Dear members, Below is message from CDR Wani Iga, southerners are asked to circulate it as widely as possible. This letter is a response to another controversial letter said to be from Equatorian commenders in which they chose to threaten particular group of people. Have a look at the two letters and make your own conclusion. Kuot Kuot.
ONLY CHEAP BRAINS CAN ALLOW THEMSELVES
TO GET CLASHED AGAINST EACH OTHER
Yei almost went into turmoil during the last week of September 2004. The whole episode started when a document entitled "Grave Warning " attached unto another one "In the Defence of our Glorious Territorial Homeland - Equatorial Region" was in circulation in Yei town and the other towns of Equatorial Region.
The contents of this are nasty and divisive to say the least. It was the presence of Cdr Salva Kiir Mayardit and myself that rescued the dangerously unfolding scenario. Upon coming across the document, Salva and me summoned a security meeting involving all the stakeholders in Yei town since it acts as the SPLM capital. This was followed by a series of meetings and crowned by a huge officers' meeting attended by nearly six hundred of them.
Beginning with me, the two of us briefed the officers of the depth and truth of the matter.
On my part I commenced by condemning the document in the strongest terms possible for the fact that it was divisive and seriously jeopardises the unity of our people. Let me herein quote what I told the gathering.
" This document is certainly written by a coward or group of cowards. It can never be the Equatorian commanders as they alleged. First of all, the language is never of any of our officers, on the ground. Secondly, when the Equatorian cdrs wrote their well-intentioned petition last year directly addressed to the chairman and not meant for public circulation, they all signed it and I was the one who handed it to the C-in-C. I believe 95% probability that this document is written outside the New Sudan possibly by people who are tired of the war or those who think they will not benefit from the upcoming peace.
I leave the other 5% percent for a probability that it is written inside so that we are not complacent and become too relaxed to conduct any necessary investigation. This document is deplorable and carries the tendency to fragment our fragile people.
However, do not forget that there is another equally divisive and condemnable thirteen-page document circulated in the Internet dated 21/7/2004 by a group calling itself "Gang of Five" signed by:
1. Kuel Maluil Jok residing in Joensuu, Finland.
2. Sabrino Majok Majok residing in Alberta, Canada.
3. Kawi Malak Kawi residing in New Haven, USA.
4. Dr. Mawien Akot residing in Regina, Canada and
5. Darius Garang Wol residing in Pendle Hill NSW, Austraria.
This document by the Gang of Five addressed to Dr. John Garang de Mabior cynically talks of "Dinka Supremacy" and attacking Equatorians particularly the Azande. It urges the SPLM Chairman to give greater share of the cake to the Dinka including those who fought alongside them such as the Nuer, Shilluk and the Jurchol should any peace be signed. Most probably the first document, recently written, is a reaction to the second seeing it as provocative.
Nevertheless, dear officers, I must caution you that this is the work of our enemy and I have a tangible proof right now. With me right now in my Yei house is a spy sent from Khartoum and the documents are here (I produced all the documents brought) This gentleman worked in one of our North Africa Countries' SPLM Chapters (name withheld for tactical reasons).The Sudanese Embassy there infiltrated our Chapter and obtained a number of SPLM Membership cards to use them to carry out espionage in SPLM/A controlled areas.
The chapter in turn infiltrated the Embassy by sending some to its staff to work therein.
One of them is the gentleman in my Yei House. He worked deceptively diligently for the Embassy against SPLM supporters in that North Africa Country. Few months thereafter, the consul called him to his office and told him of the happiness of of Khartoum over his nationalistic contribution. The consul said, "Khartoum wants you immediately and I am ordered to accompany you". Indeed the two left for Khartoum in the following day. On arriving the airport both proceeded to the National Security GHQ, boss, a lewa (major general). The lewa profusely congratulated him over his superb work and told the chapter die-hard of his promotion and reward. The man was given 5 million Sudanese pounds for immediate expenditure in the capital and much more to be given and spent in the field while executing his new assignment.
