. Over
times, the international community has been supporting Riek and
defending Kiir at the same time, and this subjective approach has had
severe repercussion on our populace. Instead, they should provide
level playing field to all actors in South Sudan. As I said therein
I’m not supporting Riek purse. I simply want to point out where he was
wronged and mistreated, and if that will be misconstrued to mean that
I’m supporting him, so be it. As civil society member, I’m cognizant
of a dictum opined by one civil society guru that ‘‘civil society is
political Actor; that civil society is distinct from the opposition
and the state, and that it will be dereliction of duty of civil
society actor if he don’t engage the state and the opposition to
governance, democracy and the human rights’. In other words I’m
exercising my roles which are clearly stipulated in the Africa Union
Youth charter enacted in Banjul, Gambia, that youth shall embrace and
sustain a culture of voluntarism and human rights protection as well
as participation in civil society activities; Promote patriotism
towards unity and cohesion of Africa; That youth shall work towards a
society free from violence, Coercion, crime, degradation, exploitation
and intimidation. And this is exactly what I have been doing all this
along. Africa needs friends who understand their problem and offer
solutions, and Africa and her true friends will resist false friends,
locals and internationals that toil and moil to impoverish them by
means of violence. I long for Africa devoid of dictators,
neo-colonialists who are out to exploit its citizenry.
THIS MONTH IN HISTORY
In this month of July, President Salva Kiir sacked Riek Machar twice
and subsequently attacked him at his residence in Juba. On 23 July
2013, he was irregularly fired as Vice President. A few months later
on 15th December, President Kiir launched military action against him
that led to the ongoing rebellion across the country. In the wake of
the 2013 crisis, propaganda was peddled to vilify him that he tried to
overthrow the government. President Kiir was the first person who
parroted this propaganda.
COUP CLAIM QUASHED
On 16th December 2013, he convened press conference while wearing a
military fatigue. In his press statement, he said ‘‘yesterday at about
6:30 pm, during the closing of the SPLM National Liberation Council
(NLC) meeting an unidentified person near Nyakorun cultural centre,
released gunshots in the air and escaped. This was followed later by
an attack on the SPLA HQ’S near Juba University by a group of soldiers
allied to the former vice president Dr Riek Machar Teny and his
group’’. The latter group he was referring to comprises of Dr Peter
Adwok, Dr Kosti Manibe, Dr Cirilo Hiting, Dr Majak Agoot, Eng. Chol
Tong, Hon. Rebecca Nyandeng and other Political dissidents. Good
enough, his coup claim was soon dismissed as rubbish by the
international community and the High court sitting in South Sudan.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni who fought alongside Salva Kiir
later attested in broad day light that there was no coup attempt in
Juba and that he entered into South Sudan on the pretext to protect
key installations in the capital.
Up to now no single person has been produced and convicted before the
court of law in connection with this fictitious coup attempt. Of
course, President Kiir’s forces have not stopped killing and maiming
thousand innocent people since 2013. Other than the SPLM former
detainees whom he released via IGAD pressure in 2014, still there are
many in detention in connection with the false coup attempt.
SIMPLE QUESTIONS
The simple question that lingers in our minds is, if President Kiir
unleashed violence on the mere assumption that there was a coup
against him in 2013, what do you think can be done to him now that his
claim has bounced and is proven to be nothing but fear only. In other
words, what can we do to him as a causative of this bloodshed? Is it
to soldier on and continue with war until he is ousted and apprehended
or we sit and fold our hands as if nothing has happened? I feel this
excerpt will be remiss if I don’t pose these questions for readers to
grapple with. Voltaire once says ‘‘judge a man by his question rather
than by his answer’’.
BEACONS OF HOPE
I must say that the aforementioned political leaders are the beacons
of hope and justice in our country. And they still enjoy considerable
respect among us. Truth be told, none of them thought of coup let
alone planning or executing it. But even if they thought and
orchestrated a coup, vast South Sudanese majority will still back them
on the presumption that they did it for the best interest of the
country as they did over the years. At the onset, our clamour for
independence was pegged on three cardinal objectives: to achieve
political independence which is geared toward democracy; to reduce
abject poverty and improve our well beings, and to eliminate
illiteracy and disease. Those were the major aspirations of the people
of South Sudan, and Dr Peter Adwok and the likes epitomize those
ideals of humanity. However, when our independence became elusive due
to President’s lack of vision and forgetfulness, the aforesaid
revolutionary leaders went back into their trenches with a view to
redirecting the country on the path of democracy, peace and
development. After they were summarily sacked from the government,
they continue involved in the democratization process. And by so doing
they became critics to President Kiir’s pervasive misrule, run away
corruption and impunity. In nutshell, the likes of Dr Adwok and the
rest were merely expressing dissenting voices accompanied with a
suggestion to put the country on the right track. As we all know,
dissent is not an offence but an obligation to every citizen who owes
his country a duty of care. In fact, dissenting voices are allowed and
appreciated in a democracy for dissenters are the fertilizers for
democracy the world over. The Failure for Salva Kiir to face political
dissidents manifests total ignorance and dishonesty on his parts as
head of state.
