Open Letter to Uhuru Kenyatta: South Sudan Independence Risks Being Reversed

By Dak Buoth,

7th June, 2017(Nyamilepedia) —– Your Excellency, IGAD Rapporteur on South Sudan, ‘‘Evil flourishes because we are not angry to stop it’’ Malcom X.You and I have a history, a common history. I’m the descendant of the Any-Anya movement led by Samuel Gai Tut and Akuot Atem, and you’re the descendant of the Mau-Mau led by Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi and General China. These bosom revolutionary movements had common foes at the time namely Disease, Ignorance and Poverty. And of course, we are still grappling with the same up to date. Notwithstanding the cynics and unambitious lots in our midst who keeps dragging us behind, we resolved never to waver or cower for we know that we shall romp into convincing victory in our combat against the aforesaid enemies.

Unlike South Sudanese, Kenyans entrusted their independence on the hand of the Mau-Mau confidante Hon.Kenyatta Sr who upon ascending to power in 1963 called upon his citizens to embrace ‘Harambee spirit’ knowing that political independence is not an end in itself but rather a mean to an end. With your Harambee slogan, you have tried working and pulling together in your quest for prosperity and nationhood. I must say, if this momentum persists, Kenyans’ dreams and aspirations shall soon come to past.

Evidently, you have since reshape Kenya’s political landscape by lessening the severity of poverty, ignorance and diseases et cetera. The distribution of electricity in your villages, expansion of roads, Rails (SGR) and spread of clinics and 2010 constitution breed hopes and smiles not only on the face of Kenyans but on East African citizens and Africa as all.

Unwittingly or wittingly, South Sudanese erred on 9th July 2011 by entrusting their hard fought independence on the unclean hands of Gen. Salva Kiir who they knew was saboteur and Anti-Any Anya agent. History would tell us that he was among the power-hungry group who hijacked the Any-Anya objectives in 1983. They first assassinated the pair, Samuel Gai Tut and Akuot Atem, and later embarked on derailing our focus which again prolongs our struggle. Were it not for their blunder, perhaps we would have attained our independence in the 1990s.

Since the first days of our independence on 9th July 2011, President General Salva Kiir has done absolutely nothing to build our unity in diversity, and instead he is crushing the old wounds and devising ‘divide and rule’ tactics with a view to cover the rots and maintains his iron hold on power.

Right now, the name ‘South Sudan’ is synonymous with disease, poverty and ignorance. For instance, few days ago, on Friday 2nd June 2017, the world learned with shock that over 15 children aged 12 died of severe toxicity from contaminated vaccine, and that their death was due to human error. ‘‘one syringe was used for all children during the four-day campaign, and the vaccine was stored without refrigeration the entire time’’.

The reason why the health minister Dr. Riek Gai and President Salva did not send their condolences to the bereaved families is because the duo thinks it is the norm and normal to die in South Sudan. Perhaps, they think that 15 is just a number. But a sound mind like me would condemn this deadly act with contempt it deserve and calls for perpetrators to account.

I can assure you here and now, that as long as the SPLM and General Salva Kiir remain as President of South Sudan; you will never wake up one morning and hear anything worth praising.

Arguably, South Sudan which is the size of Burundi, Kenya and Uganda combined has only one Television (SSBC). This Irrefutable fact communicates a lot about the state of freedom of expression and human rights as all. Even though SSBC is headed by respected personality whom i know very well, but one hand was not gonna clap itself. And thus, the Director’s work is a drop in the ocean.

As we converse now, no single child is attending school in the all of Upper Nile region, Equatoria and large part of Bahr El Ghazal where Salva Kiir hail from. Sadly, this continuous state of South Sudan must warrant us to mourn altogether. In light of this, We must asks what will the future holds should such lifestyle remain unchanged?

South Sudan is the perfect example of an imbalance society under the sun. The only institution where native sons, Nuer and Dinka are treated equally is prisons alone, and so be the Equatorians, shilluk and the Murle.

The Architects and Proponents of the SPLM do not belief in social democracy and self-determination that we fought and aspire for. And It is on this basis that SPLM stalwarts scuttled our democratic space in 2010 and in 2015 respectively. The 2010 general election was sham and an affront to universal suffrage. They unilaterally postponed the long awaited 2015 general election indefinitely. And this is the bone of contention where rain starting beating us.

The irregular disbandment of 2015 general election and the unresolved injustices emanating from 2010 electoral disputes are what triggered the ongoing civil war in South Sudan.

The deadly conflict is spreading like wild fire, and the flame is burning South Sudan. Our Nation is on a diminishing point. South Sudanese from all walks of life are now experiencing numerous challenges ranging from death, trauma, hunger, loneliness and despair et cetera et cetera.

Undoubtedly, we are in Refugee State ruled by rogue militants and warlords who hardly heed wise counsels. Our economy got crippled to the core because the populace has become weak and vulnerable. Vast majority are orphans, windows, widowers, and handicapped.

Numerous credible reports indicate that thousands of our people were maimed, the rest have disappeared mysteriously; a million others have run away because the armed combatants have converted their homesteads into battling grounds. Moreover, as these innocent civilians escape from live bullets, biting hunger is chasing them to the graves.

