Oct 24, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — South Sudan’s former deputy minister of interior and the SPLM/A-IO Chairperson of Information and Public Relations, Capt. Mabior Garang de Mabior, calls on the armed opposition to hold Executive Committee meetings to eveluate the Implementation of the Peace Agreement and the performance of the SPLM/A-IO.
According to a memo he released on Thursday, which seeks to clarify on his resignation scandal of last week, Mabior urges the SPLM/A-IO leadership to organize a general assembly for the executive committes that would be composed of the political bureau and the National Liberation Council of the SPLM/A-IO.
He suggests that the meeting be held outside South Sudan in one of the IGAD countries to clarify to the supporters and sympathizers if the SPLM/A-IO leadership has surrendered to President Kiir’s regime.
“If the political leadership of the movement has not surrendered to the status quo, I call on your Comradeship to urgently convene a meeting of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) PB, NLC and the army’s top brass in a neighbouring IGAD country so that we can make revolutionary corrections.” Capt. Mabior said.
“If we bury our heads in the sand and ignore the problem, it will add to the many sources of insecurity already present in our nascent Republic. I would like to add my voice to the request of our army’s Chief of Staff, General Gatwec Dual, for a meeting of our leadership so that we can discuss the peace process and other internal crises which have led to a loss of vision and direction.” He continued.
Mabior believes that if the SPLM/A-IO leadership has surrendered then those who still wish to continue opposing the regime would return home to wage their rebellion through peaceful means.
“We joined the movement to contribute our faculties to the cause of fundamental change to the barbaric status quo in our country and we have dedicated our lives to this cause. If the political leadership of the movement has surrendered to the status quo, as leaders and founding members, we deserve to know.” Mabior said.
“There are some of us who would rather return to our homes and continue to wage the struggle for change using non–violent methods.” He added.
The son of the founding chairman of the rulling party, believes that the SPLM/A-IO has been hijacked by interest groups who have forced him and others into silence.
“This interest group has effectively silenced the voice of the movement – the National Committee for Information and Public Relations.” Mabior said.
“They have created an atmosphere in which those who insist on the reform agenda and want to inform the public of the failure to implement the Agreement are branded “anti-peace hardliners”. He continued.
Mabior regrets that the SPLM/A-IO continue to remain silent when the country is facing many difficulties that need people to step outside their comfort zones and speak up.
“We have been silent in the face of a botched disarmament in Tonj East County, Inter-communal violence across the country, the premature withdrawal of the UN from the Protection of Civilian Camps (PoC), economic meltdown and more.” Mabior said.
“The SPLM/SPLA (IO) was founded in response to what we perceived as a nepotistic and authoritarian family business practiced on a national level.” He added.
Before this memo, Mabior declared his intention to defect from the SPLM/A-IO Chairperson of Information and Public Relations for a preference to either remain silence or take up a different position.
His intention to resign from executive positions has created uproars from many supporters within the SPLM/A(IO) which pushed Mabior to release this memo and possibly more clarifications shall follow in the next few days.
