Dec 12, 2015(Nyamilepedia) — In less than forty eight(48) hours millions of South Sudanese around the world are expected to commemorate the 4th December 15th genocide that was orchestrated in the national capital of the world’s youngest nation, South Sudan, in December 2013.
December 15th, as it is known today, is the day when South Sudan civil war started among the presidential guards in the national capital, Juba and turned a political crisis into ethnic cleansing targeting mainly the Nuer ethnic group and persons with Nuer identity.
According to organizers of the December 15th events and many concerned South Sudanese and sympathizers, December 15 is no longer about mourning the massacres of the Nuer people alone but a national day of mourning in which South Sudanese come together to remember their loved ones who died or are suffering as a result of the ongoing civil war.
Although Salva Kiir administration does not recognize December 15th, with over 300, 000 people killed and 4.2 millions displaced by the civil war, many South Sudanese from different ethnic groups pledge to observe December 15th as a national day of mourning.
According to Adhar Ajak Chol, who hails from the Dinka tribe and a senior member of the armed opposition, whenever you massacre Nuer ethnic group or any other tribe, you massacre South Sudan.
“Who said we don’t have Case to defend? When you kill Nuer, you kills us all and together we must stand to defend them. Victory belong to peace lovers of SPLM-IO.” Said Adhar Ajak.
Adhar, the SPLM/A-IO military governor of the Lol State, overseas a new state which comprises of Salva Kiir’s home state of Twich Mayardit, Gokrial and Abyei.
Adhar initiated a campaign call “This is how my Facebook friends list look like” in support of a social media campaign that calls on users to update their Facebook profiles using a specific Logo that was designed by Zachariah Gatnog Machar, one of the leading promoters of the event in Cairo, Egypt.
Gatnog said the fact that the event started with the Nuer does not deny the fact that other South Sudanese communities were similarly targeted and displaced from their homes.
“Yes, we can’t deny that it started with Nuer Community however; it subsequently involved all the South Sudanese Communities.” Said Zachariah Gatnog Machar.
“It started in Juba with Nuer and every community that has similar traditional scars on their foreheads like Nuer Community and later extended to Malakal, Wau, Mapel, Yambio, Bor, Yei, Kajo Keji, Leer, and many other areas within the borders of South Sudan.” Gatnog continued.
Other campaigners like Ali Pasha Al Ghunian have explained the genesis of the crises in their own terms and call on all South Sudanese to come out and commemorate the event in remembrance of the victims.
“Dec.15.2013, is the day when Nuer people were severely flayed and forced to feed on the flesh of their beloved companions, and other were tempted to swill the blood of the dead bodies which has never happened in the human history.” Said Ali Pasha Al Ghunian.
“Is the day when our brothers both elders and the young ones were badly mortified and castrated by the government; The day when our beautiful sisters,wives and our beloved mommies were rapped and smothered to death in the meantime by undisciplined armies group alongside with tribal government of president kiir.” Ali Pasha continued.
Another social media activist, Faza Gabriel, said the South Sudanese have responsibilities to protect themselves and their rights and freedoms.
“We all have a responsibility to the people around us and should protect theirs right and freedoms. You have no right to kill innocents civilians for no reason. The country is belong to all tribe Not created for only one tribe.” Said Faza Gabriel, another social media campaigner.
According to organizers of the events, December 15th commemoration will involve prayers and peaceful demonstrations around embassies of the TRIOKA countries [USA, UK and Norway], United Nations, European Unions, China and peace partners of South Sudan.
The event, which will be commemorated by more than half of over 4 millions South Sudanese who are currently displaced by the conflict from their homes in South Sudan, is expected to bring together members of the 64 tribes both in the country and also in abroad.
Although it is not supported by the regime, thousands of internally displaced persons within the national capital, Juba, and other major cities are also expected to commemorate the event in remembrance of their loved ones and friends.
In neighboring countries, which host over 2 millions South Sudanese refugees, the event will be commemorated in refugees camps and as well as in major cities like Nairobi-Kenya, Kampala-Uganda, Addis Ababa-Ethiopia, Khartoum-Sudan and Cairo-Egypt.
“What Sparked The Flame”?
On the morning of December 16th, the incumbent president General Salva Kiir Mayardit, a Dinka by nationality, who appeared to have been in controlled of his forces, came dressed in his military fatigue and declared a dust to dawn curfew in the capital.
Furious, the president called on his forces to go after his main rival, Dr. Riek Machar and his group, whom he accused of having attempted a coup to overthrown his government, a campaign Machar later denied as a pretext to crush the opposition before the first generation election which was supposed to be conducted in 2015.
Citing the 1991 incidents, President Kiir assured his supporters and Bor-Dinka victims that the past won’t repeat itself but little did he assure any protection or safety measures for the Nuer and other minority ethnic groups within the reach of his army and supporters.
For the next four days, over 20 thousands Nuer nationalities were either killed or displaced to UN camps during a door-to-door massacre led by a presidential militias known as Mathiang Anyoor and dutkubeny.
Although Salva Kiir has denied his direct involvment in Nuer massacres, African union report reveals that senior members of the army led the presidential militias and it was as state policy.
On December 19th, 2013, the overall commander of the SPLA’s Division 8, Maj. Gen. Peter Gatdet Yak, a Nuer by nationality, declared his defection to Dr. Riek Machar and called on Bor-town citizens, which were mostly Dinka, to leave the town within 48 hours.
Retaliations followed and at least 13 Dinka civilians and two UN peace keepers were killed during an attack in Akobo by the white army.
On December 22nd, Maj. Gen. CDR Koang Chuol Ranleey, the then overall Commander of Division 4, defected and declared himself a military governor of the Unity State and warned Salva Kiir on BBC world service to stop the massacres forthwith.
Fighting escalated to all parts of the Upper Nile region and parts of Equatoria.
A peace deal that was signed in August 2015 has failed to achieve its objective and today fighting continues between various armed groups and also between tribes and clans of Dinka tribe.
As of this week alone, almost 200 people are killed and over 230 people are injured in sub-Dinka tribes fighting in Western Lakes State, and President Kiir has declared yet another state of emergency.
According to world ranking of fragile states, South Sudan is now the most fragile country in the world surpassing Somalia and Syria.
1 comment
Dear Ones, It has been long since the outbreak of the conflict that kill almost everybody’s loved ones. If I can relate to this, I know it can relate you as well. This has changed our course of history and impacted our relationship to each other. just as when I think about the whole country problem I mainly affected by the death of my own relatives. But things will change I am not just being hopeful but saying all this with certainty. There is a hope ahead of you. It begin badly but it will turnout right when you see God plan concerning you and the country you are living in. Do not let these circumstances waver you in acknowledgement of the Creator, It IS HE, who will vindicate you.