STATE HOUSE CLASH
Last year, on 26th July 2016, President Salva Kiir fired Riek again
few months after they signed the Agreement on the resolution of the
conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS) in Adis Ababa Ethiopia.
The facts of these deadly incidents differ slightly but the motives
remain the same. President Kiir perpetrated these attacks on Riek to
takes away his life without substantial reasons. On 8th July 2016,
Juba city dwellers woke up as usual. In noon time President Kiir
invited Riek to state house alias J1 for a special meeting on how they
will address the Independence Day on 9th July 2016. However, upon
reaching the state house premises, Riek’s body guards were attacked
both in and outside the compound leaving over 500 soldiers dead. The
fighting ensued until the following morning. On the night of the
fighting, President Kiir thought well by giving Riek his personal
vehicle and presidential guards to escort him to his residence at
Jebel Kujur after Riek’s personal guards were all killed and his
convoy dismantled. At first, this sympathetic gesture look to us as if
the President does not have hand in the J1 clash, but we later became
shocked when he ordered the helicopters to bomb Riek’s residence
forcing him to flee to Congo.
The fighting in the state house and the subsequent removal of Riek and
his replacement with his erstwhile comrade Taban Deng reignite the war
in South Sudan. In other words, it is what undermined the peace deal.
PRINCIPAL SIGNATORIES RESIGNED
Moreover, it was not Riek’s brutal purge alone that threatened the
peace agreement. There are other contributing factors that lead to the
demise of this accord. You would recall the Agreement had four major
principals who were signatories to it. There were three embattle SPLM
factions namely SPLM-IG led by President Kiir, SPLM-IO led by Dr Riek,
SPLM-FD led by former SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum. The other
political parties led by Dr Lam Akol. However, President Kiir had also
frustrated these principals and grantors who invested a lot in that
peace agreement. This month July, the peace grantors vowed not to fund
the dead accord. In view of these, IGAD, AU and JMEC do not need
rocket science to know the peace is dead, and what caused it. Hon.
Pagan Amum tendered his resignation way back before the J1 fighting
occurred, and Dr Lam Akol, the former Agriculture Minister resigned in
Addis Ababa fortnight after the renewed fighting in July 2016. Both of
them cited lack of respect and political will on Kiir to implement the
agreement to the letter and spirit. In a bid to conceal the truth,
President Kiir singles handily appointed remnants of the SPLM-FD,
SPLM-IO and junior cadres from other political parties to replace
Pagan, Lam and Riek. He did that to make it look that the transitional
government of national unity still operational. The regional blocks
namely IGAD, AU, EU and UN whose representatives participated and
witnessed the signing of the agreement in August 2015 knew that
President Kiir never wants the accord to be implemented for his
strange reasons best known to him.
CULPRIT
When the Mediators brought the document on the table for signing,
President Kiir did three things: first, he refused to sign the
agreement with the rest; secondly, he issued a decree creating 28
states without prior consultation. Third, he announced that he had
reservations on the peace accord. Later when pressured to sign peace
kept mounting on him, he invited the IGAD leaders in Juba to witness
his signing; there he reiterated his reservations adding that this
agreement was neither a bible nor Quran books. And that to him means
it was optional and not compulsory to implement the accord. His
initials moves, sentiments and actions speak for themselves. Those who
heard him uttering such sentiments must hold him responsible for the
demise of Addis Ababa Accord signed in 2015. Kiir has perfected the
arts of forgetfulness and sheer disregard to the rule of law. as he
was doing the above mentioned, there was no statute that grants him
powers to act in such manner. He could just wake up in the morning and
issued irregular decrees without making references to the Southern
Sudan interim constitution or the agreement itself. He must be
compelled and told to shunt such disrespectful behaviours failure to
which the country is not yet off the hook. In view of the foregoing,
we ask how can we operate in that system where the president does not
follow and respect the stipulated rules and laid down guidelines and
principles. President Kiir does not want war, change and progress as
well. But he launched a war to prevent change and progress. He knew
change and progress succeeded war. If today he is assured that you
will not be removed from the presidential seat; that we will just
remain the way we are without roads, health centres, schools, and
clean water, he will certainly call off the war. But who will want to
remain in the current life style without food, shelter and future,
none?
