RESPONSE TO THE SPLM/SPLA EQUATORIA CAUCUS MEETING NAIROBI- KENYA

Invalidation of the suspension of Lt. Gen. Alfred Lado Gore, Deputy Chairman and Commander in Chief SPLM/A

 June 27, 2015(Nyamilepedia) — Preamble: We, the members in SPLM/A IO of Greater Equatoria from South Sudan and other East Africa countries met in Nairobi Kenya on the date stated above, represented by the undersigned;

COGNOZANT of the continue harsh and deteriorating socio-economic and political realities in South Sudan caused by the devastating war imposed on the people of South Sudan by the mono-tribal illegitimate, tyrant and dictatorial regime in Juba which has been putting the lives of our people in precarious conditions, destruction of property and massive displacement;

DISTURBED by the continues indiscipline behavior of some few members of the Movement from Greater Equatoria;

NOT AWARE of the formation of the so-called SPLM/SPLA Equatoria Caucus, its functions, powers and structures as well as aim and objectives;

AWARE of the exclusive, divisive and alarming resolutions of meetings from 6 to 11 June 2015 by the so-called SPLM/SPLA Equatoria caucus meeting in Nairobi Kenya;

DETERMINED to avert the criminal and malicious intention and action by some few misguided and political bankrupt politicians claiming to represent Equatorians within the Movement;

CONFIDENT that the SPLM/A IO is revolutionary movement with members from all the regions of Bahr el Ghazal, Equatoria and Upper Nile to realize complete overhaul regime in Juba;

NOW THEREFORE respond to the so-called SPLM/A Equatoria Caucus meeting in Nairobi Kenya as follows:

ENGAGEMENT WITH EQUATORIA STATES GOVERNORS;

1. The so-called Equatoria use of SPLM general headquarters Logo and South Sudan flag has not been sanctioned by the SPLM/A leadership;
2. The so-called Equatoria Caucus is illegal and has never been sanctioned by the SPLM/A IO leaders and other Equatorians in the Movement;
3. The Equatoria State Governors and all Equatorians are for a peaceful resolution of the conflict and have no intention to divide the ranks and files of the SPLM/SPLA;
4. The Equatoria Position on the Resolution of the Current South Sudan Conflict does not contradict the IGAD led peace talks but compliment by calling for the inclusion of all South Sudan stakeholders including Representatives in the peace talk;
5. The funds were not given by the Government of South Sudan but by individual Equatorians to facilitate the writing and distribution of the Equatoria Paper; and
6. The SPLM/A IO leadership in the interest of the Movement has the mandate to meet any person to further the agenda of the Movement. The meeting between the Authorities in Uganda and the Equatoria Delegation was formal in the interest of peaceful resolution of the conflict and not harmful to the interest of the people of South Sudan and SPLM/SPLA. The same was sanctioned by the SPLM/A IO Chairman and Commander-In-Chief.
7. The so-called Equatoria Caucus has no mandate to talk of the misconduct of Cde. Alfred Ladu Gore, Cde. Ramadan Hassan Laku and Cde. Adel Senderi in such a forum and manner that can divide Equatorians and weaken the Movement;
8. The so-called Equatoria Caucus does not exist and has no mandate, power or authority to suspend and ex-communicate Cde. Alfred Ladu Gore, Cde. Ramadan Hassan Laku and Cde. Adel Senderi from the SPLM/A IO and leadership;
9. The Chairman of the National Committee for Justice and Human Right, Cde Dr. Richard K. Mula according to your document is number in the rank and file of the petitioners and legally, he cannot chair the proposed investigation committee because of conflict interests; and
10. The engagement with Equatoria State Governors, Equatorians and people of good will shall continue so long as it is in the interest of SPLM/A IO and the peaceful resolution of the South Sudan conflicts.