The new assignment was to be performed in Bahr el Ghazal region together with a large team of other informants from that region. Similar teams accordingly to the lewa were despatched to Equatoria, Upper Nile, Nuba Mts and Southern Blue Nile. The lewa said they have discovered that the SPLM/A is strong in two things - militarily in the battlefield and in talking as they have witness in Naivasha. He (lewa) said the Junubin (South Sudanese) were however weak in one thing, and that is gabiliya (tribalism). "You can clash the Southerners in a few seconds over gabiliya and this is how we (the GOS) succeeded to split them in 1991", continued the lewa.
The lewa told the gentleman (named withheld), "your team is leaving for BGR in four days time and you must go and this additional money in the SPLM/A areas. Once you find an influential officer, give him so that he promotes tribalism and disunity in SPLA ranks. If any find an influential chief or Christian leader, give him because the church. In case this money is exhausted prior to finishing your task, there is a certain based in Warawar market (Aweil) to quick replenish you".
The Gentleman did not wait for the scheduled time but left for BGR in four days time and you must go and use this additional moneyin the SPLM/A areas.Once you find an influential officer, give him so that he promotes tribalism and disunity in SPLA ranks.If you find an influential chief or Christian leader, give him because the church is equally dangerous and we have given money to bishop Roric to split the church.In case this money is exhausted prior to finishing your task, there is a certain (head spy) Abdarhaman Mohed Hassen (all documents and photograph attached) who will be based in Warawar market (Aweil) to quickly replenish you".
The gentleman did not wait for the scheduled time but left for BGR instead earlier and proceed to Warrap and Rumbek. Once in Rumbek he communicated with me, being earlier in charge of all SPLM Chapters abroad. I told him to proceed to Yei and meet me including Cdr Salva Kiir as he requested. He came to Yei and indeed I met him and thereafter referred him to the SPLM/A security and then to Cdr. Kiir with a note. This happened just three days prior to the first document "Grave Warning".
Then I turned to the officers and told them that so your people of the New Sudan but specially Junubin, be vigilant and watchful. Khartoum is out to divide us using our extreme infirmity and Achilles" heel, gabiliya to discredit us in the Naivasha peace talks and particulary during the upcoming referendum in the eyes of the intrnational community. Know that gabiliya never stop. The indigenous inhabitants of Yei,the kakwa and Pajulu, each assert that Yei is theirs. There is the wrangle in Tombura between the Azande and Balanda each arguing the town is theirs. You go to Rumbek; you get it worst as the Gok fight the Rek ,and the Agar fight the Atot and our people die like flies. In Juba ,the Bari divide themselves into northern and southern ,in Bor district there is bitterness between south and northern Bor .Within the Nuer, the Gawar fight the Lou and our people die like sprayed cockroaches. Last April, I was invited to attend an all-Nuer conference in Panjak. There, with all candour I told them that Upper Nile is the most chaotic region of all the five regions of the new Sudan. You upper Nileans and particularly you the Nuer will not benefit from the peace even if it is signed tomorrow in as far as no government or NGO worker will accept to go and work in hostile land. Yei is flourishing today because its people are highly peace loving and hard workers. Where are we heading? This fragmentation goes up to the family level saying but that is from the other mother while this from that one. Following kokora(redivision of the south in 1983) .at the end of the day the Equatorians, left alone, further disunited with the west and east separately calling for new regions.
We shall be the biggest fools on earth if we give in to tribalism because we shall be playing to the tune of our bad wishers. Let us be overly careful.
So from this terrible experience, what on earth is the way forward? The medicine is, we must avoid suspicion of one another because suspicion breeds suspicion. Distrust breeds distrust. We must promote our friendship by visiting and interacting with people of other tribes, thereby developing familiarity and furthering friendship. Do not confine yourself to people of your tribe or village.
