Nov 2, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — South Sudan’s former Chief of Staff General Paul Malong Awan, who is currently struggling to build a rebel movement, is blaming “lawlessness” and “absence of good leadership in the country” for what he believes is a “failed state”, the Republic of South Sudan.
In a new mafesto launched last week on October 27, 2020, the leader of the divided South Sudan United Front/Army, said South Sudan is in a state of anarchy partly because of the 21 years of war but also because of poor leadership.
“South Sudan is in an anarchic situation of a failed state that is partly a continuation of the lawless conditions then created by the 21 years war of liberation, and partly due to a bad start in governance and absence of good leadership in the country,” the Manifesto said.
Although General Paul Malong recruited tens of thousands of militias called “Mathiang anyoor” against the will of the then Chief of Staff, Gen. James Hoth Mai, between 2012 and 2014, and continued to recruit more youth into the army during his tenure as the Chief of Staff, Malong blames the SPLM/A and “pro-enemy movements” for previously supplying civilians with guns.
“For the rampant availability of fire arms in the hands of almost every man in the civil population, it is admissible that it was those conditions of the liberation struggle that permitted the possession of the fire arms by almost every man in the rural countryside.” Part of SSUF/A mafesto reads.
“Guns, instead of the traditional war implements previously used by rural menfolk, were allowed by the SPLM/SPLA and by pro-enemy Movements to be purchased and possessed, by the civil communities for self-defence against armed lawlessness created by the regime in Khartoum. That split caused a situation of militarised society prone to destructive intra and inter-communal violence.” the new Manifesto added.
Gen. Malong’s group states that the current intra- and inter-communal feuds are being feuled by rampant availability of guns in the hands of untrained youth.
“That situation of intra and inter- communal insecurity across the country escalated after the CPA due to the system’s failure to impose the rule of law and order. It failed to prioritise vigorous and total removal of the guns from the civil society,” it said.
SUFF/A also blames Salva Kiir’s government for rushing for a military showdown instead of transitioning the rebel movement, the then SPLM/A, from war into peace, political, public, academic and technical competencies.
“Instead, the government went in to emphasize its military nature than political, public, academic and technical competency requisite for development and service delivery to the people. Right at the six-year interim period, the government failed to address three difficult internal challenges which demanded strong statesmanship,” The manifesto reads.
The group also blames Kiir’s admin for plunging the country into a senseless war in 2013 that has stuck around until these days.
“The new nation was shamelessly plunged into a senseless power struggle war (2013 to date) that brought a renewed suffering, destruction, and death! The ruling clique diverted the country’s resources to individual self-enrichment. They wasted the country valuable time and finally divided into three groups: The SPLM ruling clique remained in the country to continue to devour the country’s wealth in the name of war and peace also making high- handed violence done in the most indiscriminate manner. These are the Kiir’s regime.” The group said.
“After the group led the founding of the nation with the help of all of us in this country including the regional and international community, the ruling clique failed to provide the necessary conditions for stability, peace and good governance. It allowed widespread: moral decay, insecurity and lawlessness in the society. Except for Juba, our historical towns now stand in ruins.” They said.
Malong has been part of the leadership and one of the inner-most circle of Kiir’s administration since 2005 to 2017 when he was sacked and replaced by President Salva Kiir from the position of the Chief of Defense Forces.
Malong previously served as a governor of Northern Barh el Ghazal state and the Chairperson of the SPLM in that state until 2014 when he became the Chief of Staff of the SPLA.
Read the full manifesto here: The Original Manifesto of the South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A)
