August 22nd, 2018(Nyamilepedia) —– In a letter addressed to the Nuer tribe of South Sudan, Lt. Gen, Peter Gatdet Yaka, a fierce fighter who has earned himself a code name Jundi Iraq for surviving the deadly Iraqis-Iranians in mid 1980s, advised the Nuer youth to stop fighting among themselves and remain vigilant of their enemy that plans to exterminate their existence or erase their identity in South Sudan.
“I would like to pass my respect and gratitude to almighty God in the name of the Nuer Nation. And again to the church leaders, community leaders and the leadership in oppositions and in the government all the way to the grassroots.” Lt. Gen. Peter Gatdet writes in letter to the Nuer Nation.
Jundi Iraq as he is known by his supporters reminds the Nuer people, whom he believe have forgotten their problems and the reason they have lived in poorly facilitated concentration camps for over years under the watch of the United Nations.
“I Gen. Peter Gatdet Yak express myself to convey this special message to my people who had forgotten their own problems all these years of conflicts.” Gatdet said.
“We are crying day and night, we the leaders in the bush [who] are fighting for your safety and trying to remove the big and deadly regime in South Sudan. Instead you are fighting amongst yourselves in UNMISS CAMPS for nothing. We lost numerous numbers of both civilians and soldiers during the war.” Gatdet said.
To Gen. Gatdet, it does not make sense that the Nuer are fighting themselves at the watch of an enemy that resides at their doorstep while the Nuer leaders in the opposition are uniting ranks under the peace banner in Khartoum, Sudan, to try to rescue their people once and for all.
According to Gen. Peter Gatdet, he and Dr. Riek Machar Teny have signed a peace agreement intentionally because they want to liberate their people who are suffering in refugees camps and IDPs centers across the country.
“Dr. Machar and I Gen.Peter Gatdet signed this agreement because of you, we want to liberate you in the hardship granted to us by our own government who knows nothing about humanity. When you are killings one another because of small mistakes even international community that protects and defense you may condemn and may think that we are disorganized people as long as you continue to practice barbaric culture of brother killing a brother and a friend killing a friend.” Gatdet said.
Gatdet explains to the Nuer tribe that when he decided to distance himself from Dr. Riek Machar’s leadership in 2015, he decided not to attack Dr. Riek and his forces, and similarly the SPLM/A(IO) did not pursue him and his forces.
“When I distanced myself from Dr. Riak leadership I hadn’t taken any wrong idea to plan for an attack against Mr. Machar forces, likewise to himself neither, it’s something we all know that our mission and objectives are the same. As I speak to you nothing can tempted me to fight with my colleagues in leadership of Dr. Machar. I look at those officers and soldiers in opposition like mine and also the officers and soldiers are with me like Dr. Machar forces are with him, we are fighting for the same cause.” Gatdet said.
Gatdet also distanced himself from having an ambition to take over Dr. Machar’s leadership in the SPLM/A(IO) saying that whatever rumours that people have spreaded on social media were nothing but gospel of lies.
“There are people outside spreading gospels of lies to brainwashing innocents Nuer around the world that gen Peter Gatdet wanted Dr. Machar position to takes over the leadership of opposition, NO I had never dreamed of it, I am only thinking of possible ways to get YOU out from the confinements of UNMISS.” He said.
In his last remarks, Peter Gatdet campaigns for unity and reconciliations among the Nuer people. He calls on church leaders and elders to resolve differences between the youth and help them reconcile among themselves.
“Youths this is the last hope for peace to prevail in our country, stay away from wars. Don’t kill yourselves in these last remaining hours gets closer and reconcile. Lately and to the entire Nuer worldwide, I’m not happy for all these four years when I see brother fighting brother, friend fighting friend, it demoralised my altitude. Can we find a common and genuine solution to remove hatred in us, Nueri?, I call upon Nuer community leaders and church leaders to mobilize and preach for peace and reconciliation within our Communities.” Gatdet continued.
“Lets work and thinks of unity and not division as many of us want. We need to think deep for the future to come, for the future of our generations to come and let us restore respect and dignity of Naath Nation. What happened on Monday and Tuesday is extremely difficult to understand and is being played politically by power monger. Its very sad that a leader is influencing his clan to go and fight another clan I look at it as weaknesses and failure of leadership. I am always frank and honest to the Four Nuer sectors that I am not among those leaders who have a lower vision of the Nuer community, I know, “vision is the art of seeing things invisible” I predict the Nuer future is brilliant and beyond my interest.” Gatdet concludes.
Gen Peter Gatdet is a well trained soldier by profession. He began his military career in early 1980s and participated in Iraqis-Iranian war in mid 1980s as part of Sudanese forces that were sent to support Iraq against Iran. The deadly Iraqis-Iranians war began in September 1980 and ended in August 1988, however, in the cost of 8 years alone, between 105, 000 to 500, 000 soldiers were killed, more than 400, 000 were wounded and over 70,000 were captured as prisoners of war on Iraqis side alone. Iraq was on aggression under its supreme leadership of Saddam Hussein and a lot of damage was incurred on the Iranians side at the beginning of the war, however, the Iraqis side incurred many casualties towards the end of the war. Sudan was an ally to Iraq for which it contributed troops to help fight Iran but many troops died in the process on both sides. Gen. Peter Gatdet and a few others survived the war. Upon his return to Sudan Gatdet defected and joined the SPLM/A as majority of his colleagues, who returned from the Iraqis war, retire from military.
1 comment
Dear General Peter, Thanks you so much for your remark it gives me some relief. This is a stigma that has been there for countless generation. People do not see on the big picture as people who are open minded rather a very closed one which does not see further. What will they gain from this clan to clan conflict? Yes, I also know that those who claim to be leaders are among those influencing the groups. How are you claiming to be a leaders of South Sudan in general while you are not even able to manage clans let alone tribe? How am I to say you are my leader? Is it not the same we complain about right now? If your words are true how come you are killing yourselves and you accuse someone else of killing you and run to the camp escaping death, why are you creating death for yourselves when it seems to be saved? Yes those worthless individuals whose minds filled with violence should be released to the violence camps to learn the outcome of being violent and you that small minded. Anyone who fight with small matter and future blinded should be rejected so that he/she not spoil the group. Do I not know what I am talking about surely I do more than the majority of you. Yes, those who promote violence deserve to be punished with the punishment that fit the crime. The people who protect you have a lot of things to do rather wasting their times with the people who do not value their own lives. Should you blame now, if you are released to chaos? I hope not but I know you would. Why do you hurting my heart dear ones, I bear the scars of your hands what am I supposed to do more than what I am able?