ORGANIZATIONAL, FINANCIAL AND OTHER ISSUES

1. The office of the Deputy Chairperson is a national office and is above the so-called Equatoria Caucus;
2. All Equatorians in SPLM/A IO including the so-called Equatoria Caucus agreed with the Equatorians from Government controlled areas and diaspora with the position of Equatoria on the peaceful resolution of the South Sudan conflict;
3. The so-called Equatoria Caucus must prove or give evidence to support the allegation of financial support from the Government in the Republic of South Sudan;
4. The group that now called itself Equatoria Caucus except Dr. Richard K. Mula and his daughter, Lurit Mula in the SPLM/A IO benefited from the resource mobilized and contributed to draft and disseminate the joint position paper of Equatorians on the peaceful resolution of the ongoing South Sudan conflict to IGAD members, regional and international leaders;
5. Reliable source revealed that Governor Clement Wani Konga gave Dr. Richard K. Mula and his daughter money to rent their apartment for three (3) months and some allowance for up keep;
6. D/Chairman and Deputy Commander In Chief mission to Uganda was to give the paper to the authorities and seek their support as a member of IGAD on the peace process. The country never gave the delegation any money except accommodation and hospitable reception;
7. Uganda is strategic country for South Sudan in general and Equatoria in particular for economic, social and political relations;
8. The D/Chairperson with the delegation mission to South Africa was to widely distribute the Equatoria Position Paper and to seek audience of AU members on the peaceful resolution of the conflict in South Sudan. The Delegation is organizing to meet the other countries in the region to continue with the dissemination of the Position Paper;
9. The document written by the so-called Equatoria Caucus is not representative of all Equatorians but only handful of Equatorians in Nairobi, Kenya;
10. The Position Paper on the peaceful resolution of South Sudan conflict is a unifying factor not only of Equatorians in particular but all the South Sudanese people for peace in the country;
11. The body that came up with the   resolutions of SPLM/SPLA Equatoria caucus meeting Nairobi- Kenya was not sanctioned by the SPLM/A IO leadership;
12. The so-called SPLM/SPLA Equatoria Caucus Meeting Nairobi- Kenya has defamed Alfred Ladu Gore, Cde. Ramadan Hassan Laku and Cde. Adel Senderi;
13. SPLM/A IO Chairperson and his deputy were nominated during the Nasir Convention Resolution to provisionally lead the Movement. It is only by Convention of the Movement that has the mandate to maintain or remove the Deputy Chairman and Deputy Commander In Chief of the SPLM/A IO;
14. Military commission and promotion must be recommended by field commanders based on merit, performance and other conditions;
15. Appointment of governors of the remaining states in Greater Equatoria must meet certain conditions including effective control of the territory by the SPLM/A IO administration, consultation with the citizens of the state and so on; and
16. The SPLM/A IO leadership did not mandate the formation of Equatoria Caucus. This means the body is illegal.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Equatorians in SPLM/A, Government and Diaspora should immediately initiate Equatoria-Equatoria Dialogue to collectively contribute to the search for peace, justice and creation of Federal Democratic Republic of South Sudan;
2. SPLM/A IO leadership should take concrete actions against those who spearheaded the formation and running of activities of the so-called Equatoria Caucus to ensure that grievances are addressed through proper channels;
3. The Office of SPLM/A Deputy Chairperson and Deputy Commander In Chief should make press conference against the allegations made by the so-called Equatoria Caucus and truly inform the members of SPLM/A IO, the people of South Sudan wherever they are and indeed the whole world that all those allegations are false, defamatory and malicious against him and the other two persons;
4. Deputy Chairman and Deputy Commander In Chief Lt. Gen. Alfred Ladu Gore, Cde. Ramadan Hassan Laku and Cde. Adel Senderi shall not be removed as requested by the so-called Equatoria Caucus unless by Convention in regard to the Deputy Chairperson and by Decree of the Chairman in regard to Ramadan Hassan Laku and Cde. Adel Senderi;
5. Immediate dissolution of the so-called Equatoria Caucus by the SPLM/A IO leadership; and
6. SPLM/A IO leadership should conduct thorough individual investigation of all the members whose names appeared on the list of the so-called Equatoria Caucus meetings from 6^th to 11^th June 2015.

We, the members of the SPLM/A IO from Greater Equatoria from South Sudan and other East Africa countries are not part and partial of the so-called Equatoria Caucus that exclusively met in Nairobi. We believe that this respond will offer a window of opportunity for dialogue among members of SPLM/A IO from Greater Equatoria and end the current senseless wrangle and instead unite Equatorians for the SPLM/A IO struggle to recreate South Sudan based on federal democratic principles, respect for rule of law and human rights and freedoms.

Signed by:

Mr. Basa Simon Jose

Western Equatoria State

Mr. Mario Loku Thomas    

Central Equatoria State

Mr. Paul Lam Gabriel

Eastern Equatoria State