H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon,
Chairman and Commander-IN-Chief of SPLM/ARMY,
Appreciation and support from Nuer Elders on your firm stand for a fair and lasting peace.
July 21, 2015(Nyamilepedia) — As Nuer elders we appreciate and support your strong and firm stand, on behalf of the aggrieved Nuer people even though the comprehensive peace agreement was dishonored by the regime influenced by his cronies who do not know how to rule a country of many tribes. The graves that stand like pyramid in the midst of the national capital city Juba and the ongoing killing of innocent citizens, the deadly castration of Nuer young boys, the brutal raping of young Nuer girls by Salva Kiir’s government troops, and the complete destruction of infrastructures – schools, hospitals, private houses, can only be designated as criminal conspiracy, to commit an offence. Such actions never happened since we were under the Arab’s centralized government in the old Sudan.
It shall not be easily compensated nor recovered as no lost soul is returned to live. Between 16th and 20th of December 2013 the alleged coup cost lives that we shall never see again. It is a burning shame for which we call upon IGAD, AU, TROIKA, UN, and UNSC to take prompt and efficient measures for the total and final suppression of this execrable situation. As humanity is concerned, the initiative today is focused on dividing the cake and relegating accountability. Our firm support behind you is to see into it that the peace initiative by IGAD under “Give and Take” should not be accepted unless the objectives you enumerated in your position paper on the 6th of July 2015, Nairobi-Kenya “IGAD plus Mediated Peace Process for Sustainable Peace in South Sudan” are incorporated into that peace agreement.
1. Regarding your comments of June 11th 2015 on the “Key Provisions and justification for the Agreement on the Resolutions of the conflicts in the Republic of South Sudan”, we strongly support:-
- Implementation of Federal System of Governance:-
During the Transitional Period the country should be run on federated states under a dual system-parliamentary and presidential. The relationship and authority of states and the federal government shall be clearly spelt out by “The Federal Constitution of South Sudan” such as exemplified in the Constitution of the USA. This constitution spells out the powers of the federal government and of the “several states”. South Sudan must strive to become a nation of laws anchored on its diversity.
- Security Arrangements:-
We strongly support the Security Arrangements that sets the two fighting forces cantoned apart for (3) years. While remain under their separate commands, this would be an ample time to prepare them for amalgamation. These cantoned forces should be under the United Nation supervision for the three years. The rationale for three years is to prepare the forces to become unified federal army. Professional training and reorientation can erase the current tribal prejudices as a result of the war atrocities. The 18 months period of amalgamation proved a fiasco during the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement. It re-ignited the second rebellion in 1975. That was a bad experience we should not ignore but safeguard against in the current peace arrangement.
- Cessation of Hostilities Agreement of 23rd January 2014:-
While we bargain a lasting and sustainable peace, we support that it would be conducive if the foreign troops and other allied militias fighting alongside Kiir’s government are immediately withdrawn from the country. We specifically refer to the expulsion of Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF), the four Sudanese rebels and the Chadians out of the country to give peace a chance.
- We strongly support the Demilitarization of Juba town and States capitals. We view this as safeguard against unnecessary military maneuvers or provocations.
2. Humanitarian Situation:–
We strongly appreciate the role of the international community in providing humanitarian assistance – food and shelter, to our displaced people all over the country and also refugees. A flood of people live in UNMISS camps in Unity State, Upper Nile State and Jonglei state. Those are victims of Kiir’s troops and militias. Therefore, we appreciate and also demand that the international humanitarian assistance be increased to reckon with the latest (April-July 2015) displacement of 100,000 people in Unity State.
3. The AU Commission of inquiry Security Report:
We strongly support the publication of this report to serve its purpose. We feel that its delay may distort the facts, downplay the magnitude of the atrocities or condone impunity of the culprits. They should not underrate the feelings of the aggrieved Nuer people.
4. Compensation and Reparation:
We strongly support the compensation of the 20, 000 Nuer people massacred between 16-20 of December 2013 as well as those recently killed in mass in Unity State, Upper Nile State and Jonglei State between April and June 2015. Their destroyed private houses, businesses and other properties should be compensated for.
5. Institutional Reform.
The ultimate aim of the reforms is to improve the quality of governance because the status quo is inefficient and optimally unsuited to the current need for a proactive, responsive, accountable, sustainable and efficient administration for the country at all levels of the government. The South faces immense challenges:- the need to maintain peace and harmony, to alleviate poverty, to sustain a healthy and inclusive economic growth, to ensure social justice and achieve a transparent and participative governance. Those challenges necessitate that the current structures be redesigned to ensure transparency in government, public order, federalism (decentralization) and empowerment of local bodies. These reforms take priority and so should start with the transition.
To become a federal state from the first date of transitional government, the country shall have its constitution amended to delineate the separation of powers between the federal level, the states and local governments. Each state government shall have its own constitution to regulate its operations in response to the needs and aspiration of the citizens. Youth activities would be expedited under a federal system. Each state powers and responsibilities shall be entrusted to the three branches of government:-
- The Executive consisting of Governor and the State agencies.
- To establish a well-functioning Legislature, each State shall have a bicameral Institution. It consists of two Chambers. The Lower Chamber is the House of Representatives with just only 30 members and the Upper Chamber, the State Senate with 20 members, we propose.
- The Judiciary consisting of the Supreme Court and the Lower Courts.
