By Dak Buoth Riek Gaaq
Opinion.
Dec 26, 2014(Nyamilepedia) — In the ‘wee’ hours of today last year ‘26th 12- 2013, we marshaled for massive and ground breaking ‘Press Conference at Six Eighty Hotel Nairobi, to discuss and diffuse what comrade Kocrup Makuach then referred to as ‘political turmoil’’ which occurred in the aftermath of the 15th December 2013, a fateful event that was and still characterized by ethnic targeted ‘killings’ and rampant mutinies in the top military echelon across the country, all in the name of ‘‘ethnic’’ loyalty and or ethnic supremacy. I termed it as ‘‘war match’’ a litmus test between embryonic Nationalism versus tribalism.
One year down the line, I still holds that this ‘‘war match’ was orchestrated, organized and officiated by the imperialists and no-colonialists forces; while these other status quo forces drawn from Uganda, Khartoum and Ethiopia popularly known as (I GAD members) were just invited to serve as line men and to offer ‘first aids’ to the ‘war players’ in the pretext of peace mediation. They were directed and tasked with the following inter alia; to coach the warring players, giving them a boost and boots, providing them with bullets and bulletproof, Khakis and Tuskers and often offering them with resting and dressing rooms et cetera et cetera.
Whenever these ‘war players’ disperse for a ‘break’ dubbed ‘‘Cessation of hostilities’’ they go straight to their resting and dressing rooms in Kampala, Nairobi, Khartoum, Addis Ababa and lately in Dodoma Tanzania. When they arrived in the aforementioned cities, they are normally accorded and afforded a presidential escort and ferry with presidential jets. They address their supporters in state houses and on ‘red carpet’ just to keep their egos bleeding and to massage their ravenous hunger for political power, and as they undertook those usual rituals, the ‘‘organizers and officiators continue to suck and search in our land. As they (War players) return from the so called IGAD communiqué going back to the pitch, they are being whispered ‘‘don’t worry, the clock is ticking, ‘the other one has lose legitimacy, the next round is gonna be you in the throne, ‘ look, his claims have been dismissed from the word go’’ They nodded in submission to ignorance.
Meanwhile they execute the forgoing ills in the hell, you the ‘fun or supporters (south Sudanese citizenry) are left with a task to level the ground by fomenting, inciting and exciting tribal hates on social media praying for the violent to flare-up again and again.
When a real player make a foul or faults in the pitch, the referee does issued the red or yellow cards (Bank freezing and travel ban) to the war supporters and sycophants; (Army Generals) rather than the real architects and potential beneficiaries of this bloodbath,
what a ‘roughshod, How can they bar and ban someone from traveling to a place where s/he has never visited or claim to have frozen the account of someone who has ‘no’ bank accounts in the first place. Am not in any way exonerating the victims of the aforesaid verdicts because whenever a ‘fun or supporter’ is hurt in a stadium, s/he can’t claims any remedy for the injuries incurred, if he did attempt, it will be a ‘slap on the face, his suit will bounced miserably. There is a defense call volenti Non Fit Injuria also known as ‘the voluntary assumption. Where a defendant pleads this defense, s/he is in effect saying that the complainant or the plaintiff consented to the act which s/he is now being complaint. It’s normally used by sports institutions and surgeon, in nutshell, no judicial institution can award damages to a person who consented in the act no matter how grievous the act is, a game player or supporter of the game cannot complain for being injured while playing or spectating the game.
However, Unlike the other games (i.e. soccer) where the players and spectators are aware of the rules and time when the game is likely to finish, these players of this ‘‘war match’’ are completely clueless about the rules of this game, they are yet aware who has scored against the other or the whereabouts of ‘goal posts. You could notice that these players of this ‘war match’ are now exhausted in the pitch, but because the referee (s) hasn’t blown the final whistle, the war must go on and on.