Further more, we must have tribal and geographical balances in deployment, promotion, employment, distribution of resources and so on. It is awkward as it creates discord to fill your department, commission or unit with people all hailing from your village. What about the other villages? The same applies to traffic police, M.I. and the rest. This is the only way for the New Sudan and particularly the South to remain in permanent harmony, peace and unity. We cannot do without unity comrades.
Next to this is, we must respect our cultures and customs. Our degree of tolerance is zero and this is very unfortunate. Unquote.
Cdr kiir equally calmed the situation stressing that he didn't believe also that the document was written inside the New Sudan for he knew his officers writing style best. Additionally he cautioned that we should never generalise the crime to all Equatorians
I am here assuring the public and specially the rumour-peddlers that the situation having been agitated and fomented by the enemies of our people is now firmly under control and life in Yei and other places in the New Sudan has returned to normality. At any rate, I must warn you that the enemy is very much bent to dividing us. More such documents may still crop up in the future and must be handed with maturity, patriotism and sprit of unity. Only cheap brains can allow themselves get clashed against each other.
"Yes, Equatorian SDRs were provoked by the letter of five."
With no doubt, this letter written by the So called "gang of five" had agravated the situation. The content of the letter of five is a clear demonstration of people who failed to vision what it takes to build a united country. To build a mighty country like America, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, South Africa........etc demands sacrifice, trust and openness not sycophancy. Southern Sudanese need to understand that sycophants are the number one enemy of our society. These are people who think that inciting violence, segregation along tribal line is the best way to beam into the glory of leadership. SPLA/SPLM leadership is an honor earned in the battle field with duty to defend our freedom and ready to make the utimate sacrifice for the freedom of Southern Sudanese future generation.
It is nasty ****e thing residing in the Western world and your only duty is to keep on pouring letters that are infested with nothing good but filthy and sycophany. Segregation and discrimination are uncivilized in the society where these folks live and imagine if their host countries could flip what they were pushing for and realize the dare consequences segregation and discrimination could have in their lives.
It is high time people should be responsible of their actions. These folks need to preempt the repercussion of their actions.
Otherwise, we thanks CDR. James Wani and Joint Chief of Staff CDR. Salva Kiir Mayardit for their effort to bring the situation under control.
Let peace prevail among Southerners,
Dhor Aher Arol.
-- Edited by Kijana Dhor at 20:38, 2004-10-29
__________________
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors" Plato.
It is difficult to tell, whether the alleged statement from Equatorian's SPLM/A Commanders was motivated by the facts in the so called "Five Gangs" statement according to Cdr.Wani Igaa in his statement, simply because the said statement, is not unique to some of the previous statements written by some Equatorian. It is as divisive and threatening, as their previous statements. But, one thing must be inferred, which may contradict the already existing notion, of the fact that, some Equatorian, are capable of writing this kind of statements, notwithstanding, even without being provoked. I am sure, the letter written by five real SPLM/A men, had the same effect and consequences as that of 33 Azande men, and may in the process, incite some reactions, from some people there. You can't be a good judge, if you decde the case of the five authors, on merits of its own facts, without taking the facts of the 33 Azande's statement, as precedence. Giving, the magnitude of the division and threat in both statements, I had no doubt, they are of the same purposes. Albeit, the letter of five, was inteded for seeking political recognition from the SPLM/A leader, it is nevertheless, had borne the same symptoms of inciting "abhorence" Divisions amongst the people of the South Sudan" and "tribalistic" if read by non-Dinka. Of course, the authors of the five Dinka's petition, may argue that, they were trying to defend the interest of Dinka people in the movement, but Will the SPLM/A's agenda of New Sudan, embraces this call? Of course, no and that is why the addressee had intended to share it with his colleagues in the hierachy. Let, not worry why this had to happen, even to those who have thought they were the best "Southerners" the "best guardian of the SPLM/A interst" and you name them, the South is beginning to show it is for everyone, born and raised in the south. You, can't still, or trick to own it.