PEACE OBJECTIVES
President Kiir knew that the Addis Ababa Peace Agreement was based on
three pillars namely, stability and reconciliation, general election,
accountability and justice. However, when he hears of those pillars,
he begins fidgeting uncontrollably. There is old adage which says
‘‘guilty are always afraid’’ He knew he is a culprit and that nothing
favour him among those pillars.
If we conduct free and fair election today, Kiir will lose in
humiliating defeat; if you take him to an independent court and
tribunal to answer charges of war crimes, he will be convicted and put
behind bars. He sees himself as someone who does not have hope for the
future. Normally, if one loses hope, the only option he opts for is to
commit suicide until or unless he spots mirages of hope again. But
still, people can grant him hope if he shows an interest to change.
His victims are Ngundeng (God) fearing people. I’m sure they won’t
wish him dead as he did to them. What many of them desired for is his
immediate exit from the helm. Some say they can rehabilitate him to
become better, and that they won’t just keeping him idle as a silent
statue for warning the aspiring young leaders to lead well and become
a role model for Africa.
RIEK WAS ABDUCTED NOT ARRESTED
Riek was abducted and not arrested that is why I called his captors as
abductors. He was neither arrested nor imprisoned because ‘arrest’ and
‘imprisonment’ are legal orders issued by judicial officers after an
accused person went through a fair trial. He was said to be under
house arrest in South Africa. House arrest is an archaic and
dictatorial term not known to law. As we all know, Riek first went to
South Africa for medical treatment after the J1 clash that forced him
to trek on foot for 40 days. He has been in confinement for quite some
time now; so far no substantial has reasons has been communicated for
his detention. Moreover, his captors too have not come public to
declare what they are up to. We wonder why he was held up there. We
still believe he has no hands in the J1 clash of July 2016. If his
abduction has something to do with J1 clash, then those people are
misinformed and misguided. Thus, they should do a thorough
investigation to establish who the real culprits are. Unless his
captors had an ulterior motive for we already told them who the J1
causatives are. The architects of J1 incident are none other than
President Kiir and his surrogates. Recently, the two deputies of chief
of staff Gen. Cirilo Swaka and Gen. Bapiny Munytuil had told us what
transpired on that day after they resigned. The duo said in their
respective statements that Riek was innocent in as far the 2013 and
2016 crises are the concern. Thus, his Captors owe us an answer for
his confinement.
IGAD LEADERS BEHIND RIEK DETENTION
I suspect and blame some IGAD heads of state. To avoid blanket blame,
I must say I suspect President Museveni, President Uhuru and President
Mariam Delasgn. We think these guys are privy and culpable of Riek
Machar’s house arrest. Now we realized the trio had little interest to
resolve our crisis amicably. They simply want to prolong it by taking
the wrong side of the political divides.
It is common knowledge that President Museveni was sworn foe of Riek
Machar. Since 2013, Museveni fought alongside President Salva Kiir. We
don’t know where he picked his enmity with Riek from. I presume the
guy is just feeling uneasy and jealous of Riek. He assumed when Riek
become President of South Sudan perhaps he won’t enjoy the Political
monopoly in our country and the region at large. But with Kiir, he can
say and do anything at whim.
At first, President Uhuru was seen to be a good comrade to Dr Riek. In
2014, Uhuru received Riek on a red carpet and allow him to make live
television address to the Kenyan Nation. This was historical and an
unusual gesture that was never seen before in the histories of all
rebellions. It was the first time for any Rebel leader to address a
nation on live television in the foreign country. I think even the
past rebel leaders like Fidel Castro and Nelson Mandela did not get
such courteous treatment from any seating head of state. However, I
could not believe that Uhuru and Riek would soon become erstwhile
Friends. On hearing that Riek received red carpet reception, President
Kiir cried foul and said that was too much, that even Dr John Garang
was never accorded such heroic welcoming.