Sorry for veering you off the actual topic, ‘today in history’ 26th December 2013, I have tried to think of what can be done on this day 26th December 2014 in so far south Sudan conflict is concern; considering that the situation remain the same, and in view to think of what can be done on this day, I made a reflections and take a glimpse of what we did this day 26th December 2013, I find it’s more appealing than ever before. If I was to do another one this year, it would not differ so much. And it is for this reason that, I opted to produce the same statement without editing any part of it. Herewith is the statement that I read to newsroom under the umbrella ‘Congress of South Sudanese Patriots’
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
26th December 2013.
Members of the Press,
Compatriots, Fellow Countrymen and Women.
SUBJECT: CESSATION OF VIOLENCE IN SOUTH SUDAN
We are South Sudanese University Students studying in various learning institutions in Kenya. We all hails from various corners of our republic.
At the onset, allow us to express our heartfelt condolences with the hundreds innocent children and women who have lost their lives in this ongoing political violence in the capital juba and in various part of the country.
We would also like to register our humble solidarity with thousands south Sudanese, our dear Kenyan brothers and sisters and nationals from other countries who are still languishing in various United Nations centers where they had gone to sought refuge. We strongly appeal for their safety to be granted in those centers by both conflicting parties without any condition whatsoever.
We condemned this senseless, heinous crime with contempt it deserve.
Fellow country men and women, we are again standing at very pivotal moment in our nation history. Fifty years ago, two (2) million people sacrificed their lives unwaveringly for successful multidimensional revolution which was crowned here at Nyayo stadium by our iconic liberation hero Dr. Garang de Mabior. Hence, subjecting this hard fought independent into jeopardy will not only put our efforts in vain but that of our martyrs.
Two years ago, at the day of our independent, we went wittingly to register our country among nations as a sovereign state with unequivocal intention to make it a country where unity of purpose will reign forever and ever.
With the current spilling violence, the world and the region are keeping their heads on toes fearing to see us dragging ourselves to those dark and regrettable days.
Members of the press, we will not bore you with the chronology of this tragic incident because it is familiar to all of us. Our utmost purpose for convening this press release is to call for the cessation of the ongoing violence that is putting our country at the verge of collapse.
Ladies and gentlemen and members of the Press , we want to categorically state that the ongoing conflict is NOT a war between Nuer and Dinka Ethnic groups, as it has been reiterated in various sources that have had a privilege to report on the same.
We want to tell you out of our own conviction that it is a political and ideological tussle within the ruling political party and has nothing whatsoever to do with innocent members of these communities. Of course, they might have been the victims of this violence as it occurred, but as we are fully aware, nothing of such sort connects them directly with it.
We are reminding the entangled political leadership to recall the hopes and aspirations that accompanied our independence on 9TH July 2011 which they themselves selflessly fought for.
We now call upon them to immediately cease the spilling political turmoil and find amicable peaceful solution to it. However, we urge the already existing teams of mediation from our neighboring countries including Kenya to bestow high magnitude of NEUTRALITY in dealings with this polarized violence. We appreciate and will continue to acknowledge your endless endeavors to bring us peace and unity in our young nation.
Finally, we appeal to all south Sudanese wherever they may be in Kenya and elsewhere in the World to remain calm and peaceful as they continue with their studies, we are urging them irrespective of their Ethnicity, political affiliations, region and creed to refrain from utterances that are inciting on social media, but rather to disseminate message of peace and unity among our people at this critical moment.
God Bless South Sudan, God Bless Kenya, God Bless Africa
Yours Affectionately,
Representative,
Dak Buoth.
Other comrades who gave their comments also spoke vividly and lividly rather timidly, you can find the video on YouTube by googling, WWW.southsudanconflict2013.
‘‘Jesus was born in a manger. He refused to be a cow. He chose to be a king, and his grace overcomes disgrace’’ I wish the readers Merry Christmas and happy New Year 2015
The writer is Chairman of South Sudan Students Association in Kenya (SSSAK). He writes this at his own capacity. You can reach him for comments via eligodakb@yahoo.com