This dire situation has now graduated from bad to worse. There exist state of emergency in the all country since 2013. Thus, the IDPs gets connived and confined in their plastic tent where they are frying in scorching sun.

In view of the foregoing, our hard fought independence risks being reversed like the Biafra independence of 1967 which was later revoked following the massive loss of civilian lives in Nigeria civil war. And unless we take a different path we might have ourselves blame later for having done little or abet the perpetrators.

In South Sudan, we are not getting basic needs like clean water, food, shelter and safety. Thus, a huge number of civilians keeps flocking and returning into Sudan. In Sudan, there is a certain refugee camp where returnees are sheltering in. That camp is call ‘Malesh’ Bashir refugee camp. In Arabic, Malesh means ‘sorry’. In other words, it is called Sorry Omar Bashir Refugee camps. The massive civilians’ return to Sudan three years after independence made us look like mad dogs that feeds on its vomits. It is a shameful trend. In fact it is an insult to our intelligence and sheer betrayal to Friends who helped us in bringing South Sudan independence to fruition.

These aforementioned facts are the prerequisites for reversing any independence. The world can wake up one morning and revoke South Sudan independence. Hence, something practical ought to be done to rescue South Sudan from the yolk of the belligerents’ factions namely SPLM-IG, SPLM-IO and SPLM-FD.

The Addis Ababa Peace Agreement (ARCISS) signed in August 2015 was likened to a proverbial seeds planted on the rocky grounds, and it has since died down because the known architects of war are refusing to show political will. The warring parties blatantly objected to compromise their political interests in favor of peace and justice that we are yearning for. President Salva and his surrogates are the first and leading destroyers of this revered Addis Ababa peace agreement.

Albert Einstein still right, he says, ‘‘insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’’ In four years, IGAD and AU have been massaging the egos of the belligerents to the detriment of the civilians. You have been appeasing and persuading Gen. Salva Kiir and SPLM with peace and dialogue but in vain. Of late, I heard that IGAD head of states want to reconvene another meeting this June on South Sudan with aim of persuading the same warring parties to work together. However, I’m very disturbed by the complacency and lack of creativity that you guys in IGAD have perfected. I felt there was need to change tactics in our efforts to restore peace and tranquility in South Sudan.

In the wake of renewed crisis at state house in July 9th 2016, a progressive human right Activist John Pen de Ngong told NTV-Kenya in live interview which I was part of, that ‘‘the leaders (Riek and Kiir) have not accepted to come together and share power; they are in the same stage where they broke-up in 2013 because they do not trust themselves, and so these guys are incompatible’’. As you wait to meet again this June, IGAD as a block can adopt an approach akin to what Ecowas did to resolved Gambia crisis in 2017 and Madagascar crisis in 2012. Surprisingly, you know these are living successful precedents but you hesitate to apply them, why?

However, if IGAD cannot reached a unanimous decision due to its vested interest that we see, I would like to talk to you personally because you also have a chance to help us help ourselves.

My number one appeal to you is that: do not supports President Salva Kiir against the downtrodden. I hereby advised you to remain neutral as referee; ensure there is fair play or stand on the side of the oppressed. Always, this is what a descendant of revolutionary movement like Mau Mau does. If one supports wrongdoer against the offended ones that is not rationality. You ought to know that President Salva is the war starter, and he is one always being accused by rights agencies of gross human right violations.

In addition, do not deport any South Sudanese to Juba where they escaped from; such acts are archaic in nature and they do not have place in modern Africa and Kenya in particular. For the first time since time immemorial, South Sudanese University students and refugees in Kenya are living in hiding for fear of deportation.

By siding with Gen. President Salva Kiir in this crisis, it means you are simply replicating the mistake done by Senior Kenyatta in 1970s, and instead you should correct or avoid it. You would recall When President Idi Amin overthrew Dr. Milton Obote, the government of Kenya opted to backs Idi Amin against Dr. Obote on allegation that the Latter was communist leaning. Little did Kenya know that President Idi Amin was going to be a thorn in Kenyans’ flesh. Few years after Kenya Helped Idi Amin established his autocratic rule, he turned aback and threatened Kenya with war saying that part of Kenya including Naivasha town was Uganda territory. Were it not for President Julius Nyerere who overthrow him later, Kenyan would have not escape the wrath of Dictator Idi Amin.

Relatively, if your government (Jubllee) continue to backs SPLM/A and President Salva Kiir against the Any-Anya descendants, please do not be surprise or blame us later. I suspect that Salva can do worse than Idi. However, Instead of engaging in these shenanigans, I challenge you to be bold enough, get a gut and act like President Nyerere who rescued Ugandans from the yolk of Idi Amin. Be courageous and rescue South Sudanese and Kenyans in South Sudan.

It is not necessary to take KDF to South Sudan to do that noble task, you can do so by forming formidable military alliances with other progressive forces on the trenches. You can now starts furnishing them with sufficient Equipments except the SPLM affiliated militia, and therefore South Sudan independence will be secured and equally restore once and for all.

The Writer can be reached for comments via eligodakb@yahoo.com