Local Government:-
Each state has different number of Counties with Municipalities in term of state’s Headquarters or industrial areas. The function is the same, but whereas some states use a three tier system of decentralization, State, County Township and Payam, and some use- County, Payam and Buma without Municipality. These prescribed levels are institutions in terms of local councils and decision making is taken not at the higher level but by majority votes.
In conclusion, at this moment of extreme problems, we appreciate your full attention in detailing problems for solution and foreseeing bottlenecks that should be avoided. You have spent the last 19 months defending human and people’s rights while maintaining the position of a certified peace under federalism to prevail in the country. That is your trademark you contributed to satisfy our people. God bless you.
Signed By :-
1/ Dr. James Mabor Gatkuoth
2/ John Juan Dong-Retired Local Government Officer
3/ Hon. Peter Charleman Chawach
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
July 19, 2015
3 comments
As Nuer elders we appreciate and support your strong and firm stand, on behalf of the aggrieved Nuer people even though the comprehensive peace agreement was dishonored by the regime influenced by his cronies who do not know how to rule a country of many tribes. The graves that stand like pyramid in the midst of the national capital city Juba and the ongoing killing of innocent citizens, the deadly castration of Nuer young boys, the brutal raping of young Nuer girls by Salva Kiir’s government troops, and the complete destruction of infrastructures – schools, hospitals, private houses, can only be designated as criminal conspiracy, to commit an offence. Such actions never happened since we were under the Arab’s centralized government in the old Sudan.
so what? continue singing the song of the one thousand of Nuer people killed in Juba, when half a million Dinka Bor citizen were killed, thousands young women were raped, old people and little babies were also murdered and their catlle and other belonging were driven a way by wurnyang in 1991 due to Riek dirty politic which is never done until he witness human blood. I wonder what kind of people are Nuer, they stand still, without feeling ashamed and said that they are appreciating a man who has their sons and daughters killed while his enjoyed the blood of Nuer people in the Streets of London, Uk. Is fighting the only thing Nuer are intelligent at? Can Nuer be called stupid, i doubt so, they are bright but only when they are dead.
until when have elders become part and parcel of incision? Elders are known according to all African culture to be the wall of wisdom but look at nuer Elders teaching their youth to repeat the same mistake they did when they were youth. Are these the people who want to be leaders of our beloved nation when the children and the Elders have no different. No Nuer will ever lead S. Sudan, I Deer you!
Yes i command on your support to Machar as the elders of nuer is good for you to appreciated Dr.Machar. like how Jieng (dinka) do appreciated Kiir in his rule why not you to do that after all the world will understand you as Nuer council (elders) also the international community need your voice on Machar and Kiir. As Nuer elders let THE GOVERNMENT know you who you are and how is your views about this tribal war between as and them as they normal do(jieng) they usually influence Kiir and Maoang ,Kuol,and other that there will be no peace because of federal system and other areas of the agreement sharing power and security arrangement ,oil-revenue, integration of armies both sides they thought that it is another ways of taking out of Kiir his position and give to Machar by force but they jump over the root cause of the war that is why they devastated our areas killing and raping burning alive like what was happening there in Unity State and other areas .mind you that our elders do not sleep be aware about how the Dinkas Elders do let our support on rebels or Spla-iom be in reality this time also be serious about other food lovers who care out the government activities in different areas for example those who are living in camps there some agents from the government to mobilized people especial those of Nuer wew and churches members or churches council who does not know about the life of nuer from 18th century up to current situation since Dec-15 2013 up to date I extended my thanks to all of you for your support to participate on this war why not you die together with your children and women and if are going to finish ourselves with them? why we do fears of death with your right??????????????????? and why not we are not kill ourselves with them in to maximum ?they do it for us right? some things which we will not delete it out from our brains some things which has not been attempted according to our history as Naath(Nuer) event in our ancestries to slotting our children like goats by our enemy like Jieng(Dinkas) look now our children they do loses their schools for two years, living in swamp any where at any time ,scattered us like fruits in the farms and raping our girls ,burning them alive and we are still supporting the government of Kiir while we are going depth on fight what the support is it ?????????? . So as you are our elders of Naath(Nuer) take serious action of those who are still in the side of the government let them consume their Dollars without knowing instead to burning their children alive so talk to them very well time will come for us as Nuer so the question to them is where they will be when south will be in Federal system are they will be in the side of Dinkas areas ???????????? give them very ,very important message to all Nuer who are supporting Kiir not do serious crimes on their people better to kept quite let Dinkas do what so every Nuer will know very well that they are really their enemy for life some thing which we will not be for get it will grow in our blood (like norm and culture) from generation to generation who will forgot it? No one plse ,plse as elders of Naath(nuer) advice them deal with them especial youths in general Western Nuer,Eastern Nuer,central Nuer,south east nuer , respectively according to their four main location meaning greater upper Nile state as whole your support do appreciated to IOM RESISTANCE.
Finally think on that how they gives him three years in office what do you think as Nuer elders ???????????????????????
I am appreciated your moved as an elders of Nuerland, I found your all names and I do know that you would never disappointed Nuer at all. For your statement for our chairman Dr. Machar you have make a right moves thank you for that, for my point also I do see there shall be no trust between us and other 63 tribes who fought with us twice , I do wish you to come up with full fruitful thinking for our an issue we Nuer because the world should understand you too. My addition is simple , you have to add our concerned as we Nuerland should have our Federal Nuerland . That should help for me because if the other South Sudanese would like to stay together we should not prevented them to do theirs will . If we are the problem on them let them be there with Dinka. Thanks this is my point I think you would thinks about it. My best regards to you all .