Secondly, Uhuru later severed his relationship with Riek on the
allegation that he was a close friend to his arch rival Raila Odinga,
the former Kenya Prime Minister, and presidential candidate for
8/8/2017 general election. They say your enemy’s enemy is your friend,
but what about your enemy is a friend? Of course, it is an open secret
that Raila and Riek are close friends. When Raila alias Jakom returned
from United stated on Saba Saba day rally dubbed ‘‘while you’re
away’’. One of my informants told me Raila came straight from the
Airport to the venue at Uhuru Park where the said rally was held, and
that after he was through he went straight to see Riek at Safari park
before going home to meet his children. In the wake of 8th July 2016
crisis, President Uhuru later felt provoked by Riek when his
spokesperson James Gatdet Dak applauded the dismissal of General
Kimani Ondieki who was fired by then UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
By the time of his removal Gen. Ondieki was the head of United Nation
mission in South Sudan. James Gatdet’s alleged backing to the latter’s
sacking marked Uhuru and Riek’s departure point. From there on Uhuru
decided that he can no longer treat Riek with kid gloves. Uhuru in his
angry reaction irregularly deported three of Riek’s lieutenants namely
Lawyer Dong Luak, Gatdet Dak and Idris Aggrey. As we speak, many of us
believe that Presidents Uhuru and Museveni hold grudges against Riek
on aforesaid grounds. The Ethiopian Prime Minister felt that it was
Riek’s rebellion has something to do with the reawakening and revival
of the Oromo uprising which ousts him in 2016. By then Riek used to
reside in Addis Ababa before he returned to Juba for peace
implementation in 2016. At the end, Riek was chased back when he tried
to land in Addis Ababa from South Africa.
RIEK MACHAR FACTOR
In 2014 up to 2016, there was something known as Riek Machar factor.
The tussle for power in South Sudan attracted huge international
attentions. The crisis in South Sudan was seen to have the potential
of causing and inspiring more insurgencies in many east African
countries. Many dissident groups in East Africa were said to be
rethinking their strategies in a manner that reflects that of Riek and
Kiir. In June 2016, Star newspaper columnist and Jubilee government’s
mouthpiece Ngunjiri Wambugu wrote an article entitle ‘‘Raila is trying
to be Riek Machar’’ In the tail end of his piece, he argued that
‘‘Raila has borrowed from Riek Machar’s playbook’’ In August 13th,
2016 after Machar was forced out of Juba again, the Star newspaper
published another article titled ‘‘Riek Machar spotted in Dodoma as
Raila Rush to Tanzania’’. These authors wrote these pieces to
frustrate and fracture Uhuru and Riek’s relationship, which they did.
By then some opposition movements were said to be opting to go
violence like Riek so as to be seen by the international community.
And to avoid that, the IGAD leaders have resolved to withdraw their
support from Riek and to frustrate the international community’s
support to him. Furthermore, the aforesaid IGAD leaders have now
humiliated Riek so as to scare away other opposition groups in their
countries. They are sending a warning message that any group rebel,
they will be dealt with by them altogether.
ETHIOPIA, KENYA AND UGANDA HAVE INTEREST IN SOUTH SUDAN
Other than their political interests, the aforementioned leaders also
have economic interests. Museveni, Uhuru and Mariam have now divided
South Sudan among themselves. Their agreement is called ‘Food, Hotel
and Banking’. In this accord, Ethiopia took hotel industry, Uganda
preferred to import food stuff and used clothes commonly known as
Mutumba, and Kenya chooses to invest in the banking industry. If you
go to South Sudan today, you will find that most Banks in Nairobi are
housed there in Juba. I have been informed that if one deposited his
Money in South Sudan, he is not allowed to withdraw money outside
South Sudan including Kenya. You can imagine how many South Sudanese
fled to neighbouring countries. Anything to do with food and other
basic commodities is imported from Kampala, Uganda. In Juba, the best
hotels are owned by the Ethiopians. By the time South Sudanese
realized and stop the war, they will find themselves in a rude shock.
We have left Arabs oppression in Khartoum just to find ourselves in
another oppression perpetrated by East Africa elites. It is my prayer
and hopes that this oppressive tendency ceases so as to avoid
xenophobia in future as happened in South Africa in 2016.
