Dec 5, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — Responding to the SPLM-IO’s Sixth National Conference, which has captured attention of many South Sudanese both in Juba and on social media, a former Sudanese politician and member of the Jieng Council of Elders, Dr. Aldo Ajou Deng Akuey, has warned that the SPLM IO Conference in Juba should be taken with diligence, if its leaders mean share political business.
While “congratulating” the SPLM/A-IO leader, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, for getting some political space to hold a conference in the capital, Juba, Aldo warns that it is never over for Machar, reciting that the “rule of law” never compromise crimes.
“Dr. Riek Machar, at last, and by holding this conference, is seemingly assumed to be knocking at the door of freedom of speech and civility.” Aldo Ajou, the father of the former NBA player Luol Deng, said.
According to Dr. Ajou, Machar might get some freedoms here and there but the rule of law will not compromise on his past attempts to change the government by the barrel of gun.
“But importantly, liberties, freedoms, democracy and the rule of law, do not compromise suspicion, prejudice, violence, anarchy and political use of brute force to change a government.” Ajou said.
The prominent Jieng Council Elder wonders if this conference could mean a confession that Dr. Machar is getting politically civilized.Â
“Now, that Dr. Riek Machar, I hope, has a commitment to democratic change, shall he reverse to civility?” Ajou wonders.
“Since 1991, his serial of politico-military political movements: SPLM-Nasr, Southern Sudan Independence Movement (SSIM), Southern Sudan Salvation Front (SSSF), the SPLM (when he came back 2001-2002) he never held a political conference-to cite just a precedence on record.” He continued.
According to Dr. Ajou, for Machar to lands in the Republican Palace after the 2024 elections, he must first abandon rebellion and issue a public apology for his past “anarchical politics”.
“To advance his democratic process towards elections and political power, after the R-TGoNU in 2024, Dr. Riek should pullout of anarchical politics for a liberal platform by accepting dialogue, reconciliation, forgiveness, healing and polite apology to the people of South Sudan.” Ajou said.
Ajou reiterates that without doing the necessary, Dr. Machar will never win or prosper socially, politically and economically.
“Without this last stages of return civility, democracy and the rule of law, his democratic process shall have no effects or necessary space to prosper socially, politically and economically.” Ajou bitterly concludes.
According to critics, the Jieng Council of elders are bitter that Dr. Riek Machar is not falling into their nest, something they have tried through military and political means but Machar continues to defy their orders.
Recently, the National Dialogue Steering Committee invited the SPLM/A-IO to join the National Dialogue that is manned by the Jieng Council of Elders with hopes to get Dr. Machar to rubber stamp their ideologies; however, the SPLM/A-IO turned it down citing that the dialogue is not inclusive enough to steer reconciliation and healing in the country.
