Below is a letter written by Joseph Riing Lang Juk, about the recent event in the movement. It is just for your information. Although Riing had expected some comments from various walk of Southern Sudanese life, you are all free to iqnore it.
Ateny Wek Ateny
From: Joseph Riing Lang/ langjr2002@yahoo.com
To:
Subject:SPLA wind of change – how far did it blow?
As far as the liberation movement is concerned, during the month of November 2004 serious events have unfolded behind areas controlled by the SPLA (Sudanese People Liberation Army). A showdown of military strength was in the offing between SPLA Chairman and Commander in Chief Dr. John Garang de Mabior and his Deputy Chairmand and Chief of General Staff Salva Kiir Mayardit. Although it was not the first time for Dr. John Garang to have faced disobedience from a deputy, this new deputy was a very formidable challenger. John Garang had outwitted his earlier deputies (late Kerebino Kuanyin Bol and late William Nyuon Bany). What makes the opposition from this particular deputy exceptional was the spontaneous level of polarization of the conflict between the two leaders. On one side there were those who believed that the current top SPLA leader has over lived his usefulness. It was time then to replace him with fresh blood that will filter clean the burning issues in Southern Sudan. On the other side, there were those who believed that he is a God created leader who should steer the sailing vessel up to the finishing end.
Public Pressure
Apart from those two opposing views, it was apparent to the two leaders that the Southern Sudanese, public opinion was for the signing of peace agreement above everything else which was impossible to be ignored by the two leaders. On the other side the GOS (Government of Sudan) representatives at Naivasha peace talks were threatening, to withdraw from the peace talks, if the rebels could not put their house in order, which added also another weight for a peaceful resolution of their conflict. The two rebel leaders in the end accepted to resolve the conflict politically instead of solving it through military might at Rumbek town – in Southern Sudan.
Background to polarization before the meeting
The SPLA rebel army, rank and file in their enthusiasm not to deviate from the liberation path which was their only option available so as to extricate themselves from the domination of the Islamic, led Arab North had disciplined themselves all these years to put a blind eye towards the shortcomings of their top leader. When splintering did occur at the beginning of the last decade of the last millennium by those who found it impossible to continue tolerating, a sizeable number of those SPLM/SPLA fighters decided to keep steady, in spite of the temptations. In the end, even those that had splintered found it difficult to stay forever outside the mainstream. They had eventually decided to return to the main herd.
IGAD element
While the GOS (Government of Sudan) and the SPLA rebel army were engaged in combat, the Inter Governmental Agency for Development (known technically as IGAD) were pushing the warring parties, through negotiations for peaceful solution to their conflict. With the financial and political weight of the friends of IGAD who “come” mainly from Western Europe and United States of America were able to achieve a high degree of success. It was towards the final phase of the conclusion of the conflict when the hidden part of the iceberg began to emerge.
The invisible part of the iceberg
All the rebels who had allied behind the Deputy SPLA Chairman and Chief of General Staff had then realized that the issue of concentrating the powers into the hands of one man should not become part of the SPLM/SPLA policy of post war Southern Sudan. They had argued among themselves that: one man should not decide on everything that affects development; one man will not be able to resolve continuous conflicts between the communities; one man is incapable to determine what type of services to be given to the people including, repatriating, rehabilitating, resettling and reconstructing all what had been destroyed during the war and the people had been displaced in Diaspora and inside the country.
All that above is essential, apart from setting up of structures of the new Government of Southern Sudan, in post war Southern Sudan which is: the Executive; The Legislative; and an Independent judiciary which are ceremonial under the present SPLM/SPLA system of one man rule. Furthermore, among the liberation fighters for change there were extremist group among them who believed that the change could only be possible if it was resolved militarily. Whereas the Deputy SPLA Chairman and Chief of General Staff with the next person to him, including those within his inner circle had considered the consequences and implications of the military option. Their deliberations had ended in favor of a political solution to the conflict which was contrary to the views of their supporters both in arms and outside the combat. The effect of a violent change from a political disagreement has no doubt very dangerous repercussions. The living vivid example was the political disagreement between Garang and Riek in 1991. It had led to the lost of innocent lives on both sides apart from displacements. In short it is unforgettable example of how a military solution could get completely, off target.
Finally, during the Rumbek reconciliatory meeting, whether one was inside Rumbek or an outsider it was crystal clear that the power center had tilted in favor of the Deputy SPLA Chairman and Chief of General Staff. Yet he had chosen to follow the humble path because the over all interest of his people were put in jeopardy by his current moves. This takes us to the relevant question who of the two leaders should be judged favorably by the well wishers of the Southern Sudanese: Is it the SPLA Chairman and Commander in Chief who pursued the Liberation struggle techniques of persistence, which made him to cling to power in spite of the odds while knowing that the center of power had shifted in favor of his Deputy? Or is it the SPLA Deputy Chairman and Chief of General Staff who had to sacrifice his ambition for top leadership when it was within his grasp because it couldn’t fit into the aspirations of his people- the Southern Sudanese at that particular moment? Or is it both? Surely, I am eager to know an answer.
What a story! It is unfortunate that people don't see how BEG people like to see everyone win. I guess this is an example of how we BEG people compromise and like to collaborate with other communities. People like Tinny Joker need to see this. I have read his articles on this board and I have thought to myself that he must be inexperience . Or he need to know that the knowledge he has acquire should be use to benefit the south and not causing problems like publising peoples' private info just because he knows a simple software that can trace addresses.
Please, be considerate of others. Don't use ur perceived smartness to undermine others. Just because somebody think Garang is wrong does not mean he wants him out of power. In fact Garang should be happy that people are critizing him instead of throwing him out of power. We all need to see him change his policies that seemed not to work period. If he is willing to change, then that is what we want. You mentioned stuffs in your writing including posting humiliating pictures and that clearly indicate how immature you are. It is unfortunate that we have to deal with somebody like you that seem immature in terms of thinking.
As Kuot put it somewhere in some posting, it is dangerous to involved in things that you are not sure of. Publishing people's addresses as as mention somewhere is punishable and since you are told, I think there is a need for you to appreciate that. So people especially Tinny whatever and his allies should be careful with whatever they say,do because it might involves problems. It might not be in the form that you are likely to expect like direct confrontation but it would be legally.
This is not to attack you (Tinny Joker) in any way but to let you that u need to take extra precaution when dealing with people. Don't assume that u are genius or u know stuff more than others.
Anyhow, I think we on this board are behaving maturely so far and we need to uphold it. Thanks to all the members for being considerate of others and following the reasons why this website was set up for. Stay cool and keep us informed. I might not have time to be posting frequently but I think I have time to be reading your posts. It is great to have people like Ateny, the moderators, Isaac mabior, F. Diing, Atong, Ben, Aluelpakeeer, Bior Alier, Deng Santo and everyone else. I have enjoy your responses and I think you are the people aweil community and the south as a whole need if we have to get things right this time.
Have a wonderful time and we will connect later. Bye now
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When I hear somebody sigh, life is hard, I am always tempted to ask "compared to what?"
Sydney Haris