RIEK MACHAR’S CAPTORS FAVOR HIM
Riek was falsely accused of coup twice; that he does not have hand in
J1 clash of 2016; and that IGAD leaders are victimizing him for no
good reason, that IGAD leaders want to keep the status quo by
supporting SPLM regime and President Salva Kiir; that they just want
to do away with any leader who can bring peace and change to south
Sudan. This talk is currently ongoing, and soon they will make resolve
on the way forward. In any event, you will find that Society often
backs an underdog and side with the victim. The Nuer of South Sudan
and Ethiopia love glorifying and defending an underdog with their
blood. All South Sudanese knew Riek was victimized by those three IGAD
leaders, and they will stand by him at all cost. As you can see, there
is an unprecedented armed uprising in Equatoria region. South Sudanese
from all walks of life are now facing biting starvation violence
conflict. They are living in difficult time ever. Any leader in South
Sudan who is holding position is deemed to have failed them, and they
accused him or her of being behind their woes. They believe change
will come from outside Juba. And they put their trust in those who
oppose the SPLM regime. Right now when youth organizations are
electing their leader in and outside the South Sudan, and a certain
candidate is alleged to have a link with Juba government he will
terribly be failed. This is because they consider Salva Kiir’s
government as a common foe. A vast majority don’t expect anything good
to come from the Kiir’s regime. In 2015/2016 when food crisis began
sky rocketing in Juba, civilians were praying for Riek to return and
turn thing around. Finally, when he went back in 2016, people felt a
sign of hope. Many people rejoiced and hoped that things will change
to better. But even if Riek was still there in Juba, nothing
significant can change. Of course, his absence creates an assertion
that things will change when he returned. However, now that Riek is
forced out again, many people will believe thing will change only when
Riek is back. As we speak, anything bad happening in South Sudan will
not be attributed to Riek notwithstanding that his forces are also
making thing unworkable. His SPLM-IO will continue to make the
government ungovernable by all means. Riek will sit quietly in South
Africa; he will just strategize and continue to write his memoirs. He
knows he will soon be back in his case is a political case. I think
Riek Machar’s captors favour him. They are now putting him in the book
of history as a freedom fighter and not mere ruler. Dr Riek joined the
struggle in 1984 after completing his PhD in England at the University
of Bradford. He knew he hail from less educated society, and by virtue
of his education, he was going to rule them. He did come and ruled us
from then to date. Up to now, he is still holding onto his dream of
becoming president of South Sudan. Hence, those who abducted him are
only building and adding merits to his political profile in the better
way. People will now view him as a freedom fighter and ruler, and to
him, that is a thumb up and kudos. You will recall Many Africa leaders
like Nelson Mandela, Mugabe and Jomo Kenyatta rose to prominent
because they were illegally detained by the colonialists. In the end,
people in their respective countries considered them heroes throughout
their life times. Normally when someone with power victimized an
underdog, the society will consider that person as theirs; and at long
last, that person will soon rise into a celebrity. Moreover, Riek’s
Captors are washing away his sins in as far as the ongoing conflict is
a concern. When he returns later, he will be accorded heroic
welcoming. In the end, he will make huge triumph to the presidency
should the election be held tomorrow. In an unlikely event that he
does not return soon, Still South Sudanese will never trust anybody
else and his supporters will increase day by day. They will do
whatever they could to make the Government of the day ungovernable.
The likes Kiir and Taban Deng who are celebrating Riek’s arrest are
clueless about what will happen next. The return of Riek will bring
waves of change that will sweep them away too first. It is unfortunate
that the duo thinks they will always rely on violence to main their
grip on power. They don’t know there is time for everything. There is
time for war and time for peace where the contest for ideas will take
roots. Hence, I considered them naïve. I presume Kiir and Taban are
unaware of the political histories and factors that had shaped and
propelled many leaders into the helm. If I were them, I should now
demand Riek’s release before things run out of hand. Riek’s detention
largely works in his advantage. Therefore, let Riek come back so that
people can see what he would do. We all know he cannot do anything
alone without the contribution of others. He has been there with us;
we know what he is able and unable to do. And when he comes people
will know he is like anybody else. But when he is kept in detention,
people will rate him ahead of his peers. Moreover, by allowing him to
return soon, people will recall his dash times as Vice President from
2005/2013. Failure to do so, people will forget his tainted history as
first Vice President and consider him as a political messiah.
President Nelson Mandela was considered as Joshua when he was
imprisoned for 27 years. Nothing took place in his absence until he
was set free. He later became wiser by exiting the presidency to avoid
being compared to another person in South Africa. If Mandela had spent
two or three terms in office, people would have accused him of failure
and they won’t accord him the glowing tributes that he earned for his
short stay in office. As an Actor in South Sudanese affairs, I feel
that Riek’s continue detention will disadvantage many of us now and in
future. As such, I call on United Nation Security Council to make an
effort to release him sooner than later. We don’t want people to
commit serious offences in his name. If this appeal is not needed I
will continue to demand his release until substantial reasons are
provided to us. Release him from his confinement has no legal basis,
it only makes thing worse.
The Writer can be reached for comments via [email protected]
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